"SOME painted ladies are butterflies . . .
some painted ladies are variously branded "of the night" or
- somewhat shortchanging the palette - "scarlet women".
But Shakti, in her version of The Pillow Book,
uses the image to portray a truly free spirit.
And, being Shakti, her dance builds into an ecstasy of sensual abandon.

(Mary Brennan-The Herald)

"The inimitable Japanese dancer Shakti is back
with this celebration of women's sexuality, interpreted from the ancient text.
Written by a woman at a time when they were not supposed to express their feelings, sexual or otherwise, this is a passionate piece,
made even more so by Shakti's highly-charged performance.

From the teasing beginning to the energetic finale,
The Pillow Book is an incredibly erotic experience.
Halfway through the show, Shakti bears all,
allowing herself to be daubed all over in brightly coloured paint,
a procedure which is performed with precision by Mieko Nishimura.
When the body painting is finished,
Shakti continues with her dance,
building up to an almost demonic climax.

A spell-binding and breath-taking performance.

(Kirsty Knaggs-The List)

Photo by Jorg Hacker
Flower design by Osamu Ogawa