78:) is a Seattle-based multi-art performance company whose work is inspired by punk, comics, cinema, nightmares and fairy tales driven by live music and visceral movement theater and dance. The group was founded and is co-directed by dancer/performer/director Haruko Nishimura and composer/conductor/performer Joshua Kohl. Degenerate Art Ensemble is both a multi-discipline performance company and a band, having performed major dance and live music works, orchestral concerts, rock shows and site-specific street spectacles.
98:
performances. Nishimura and the team are inspired by the idea of "collision and conflict—with the goal of awakening and transformation". Kohl, whom both composes and conducts the music for the group, utilizes both traditional and newly designed instruments to create the unique sounds for DAE and the Big Band Garage
Orchestra. Kohl's approach to the sound of the group is to create music that is "genere-free"- a sound that crosses boundaries and blurs the lines between classical, punk and indie styles.
241:. Olson Kundig has previously worked with the group to create a piece dubbed the Concorde Table for DAE's performance On The Beach in 2012. The group has also worked alongside inkBoat Artistic Director and renowned dancer Shinichi lova-Koga. Koga collaborated on DAE's Rinko as special guest choreographer and dancer in 2000. Composer Violinist
81:
Kohl has described the group's philosophy as follows: "We aim to achieve the intensity of a sacrificial rite to tear away the waking world revealing alternate realities filled with characters that are transformers expressing unimaginable possibilities. We throw audiences into this world, asking them
123:
The first art exhibition and museum project showcasing
Degenerate Art Ensemble was the culmination of a year-long dialogue between Frye Art Museum curator Robin Held and the artists of Degenerate Art Ensemble in 2011. The survey of the group's work filled the entire museum, featuring 14 artists and
106:
In 2001 Degenerate Art
Ensemble formed its first "Big Band Garage Orchestra" with a lineup of drums, guitar, bass, two trumpets, tenor sax, violin, percussion and Nishimura on vocals with Kohl conducting. The group played a punk-jazz style with extreme dynamics ranging from gentle lullabies like
97:
dance and experimental physical theater to create the imagery
Degenerate Art Ensemble has come to be synonymous for. As a director and performer, Nishimura has been inspired to explore the relationship between performer's and the patrons; which can often be experienced in attending one of their
253:
Degenerate Art
Ensemble grew out of an earlier group led by Kohl and Nishimura called The Young Composers Collective founded in Seattle in 1994, a morphing 17-20 member big band / orchestra that hosted performance artists, modern classical / jazz / rock composers and world-music practitioners
124:
five large scale works inspired by the ambitious all-sensory productions the group is known for creating: a Weeble Wobble princess that battles ninjas, a surgery ice cream truck, a tuning nest in a listening forest, and the Slug
Princess that devours cabbages in a microscopic world.
254:
performing wildly mixed programs in rock clubs around
Seattle and eventually the San Francisco Bay Area. By the late 1990s the collective had shifted towards more visual and dance-centric performances and in 1999 during the creation of their work
115:). From 2001 until 2006 the big band toured Europe four times with shows in Germany, Netherlands, France, Italy, Slovenia, Slovakia, Czech Republic and Poland including both music shows and dance theater engagements.
82:
to make sounds en-masse enveloping and activating space. Characters climb over the audience – removing the barriers that normally separate us, creating an environment that arouses our interconnectedness."
175:
Degenerate Art
Ensemble has collaborated with many influential and highly respected groups and individuals. DAE has worked with Seattle photographer Steven Miller on multiple projects including
166:
in
Germany in for their work Red Shoes in 2012. Kohl and Nishimura presented their work in May 2013 in Jönköping, Sweden as part of the Swedish Biennial for Performing Arts.
233:
and was the first time Wilson and Glass have allowed a new interpretation of this work. For their work UNDERBELLY Degenerate Art
Ensemble collaborated with cutting edge
85:
The group has performed both music shows and dance/theater performance works in 10 countries of North America and Europe in festivals, theaters, clubs and museums.
