“Sofya held the space for a world in the shape of a shared dream, and called it forth, from myself — and I am sure from each of us that attended — with such an incredible delicacy, precision, and craft that, still, even in the weeks after the workshop, the resonance of this oneiric experience continues to vibrate within me. That this was my first ever workshop on dance, and that I felt such a fullness of inspiration, connection, and expression, speaks to Sofya’s masterful ability to design, facilitate, and inspire, through the intricacy of the practice, the flow of each day, and the progression of the workshop in its entirety. It was wonderful, deep, profoundly thoughtful, exhausting, and expanding, and I find that its effects as an experience, beyond the place in which we danced, have formed a space within me that I am excited and impassioned to explore.” — Chris
Thank you for careful guidance toward unseen in our bones, for guarding concentration, for reminding how powerful imagination could be if we practice its embodiment, for letting us tune it with our life force and land on the ground spiraled in verticality of human experience — Jagna
“I love Sofya’s Butoh workshops, this was my third one and I am sure it won’t be the last. It’s a space to learn and improve listening to your own body. It’s also a space to be slow and find the beauty in sensing yourself. I really like the partner and group work which creates such a wholesome environment. I feel like everyone is welcomed just how they are. I like the playful, yet concentrated approach to finding the Butoh inside yourself. I am very thankful for these three days of movement in which I lost and found myself at the same time.” — Carlotta
“In this three days butoh workshop (every day 7 hours) in two beautiful dance studios led by Sofya, my imagination was often activated, my physical limit was tested (fortunately not all the time…). After the workshop, i understand further about butoh. your guidance brought exercises to the point, so that dance appeared on soul level. i really like your tenderness, deepness, calmness, humour and clearness! Thank you” — Huachao
“Sofya created such a safe space in which I felt very comfortable to engage in the explorative process despite having little prior knowledge of Butoh. It was a gentle and exciting, profound and fun journey through space, time and form. Definitely a transformative experience that I am deeply grateful for. I can highly recommend it to anyone, whether they have a lot or little Butoh experience.” — Fin
Dancing Butoh with Sofya was wonderful. I felt very comfortable and was able to surrender to vulnerable parts of myself. The partner exercises were deeply relaxing and created a wholesome atmosphere. I don’t know what I enjoyed more, dancing myself or watching others dance and unfold. The workshop left me with a very grounded feeling and inspired me to explore butoh further. ” — Carlotta
“Sofya is the most sensible Butoh dancer/ facilitator I’ve experienced. The way she guides dancers is so clear and intuitive-it really helped me connect with my emotions and sensibilities in a way I hadn’t been able to before. She created a space where everyone felt safe, seen, and free to be vulnerable. And at the same time, the workshop was fun-we had some laughs, which made it feel light even when we were exploring deep stuff. One of the most powerful moments for me was when she helped each one of us channel their inner “Butoh monster E.” It helped me access emotions from my subconscious and give form to them -writing them down, visualizing them, and then bringing them to life through Butoh. It was honestly the first time I felt I could reach those layers within myself. I’m really grateful for the experience.” — Rand
I deeply appreciated Sofyas soft, sensitive and quiet approach of giving space and time to this exploration of giving birth to a soul that lives within, to feel, to sense its presence of already there but not yet here, to facilitate, to surrender to one’s sensations, to let become what wants be out of itself, to explore the familiar unknown. I could experience that birthing is a listening to the unknown, the senses and the body. Sensing the relation of giving birth and being born as something inhibiting one’s body, once you prepare to give birth which means to listen to your sensations and move out of pleasure listening to the conversation inbetween. Thank you so much for your intricate abilties to host such a beautiful encounter. — Flora
“When Flora recommended me Sofya Shaikut’s butoh workshop, she said it was like walking on wet grass barefeet and i so agree. Now after this 2-day experience i’d also add – it was a misty mystic forest u enter to seek things u would never find but coming out feeling more alive. HIGHLY RECOMMEND!!” — Joyce
Butoh workshop ‘Birthing a soul’ gave inspiration, a longing for deep presence.
The season just passed of the hunt of your eggs and new born.
I see none is around.
Are they gone with them?
I recall they came at dawn, silent as rats climbing until reaching our caves, as you did but I know you.
I recall they came at dawn, silent as rats climbing until reaching our caves, as you did but I know you.
At dawn the eggs gloom and catch the last sunshine, then our caves can be seen from far.
They must have been mapping our light.
This time I used mirrors to catch the sunlight gathering those scattered.
None were here when they came.
I, as other elders of our kind devoured their curse in return, none survived.
I won’t tell you how many we are but we are rising. — Ana
“Muévete y baila sólo desde el placer. O no te muevas, si eso es lo que necesitas. Todo es una danza: la ruidosa, la silenciosa, la furiosa y violenta, la quieta y callada, la veloz o la inmóvil… Sólo tú sabes cuál es tu danza puesto que las imágenes a través de las cuales bailas (o no) son únicamente tuyas. Sofya guía con magistralididad las clases de danza para llegar a bailar siendo uno mismo. ¿Y si dividieras cada pequeña sensación de tu cuerpo en mil pequeñas sensaciones más? La libertad de ser uno mismo. El ser bailando. O sin bailar. Todo es baile.” — Cova
Abres una puerta roja y entras en un remanso del Japón más avant-garde y más contracorriente. Sofya lleva el Buto en cada músculo, cada articulación, cada selección musical. Con una sutileza difícil de atrapar, nos guía a una experiencia del cuerpo y de la conciencia a la vez compartida y profundamente personal. En sus clases, cualquier movimiento, cualquier gesto o intención, se transforma en una vivencia estética. Gracias por la magia. — Alfredo