Curious Fish was premiered at the San Francisco Butoh festival in 2001 and got 5 star rating at the Edinburgh fringe festival that year.

Katsura Kan says "This dance piece was inspired by MINAMATA disease/mercury poisoning. At that period in Japan faced to many kind of serious environmental crisis by the too much high economic growth. We were in the heavy tragedy especially we saw lots, lots of strange fish in the rivers and sea. So cats, dogs, chicken danced DEATH DANCE because they ate the fish and human, also. My fragmented dance pieces "Curious Fish" were the requiem for the spirits who couldn't become human and the life have been erased before come to this world. However I don't want to lost the HOPE."

Katsura Kan is a native of Kyoto and a Master Butoh artist among the ranks of Japan's first generation of Butoh. He performed with the seminal Butoh troupe "Byakkosha" (1979-1981) known for its austerity and integrity, rather than theatrical glamour. He is a celebrated solo artist, collaborative performer and choreographer. Kan has worked with what he calls "minority dancers" all over the world, in remote locations throughout Africa, Europe, South East Asia for the past 28 years, in addition to performing his creative works in cosmopolitan culture.

Kan's approach is inspired by classical Akoku Butoh otherwise known as the "dance of utter darkness." He reverses roles where men are women and visa versa, who then transform into chickens to flowers to frogs that frighten a ballerina. In the midst of all is Kan, a ghost-like figure, marking time and burning himself into your retina. He projects the sensation that he is something before human--a kind of fish or mineral. He awaits "the tears then climbs the rainbow." Kan's work exudes a dark humor that combines whirling images, handled delicately then powerfully. The result is an electrifying event that is both funny and terrifying. As Diane Dubois from the Scotsman
wrote: "I laughed, got scared, and laughed some more".

Performers: John Beauregard, Nicole Bindler, Liza Clark, Jennifer Hicks *(assistant choreographer)*, Greg Holt, Katsura Kan *(choreographer)*, Rebecca Patek, Gabrielle Revlock, Michelle Stortz

Lighting Design: Zornitsa Stoyanova

This program is supported by Swarthmore College, Dance Advance, Japan America Society of Greater Philadelphia and Mascher Space Cooperative.