705:
630:
296:(Seattle), International Festival of Contemporary Dance (Mexico City), HC Andersen Festival (Odense, Sweden), to be performed in San Francisco at
183:
to create the elaborate visuals used in performances. In November 2013, Degenerate Art Ensemble collaborated with classical chamber ensemble
402:
DAE has recorded and released nine albums of their music including recordings of works for stage, silent film and music for music's sake.
306:, 2012–2016, An interdisciplinary performance supported by Creative Capital and the John Simon Guggenheim Foundation performed at
237:. This collaborative multi-media performance was a part of Seattle's Next 50 celebrations in 2012 marking the 50th anniversary of
195:
has collaborated with Degenerate Art Ensemble on many different compositions and projects including co-producing their 2007 album
141:
681:
200:
258:, which explored the psychology of fascism, renamed the group Degenerate Art Ensemble as it is known today – named after the
578:
726:
307:
163:
656:
848:
828:
111:(co-composed by Kohl and Nishimura) to furious jazz/punk/thrash tunes like "Oni Goroshi" (composed by
259:
188:
283:
212:
234:
226:
456:
358:
in Seattle, the Orph Theater in Berlin, Germany and Theatre France Presen (Lubliana, Slovenia)
245:
has also collaborated with Degenerate Art Ensemble on multiple compositions and performances.
238:
221:
156:
554:
454:(As the Young Composers Collective, a film score to Fritz Lang's 1926 silent film classic
8:
355:
481:
279:
134:
321:
262:
in Munich in 1937. For the group the name is a "freak flag" of free expression.
192:
112:
582:
274:, 2021–present, a collaboration with musician/performer Eddy Kwon and sculptor
184:
823:
842:
833:
730:
390:
381:
365:
331:
311:
293:
275:
248:
216:
149:
794:
773:
631:"Seattle's Degenerate Art Ensemble gets the museum treatment at the Frye"
605:
529:
473:
242:
204:
50:
335:
162:
The group was awarded the International Music Theater NOW Award by the
145:
752:
297:
818:
508:
229:
in New York. This piece marked the 35th anniversary of the original
63:
364:, 2002, Orph Theatre (Berlin, Germany), New Performance Series at
211:. In April 2012 DAE was commissioned by renowned theater director
215:
and the Watermill Center to create an interpretation of his and
199:. In February 2012 Kohl conducted the music of Bischoff at the
345:
140:
Joshua Kohl and Haruko Nishimura were chosen to be featured in
208:
94:
27:
203:
in New York with the Wordless Music Orchestra and vocalists
503:
501:
499:
485:(Tzadik, 2009) – on one track as Degenerate Art Orchestra
429:(The first group recordings of Big Band Garage Orchestra)
249:
Early years – The Young Composers Collective (1993–1998)
101:
374:, 1999–2000, Premiered at Theater Yugen (San Francisco)
657:"Kronos Joins Forces with DAE for Show at the Neptune"
549:
547:
496:
544:
393:New Works Festival and ODC Theater (San Francisco)
840:
573:
571:
829:Degenerate Art Ensemble official Facebook Page
187:for their 40th anniversary celebration at the
624:
622:
706:"Concorde Table for Degenerate Art Ensemble"
568:
265:
603:
619:
142:Seattle's Museum of History and Industry's
118:
654:
628:
648:
555:"Creative Capital Grantee: Joshua Kohl"
155:In 2012 Haruko Nishimura was awarded a
93:Co-founder Nishimura uses her study of
88:
841:
655:Upchurch, Michael (14 November 2013).
16:American multi-art performance company
824:Degenerate Art Ensemble on Instagram
102:Big Band Garage Orchestra (2001–2006)
144:new Center for Innovation alongside
127:
629:Upchurch, Michael (16 April 2011).
