Review of SANBASO.

I would like to review yesterday's Sanbaso held at

Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum rotunda.

I liked the costume of Mansai Nomura. 

Mansai's costume matched the art exhibited behind the stage.  

I focused mostly watching Mansai's foot work.

Mansai stomped as many as 100 times during his 45-minute performance of the SANBASO.

The SANBASO performance was divided into three parts:
 Prologue: Mansai performed with a fan in his left hand.
 Middle: Mansai performed putting on a black mask of old man and the fun.
Epilogue: Mansai took off the mask and carry a bell in his
right hand and the fun.

Program:

Noh music medley (nohgaku Hayashi)

Fue (noh flute): Rokurobyoe Fujita

Ko-tsuzumi (small hand drum): Atsushi Ueda

O-tsuzumi (large hand drum): Keinosuke Okura

SANBASO

Sanbaso: Mansai Nomura

Senzai: Kazunori Takano

Koken (Stagehand): HaruoTsukizaki

Ji-Utai (Chorus): Ren Naito, Hiroharu Fukada, Shuichi Nakamura

Fue : Fokurobyoe Fujita

Ko-tsuzumi : Yotaro Uzawa

Waki-tsuzumi (second small hand drum): Kensaku Araki, Atsushi Ueda

O-tsuzumi: Keinosuke Okura 

Set and Sanbaso costume design: Hiroshi Sugimoto

Lighting design: Rie Ono

Stage Construction: Watoku Ueno

Production: Odawara Arts Foundation

Preview of Sanbaso, Kyogen Performance

Hi, today is very exciting day for me because I got an invitation to see the Sanbaso which will be performed today at the Guggenheim Museum. 

It will be the first time for me to see a live performance of Mr. Mansai Nomura. 

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Stamping Sanbasō　狂言三番叟（さんばそう）

There's one more important role for kyōgen actors that hasn't been mentioned yet: Sanbasō, which is part of the ceremonial piece Okina. Okina, which is often called "the noh that isn't a noh," celebrates the emperor's peaceful reign, the safety of the nation, and a bountiful harvest. As such it holds a venerated position within the noh world as a petition to the gods. The kyōgen actor carries a box containing the masks used in the performance, and dances the dance Sanbasō, which is a prayer for blessing. (Depending on the shite school involved, the kyōgen actor may also play the role of a young man named Chitose [Thousand Years].)

Sanbasō is the main role in the second half of Okina, after the old man Okina exits. The actor begins by dancing the momi no dan (rubbing section), after which he dons a black, old man's mask and dances the suzu-no-dan (bell tree section). The choreography involves a great deal of stamping, and there are also mimed movements that portray the sowing of fields. The actors are thought to become gods as they perform their dances of supplication. Kyōgen performers use the verb "stamp," not "dance," to describe what they do when they perform Sanbasō.

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Mr. Seijin Noborikawa

Mr. Seijin Noborikawa, one of the greatest folk musician of Okinawa, has passed away on March 19.

He was 80 years old. I am fan of Noborikawa's songs and would like to introduce one of his songs today.

なりたい節

Naritai Bushi

合尺工八六尺工六工老四上尺老尺老工六

工老四上尺老工七五工尺老工五工七五七工尺上尺四老四乙合上工尺

　うぐいし　　に　な　や　い　　んぞが寝　座　し　ち　ぬ

　Uguishi 　　ni 　na-　ya　i 　　 nzoga　ni　za　shi　chi　nu 

合老四尺上尺上老工老工五工老工老四工上老尺老工尺

　ガクなか　に　　宿　う　てぃ　暮　し　　ぶさ　ぬ

　Gakunaka-  i 　　　ya　du　ti  　kurashi　　bu-sa　nu

六八七六工六尺工老四上尺工老工五

うかし　　むんやさすくちなむん　

Ukashi-munyasa shikuchinamun

合老上尺上老尺工四老四乙合上

すくちなむんやさ　くちびけ　　い

Shikuchina munyasa kuchibike　　i

Thank you Seiji san for creating beautiful songs and playing wonderful Sanshin for us!
心よりご冥福をお祈りいたします。

Performance Photo Part 3

Here are the photos from yesterday's program.

