Dasshoku Shake!

Name and Role: Yumi Umiumare – creator and performer

Describe your Fringe show. A Japanese-Australian Butoh cabaret extravaganza! Butoh punkess Yumi Umiumare meets electrified Theatre Gumbo and ignites her infamous Butoh cabaret with a psychedelic, lost-in-translation, emo shake-up.

Can you tell us briefly about yourself/your company? Yumi is the only Japanese Butoh dancer in Australia. Her versatile, distinctive style of physical theatre has been seen in numerous dance, theatre and film productions and festivals throughout the world. She collaborates with comedy assault troupe, Theatre GUMBO and talented local artists including Willow J (burlesque!), Helen Smith (Butoh group Space Between), Harrison Hall (contemporary dance), actor/drumaturg Matt Crosby, composer Dan West, stage designer Ellen Strasser, costume designer Kiki Ando and lighting designer Tom Willis.

What excites you about Melbourne Fringe? My first Butoh cabaret was performed at Melbourne Fringe, 1999 and I met Theatre Gumbo the year after. We both received Fringe awards. Melbourne Fringe is our nexus – it's exciting to return where our m