Kazuo, Ohno (1906–2010)

When Ohno Kazuo died at age 103, he was an international legend memorialized in newspapers around the world as a Japanese modern dancer, a pioneer of butoh, and a captivating performer of astounding depth and playfulness. However, the phase of his performance career that led to this worldwide renown did not begin until age seventy-three with a 1980 performance at the Nancy International Theatre Festival. With that performance and subsequent frequent touring, Ohno played a significant role in introducing butoh to the world, some twenty years after its initial development by Hikikata Tatsumi, Ohno, and a group of Tokyo-based dancers.