the Katsura for Japanese dance

Welcome to Minami Circle !!

Dance Perfomance by Ms. Junko Katano

Dance Perfomance by Ms. Junko Katano

Kamakura Hachiman Shrine

Show
by Ms. Junko Katano

Profile:
Address: Hase,Kamakura
Education:Sophia Univ./Lancaster Univ.England
Work experience:Sophia Univ.,NHK,TVK.
Free Journalist
Japanese Dance Fujima School Natori:
Artist name ：Sumika Fujima

Welcome Party

　 1) Minami Circle Introduction

　 2) Show

Introducing of the Japanese dancing to the World
Dance Performances by Ms.Junko Katano

　
3) Buffet Lunch

　


　

　 Time: 10:30-13:30
　 Registration: 9:30-10:30
　 Meeting: 10:30-13:30
　 Place:Hotel Monterey ( in front of Yamashita Park )
　 Annual Membership Fee: ( Sep.2008 ~ Aug.2009 ) \4.000
　 Admission Fee & Lunch : Member:\2,500 , Non-Member \3,500
　 Reservations: 　 From September 1st to September 18th
　 Cancellation : no refund after September 18th noon.
　 Contact: Ms.Kamata Sakiko or Ms.Bobbie Ida

Enjoying Japanese Dancing

Junko Katano

The Birth of Japanese Dancing

There are several theories about the origin of Japanese dancing. But basically it has a connection with Shintoizum which is the Japanese original religion.
As Japanese were agricultural people, ancient Japanese people prayed the rich harvest always. When they prayed, they danced to express their thanks to God. Like this folk dance went on to spread among the common people over time.
In the middle of the sixth century, “Gigaku, Sangaku, Bugaku” were brought to Japan from China and Japanese powerful family supported these Chinese art forms. Gradually folk dance had been influenced by these sophisticated art forms and the traditional Japanese dance with music was born, which was called, Yamatomai.
After the aristocratic period, a collection of popular arts “Sarugaku””Dengaku” came flowing in.
During the Kamakura period-in the first half of the fourteenth century, Dengaku, born out of agricultural rituals and the other “ennenn” a temple banquet performance by monks after Buddhist ceremonial meeting became popular.
These various genres of performing arts, dances and songs were intermixed sometime during the period from the Nambokucho era(around the middle of the fourteenth century) to the beginning of the Muromachi period(the latter half of the fourteenth century) to become the prototype of NOH.
During the Muromachi period Kanami and his son Zeami developed the prototype into a comprehensive form which incorporated music chant dance and storytelling into a form which came to be known as NOH.
With the arrival of the Edo period, early seventeenth century, Noh became a ceremonial performance of the shogunate government. On the contrary, the ordinary people started the new art form. This is Kabuki Odori which is said originally Izumo no Okuni started to dance.
The word “Kabuki” means originally “abnormal outfit”. Female dancers put on men’S outfits and danced on those days. The music includes Japanese flute, drums and Shamisen(three strings music instruments). This art form became very popular on those days, however, as these female dancers were prostitutes, the government banned their performance because of the public moral. Instead of female kabuki, Handsome young men Kabuki started. However, the government also banned their performance, too.
However, the male Kabuki actors tried very hard to keep this art form and many famous Kabuki actors appeared. Thanks to their effort, this art form was kept and showed the new choreographies were born, which each action has meaning.
One of the masterpieces of the role of female Japanese dancing is “Musume Dojyoji”. In this dancing, we can see every essence of roles of female Japanese dancing. Also the role of male Japanese dancing started in Edo region. Adding these, Japanese dance had wide range of dance forms including delicacy, femininity of female dancing. All these numbers are still played nowadays.
Like this, Japanese dance became a stage performance. There are more than 300 plays of Japanese dancing with 13 categories.

Tradition
Japanese Dance is one of the stage arts in the world to have been passed down from generation to generation. The head masters of each school keep the family work from parent to child, child to grand-child and master to disciple, in an unbroken line for many years.

About the schools
There are several schools in Japanese dancing, such as Hanayagi, Fujima, Nishikawa, Azuma, Bando, and Wakayagi. Each school has the different choreographies. If the number is from Kabuki play, most schools have the similar choreographies because the expression are more or less the same.
If the student becomes the certain level, she gets the certification as “Natori” from the head master of the school. If she wants to teach, she needs to get a higher certification”Shihan.”

Music
The unique world created through the sounds of Japanese instruments spreads across the theater. If it is on the stage, usually the Japanese dance is performed with the orchestra which includes Shamisen and singers , and Narimono ( Taiko and Fue, etc) The Japanese dance music are mainly three groups, Nagauta, Tokiwazu, Kiyomoto. Each music has own characteristic sound. The oldest one is Nagauta, then Tokiwazu and Kiyomoto. Kiyomoto is rather story telling with the music.

How to enjoy Japanese Dancing
Each number has the different stage art, property. Each role has the different style.
If you see the following things carefully, you will enjoy more the Japanese Dancing.

1. How to make up
2. How to put on Katsura
3. How to put on Kimono
4. The stage art (Oodo-gu)
5. The property (Kodo-gu)
6. The story of the dancing
7. Choreographies
8. The harmony with the music
9. The role of the dancer is clear?
10. How is the expression of the dancer?

Please Enjoy the Japanese Danicning!

Minami Circle