Tatsumi Hijikata was a pioneering Japanese dancer and choreographer who created the dance genre known as Butoh in the 1950s and 1960s. Butoh is characterized by slow, trance-like movements and often deals with themes of death, sexuality, and human nature. Hijikata drew influences from Western modern dance techniques as well as writers like Antonin Artaud and Jean Genet. Throughout his career, Hijikata challenged conventions of dance and society through provocative and controversial performances that explored the human body and condition.