467:(As the Young Composers Collective)
133:Degenerate Art Ensemble received a
13:
14:
860:
812:
170:
834:Degenerate Art Ensemble Bandcamp
64:http://degenerateartensemble.com
787:
766:
745:
719:
308:Yerba Buena Center for the Arts
164:International Theatre Institute
795:"Frye Art Museum: Exhibitions"
753:"Frye Art Museum: DAE Members"
698:
674:
597:
530:"Frye Art Museum: Artist Bios"
522:
465:The Young Composers Collective
397:
330:, 2008–2009, Performed at the
1:
682:"Kaufman Music Center Lineup"
489:
292:, 2019–present, performed at
819:Degenerate Art Ensemble.com
7:
422:(Big Band Garage Orchestra)
272:Boy mother / faceless bloom
191:in Seattle. Over the years
55:Performance and Visual Arts
10:
865:
344:, 2005–2007, Performed at
509:"Degenerate Art Ensemble"
352:Dreams from Wounded Mouth
266:Notable performance works
260:Degenerate Art Exhibition
109:Dreams from Wounded Mouth
59:
49:
41:
33:
26:
21:
284:Contemporary Arts Center
235:Olson Kundig Architects
227:Baryshnikov Arts Center
72:Degenerate Art Ensemble
22:Degenerate Art Ensemble
135:Creative Capital Award
119:At the Frye Art Museum
354:, 2003, Performed at
320:, 2011, Premiered at
304:Predator's Songstress
231:Einstein On The Beach
222:Einstein on the Beach
177:Predator's Songstress
157:Guggenheim Fellowship
380:, 1999 Premiered at
310:(San Francisco) and
239:Seattle's World Fair
89:Style and influences
727:"inkBoat Bio: Koga"
585:on 5 September 2008
74:(often abbreviated
45:1999 (25 years ago)
849:Culture of Seattle
733:on 17 October 2013
356:Consolidated Works
774:"Frye Art Museum"
606:"Frye Art Museum"
604:Frye Art Museum.
532:. Frye Art Museum
482:The Yelm Sessions
159:for choreography.
128:Grants and awards
69:
68:
856:
806:
805:
803:
801:
791:
785:
784:
782:
780:
770:
764:
763:
761:
759:
749:
743:
742:
740:
738:
729:. Archived from
723:
717:
716:
714:
712:
702:
696:
695:
693:
691:
686:
678:
672:
671:
669:
667:
652:
646:
645:
643:
641:
626:
617:
616:
614:
612:
601:
595:
594:
592:
590:
581:. Archived from
575:
566:
565:
563:
561:
551:
542:
541:
539:
537:
526:
520:
519:
517:
515:
505:
440:Scream! Liondogs
427:Look-Away Popeye
286:(Cincinnati, OH)
280:Colorado College
278:commissioned by
152:in October 2013.
19:
18:
864:
863:
859:
858:
857:
855:
854:
853:
839:
838:
815:
810:
809:
799:
797:
793:
792:
788:
778:
776:
772:
771:
767:
757:
755:
751:
750:
746:
736:
734:
725:
724:
720:
710:
708:
704:
703:
699:
689:
687:
684:
680:
679:
675:
665:
663:
653:
649:
639:
637:
627:
620:
610:
608:
602:
598:
588:
586:
579:"inkBoat: Bios"
577:
576:
569:
559:
557:
553:
552:
545:
535:
533:
528:
527:
523:
513:
511:
507:
506:
497:
492:
400:
378:Scream!Liondogs
322:Frye Art Museum
290:Skeleton Flower
268:
256:Scream!Liondogs
251:
193:Jherek Bischoff
189:Neptune Theatre
173:
130:
121:
113:Jherek Bischoff
104:
91:
37:Seattle, Wa USA
17:
12:
11:
5:
862:
852:
851:
837:
836:
831:
826:
821:
814:
813:External links
811:
808:
807:
786:
765:
744:
718:
697:
673:
647:
618:
596:
567:
543:
521:
494:
493:
491:
488:
487:
486:
469:
468:
461:
448:
442:
436:
430:
423:
416:
410:
399:
396:
395:
394:
384:
375:
369:
359:
349:
339:
