Natsu Nakajima (Japan) was a Japanese dancer, choreographer and teacher, known for being one of the first female butoh dancers. In 1962 she entered the Kazuo Ohno Dance Studio. Unlike her mentor and long-time collaborator Tatsumi Hijikata, Natsu toured extensively outside of Japan. In 1969 she founded the Muteki-sha dance group, and became a leading figure for dance in Japan. On 3 March 2024, Nakajima died aged 80 in Mexico City.
Three articles are dedicated to Natsu Nakajima, a Japanese dancer who has partici- pated in various ISTA sessions, representing butoh dance technique. Nourit Masson-Sékiné’s article on Natsu Nakajima, and Eugenio Barba’s text Words Hiding Love have both been published in Toward Heart of Dream, Collection and Document of Natsu Nakajima and Mutekisha Dance, Tokyo, 2024. Some words by Natsu herself complete this section.