Ryukyu Dance (Okinawa Dance) and Music

Program 4. Male Court Dance

Changing costume from female character to male character 

Program 5: Female Zo dance

Program 6: Sanshin performance 

Program 7: Dance workshop 

Greeting with Ms. Camara, the director of Lotus Music and Dance

Thank you Camara for your support!

Performance Photo 2

Here are the photos from yesterday's program.

Ryukyu Dance (Okinawa Dance) and Music

Program 2: Wakashu (Youth) Court Dance

Program 3: Female Court Dance

Changing costume from Wkashu Kuti Bushi to Yotsudake

Performance Photos Part 1

Thank you all very much for joining yesterday's program. 

Here are the photos from the program,

Ryukyu Dance (Okinawa Dance) and Music, 

90-minute lecture and demonstration,

held at the Asian American Writers Workshop studio.

Preparation

Program 1: Make up

Preview of One-woman Show

Hi, Happy Sunday!

I would like to inform details of the program of my upcoming show on March 10. Sunday.

2:00 pm - 3:30 pm

Please join me!

Program;

Stage make up

Wakashu Kuti Busi
（若衆こてい節）

Yotsudake
（四竹）

Nubui Kuduchi
（上り口説）

Nuchi Bana
（貫花）

三線民謡歌：

Paradise Urumajima

Ashibi Na
Basho Fu

Dance Workshop 

If you would like to join the program, please contact me at Junko@Junkofihser.com

or 

Lotus Music and Dance.

３月に入り一雨ごとに春らしくなりつつあります。
春の舞踊シーズン第一弾企画として
１０日日曜日に９０分間一人芝居を開催いたします。
おしゃべりをまじえながら
裏舞台と表舞台両方をお見せいたします。

プログラムの最後は舞踊のワークショップです。
どうぞお気軽にご参加ください。

Ryukyu Shimpo, New York Times Travel Show Report

I have performed at the New York Times Travel Show on Jan. 19th.

琉球舞踊

【アメリカ】ＮＹ観光博に沖縄色　「貫花」「四つ竹」披露、民謡も好評2013年2月25日     

   

観光博覧会場で沖縄舞踊・民謡を披露する順子フィッシャーさん＝１月１９日、ニューヨーク州マンハッタン市

　ニューヨーク・タイムズ社が主催する第１０回トラベル・ショー（観光博覧会）が１月１８日から３日間、米マンハッタン市で開催された。広い会場には色鮮やかな世界中の国のブースや舞台を設置。それぞれの伝統芸能などが披露され、ニューヨークに世界万博が来たかのような雰囲気だった。
　ブースは、南米、北米、アフリカ、カリビアン、ヨーロッパなどの国が主。アジアの国にも特別ステージが設置され、インドネシアやインドの舞踊が盛んに披露された。
　日本側からは、ニューヨーク仏教会所属の僧太鼓による日本太鼓と、宮城流能松会・順子フィッシャーさんの琉球舞踊があり、１月１９日にアジアの舞台で「貫花」を披露した。沖縄ブースでは、「四つ竹」などを披露、沖縄民謡もあり、好評を博した。
　沖縄ブース担当として、沖縄観光コンベンションビューロー海外事業部担当の宮里顕光さんがニューヨーク入り。日本ブース出展に関する担当は、日本旅行グループ（本社・東京）だった。
　順子さんは「いろいろなメディアの方からインタビューを受けた。全体的に、日本のブースでは、私だけの演技だったので、とても重宝がられ、お客さまにも沖縄を紹介でき、喜んでもらった」と印象を語った。（当銘貞夫通信員）