334:(Seattle) and
325:
315:
301:
287:
267:
264:
250:
247:
201:Lincoln Center
185:Kronos Quartet
172:
171:Collaborations
169:
168:
167:
160:
153:
138:
129:
126:
120:
117:
103:
100:
90:
87:
67:
66:
61:
57:
56:
53:
47:
46:
43:
39:
38:
35:
31:
30:
24:
23:
15:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
861:
850:
847:
846:
844:
835:
832:
830:
827:
825:
822:
820:
817:
816:
796:
790:
775:
769:
754:
748:
732:
728:
722:
707:
701:
683:
677:
662:
661:Seattle Times
658:
651:
636:
635:Seattle Times
632:
625:
623:
607:
600:
584:
580:
574:
572:
556:
550:
548:
531:
525:
510:
504:
502:
500:
495:
484:
483:
479:
478:
477:
476:
475:
466:
462:
459:
458:
453:
449:
447:
443:
441:
437:
435:
431:
428:
424:
421:
417:
415:
411:
409:
405:
404:
403:
392:
391:On the Boards
389:, 1997–2001,
388:
385:
383:
382:On the Boards
379:
376:
373:
370:
367:
366:On the Boards
363:
360:
357:
353:
350:
348:(Los Angeles)
347:
343:
340:
337:
333:
332:Moore Theatre
329:
326:
323:
319:
316:
313:
312:On the Boards
309:
305:
302:
299:
295:
294:On the Boards
291:
288:
285:
281:
277:
276:Senga Nengudi
273:
270:
269:
263:
261:
257:
246:
244:
240:
236:
232:
228:
224:
223:
219:'s epic work
218:
214:
213:Robert Wilson
210:
206:
202:
198:
194:
190:
186:
182:
178:
165:
161:
158:
154:
151:
147:
143:
139:
136:
132:
131:
125:
116:
114:
110:
99:
96:
86:
83:
79:
77:
73:
65:
62:
58:
54:
52:
48:
44:
40:
36:
32:
29:
25:
20:
798:. Retrieved
789:
777:. Retrieved
768:
756:. Retrieved
747:
735:. Retrieved
731:the original
721:
709:. Retrieved
700:
688:. Retrieved
676:
664:. Retrieved
660:
650:
638:. Retrieved
634:
609:. Retrieved
599:
587:. Retrieved
583:the original
558:. Retrieved
534:. Retrieved
524:
512:. Retrieved
480:
471:
470:
464:
455:
451:
446:Razor Stitch
445:
439:
433:
426:
419:
413:
407:
401:
386:
377:
372:Razor Stitch
371:
361:
351:
341:
327:
317:
303:
289:
271:
255:
252:
230:
220:
217:Philip Glass
196:
180:
176:
174:
150:Dale Chihuly
122:
108:
105:
92:
84:
80:
75:
71:
70:
800:18 December
779:18 December
758:10 December
737:10 December
711:10 December
690:18 December
666:18 December
589:18 December
560:18 December
536:18 December
514:17 December
474:Eyvind Kang
414:Cuckoo Crow
408:Sonic Tales
398:Discography
342:Cuckoo Crow
328:Sonic Tales
243:Eyvind Kang
205:David Byrne
197:Cuckoo Crow
181:Cuckoo Crow
640:27 January
490:References
457:Metropolis
452:Metropolis
338:(New York)
336:New Museum
146:Jeff Bezos
368:(Seattle)
324:(Seattle)
318:Red Shoes
314:(Seattle)
298:ODC/Dance
843:Category
611:27 March
420:Bastress
225:for the
300:in 2024
137:in 2013
60:Website
42:Founded
463:1995,
450:1998,
444:1998,
438:1999,
432:2001,
425:2003,
418:2005,
412:2006,
406:2009,
346:REDCAT
34:Origin
685:(PDF)
472:With
434:Rinko
387:Rinko
362:Nymph
209:Mirah
95:Butoh
51:Genre
28:Choir
802:2013
781:2013
760:2013
739:2013
713:2013
692:2013
668:2013
642:2017
613:2014
591:2013
562:2013
538:2013
516:2013
282:and
207:and
179:and
148:and
76:DAE
845::
659:.
633:.
621:^
570:^
546:^
498:^
804:.
783:.
762:.
741:.
715:.
694:.
670:.
644:.
615:.
593:.
564:.
540:.
518:.
460:)
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.