Monday, August 31, 2015

Okinawan Dance & Music performance at Japan Society

I would like to announce that Japan Society New York presents 
The Okinawan Dance and Music program
on September 18th (Friday) and September 19th (Saturday). 

Izumi Higa  
 and 
other dancers 
and
seven musicians 
are coming to New York


The workshops on dance and Sanshin
also will be held on September 19th (1:00 pm)
at the Japan Society. 
Okinawan Dance & Music Workshop + <em>Onnagata</em> Demonstration

333 East 47th St. between 1st & 2nd Ave.

Contact:
Box Office: (212) 715-1258
japansociety.org


いよいよ明日から9月、
藝術の秋に相応しく
ジャパン・ソサエテニューヨークでは
9月18日、9月19日に
沖縄舞踊音楽公演が開催されます。

どうぞお見逃しなく。

9月19日1時から
比嘉いずみ先生による
舞踊ワークショップもあります。
演目は
古典女踊「瓦屋」(からやー)です。

どうぞワークショップもお試しくださいませ。


Tuesday, August 25, 2015

Scene from Minnesota Trip

I came back to New York tonight. 

Here are some photos from my trip. 

leave New York

Minnesota 
Minneapolis airport


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Lantern Lighting Festival
Mikaharu kai members

Chura Okinawa Sanshin Kai in Minnesota


with the Sanshin kai members


so many people joined the lantern lighting event


kimono shop









main stage program
high school students came from Nagasaki 
demonstrated a folk dance called "Nagasaki Burabura" 

Nagasaki Kenban
Dance by Geisha from Nagasaki

with Geisha and a Shamisen/song performer


So many people visited the Bon dance festival (Lantern Lighting) 
on Sunday, Aug. 23rd

Amazing !


Hanagasa (flower dance hat) made by 
Mikaharu Kai

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Welcome party with Minnesota friends
Monday, 24th
I demonstrated seven dances at the party

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New York

Thank you for inviting me to the events 
in Minnesota.
See you all again soon!

Thursday, August 20, 2015

Ready for Trip

I am ready to go to Minnesota. 
This performance trip is quite unique for me since it will be my first performance at the Annual Lantern Lighting Festival as well as joining the Japanese dance troupe and 
the Okinawan Sanshin group there in Minnesota. 


初めて参加する灯篭流し祭りですが、
非常に興味深いプログラム内容です。
お楽しみに!

Tuesday, August 18, 2015

Preview of Stage Program (Lantern Lighting Festival)

I would like to inform the program of 
the Japanese/Okinawan dance performance
 at
the Japanese Lantern Lighting Festival
this Sunday

Como Park Zoo and Conservatory
St. Paul, Minnesota


Main Stage:
4:30 pm - 5:00 pm

Presented by 
Mikaharu Kai Nihon Buyo


Kojo No Tsuki (Nihon Buyo)
荒城の月
Moonlight on the Castle's Ruins


Gion Kouta (Nihon Buyo)
祇園小唄
A song of Gion, Kyoto


Esa Bushi (Ryukyu Buyo)
江佐節
Martial arts dance 
(dance by Junko Fisher)


Nagasaki Monogatari (Nihon Buyo)
長崎物語
The story of Oharasan

Hatuma Bushi (Ryukyu Buyo)
鳩間節
A song about Hatuma Island, Yaeyama
(dance by Junko Fisher)


Hanagasa Tsukiyo (Nihon Buyo)
花傘月夜
A dance about daughters of farm families in Tohoku region

---------------------------------------------------

5:15 pm - 5:45

Okinawan Sanshin and Song Live Music Performance 
by 
Chura Ryukyu Okinawan Sanshin kai

Asadoya Yunta 安里ユンタ

Medetai Bushi 目出度節

Musume Jinto-yo 娘ジントーヨ

Natsu Sugata 夏姿

Aki No Odori 秋の踊り
(Dance by Junko Fisher)


Paradise Uruma Jima パラダイスうるま島


See you in Minnesota!
灯篭流でお会いしましょう!






Monday, August 17, 2015

Japanese Lantern Lighting Festival in Minnesota

I will be joining the 60 year Anniversary of
 the Japanese Lantern Lighting Festival 
this coming Sunday.

I will be dancing with 
Mikaharu Kai, a Japanese traditional dance troupe, 
on the main stage at 4:30 pm.
We also will join the Bon Odori at 8:30 pm

Come and join Bon dances!

8月23日(日曜日)
ミネソタ州日本灯篭流祭り舞台に出演いたします。

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JAPANESE LANTERN LIGHTING FESTIVAL AUGUST 23, 2015
Free shuttle bus service from the District Service Center located at 1930 Como Ave.
Bonsai, martial arts, singing, dancing, drumming, delicious food and other aspects of Japanese culture, will be featured at the annual Como Park Japanese Lantern Lighting Festival, a family-friendly event, reminiscent of Japan’s annual Obon holiday, on Sunday, August 23, 2015 on the grounds of the Marjorie McNeely Conservatory in Como Park.
Obon is an important Japanese cultural and family holiday, at which ancestral spirits are said to revisit their families for three days. Families pay their respects at grave sites and put out offerings of food and drink on a tray before household altars. They also light lanterns or small fires outside the house to symbolically guide the souls to the home. On the last evening of Obon, lanterns again guide the spirits back to their resting places.
The Lantern Lighting Festival encompasses Japanese tradition—through music, dance, crafts, martial arts and lanterns. The Marjorie McNeely Conservatory grounds will open at 3:00p.m., and live entertainment in the Como Ordway Memorial Japanese Garden and on the main stage will begin at 3:30p.m. Entertainment will include several taiko drumming groups, koto (Japanese sitar), shakuhachis (bamboo flutes), traditional and contemporary dance and singing.  Martial arts, Ikebana (Japanese flower arranging), origami demonstrations and a host of other cultural exhibits and demonstrations will line several paths through the grounds.  Japanese food and dozens of culturally-related items will be for sale.
The day will culminate at dusk with the main event—the lantern lighting. Six stone lanterns and floating paper lanterns throughout the Japanese garden pond and the Frog Pond will create a vision of peacefulness and harmony to commemorate the dead.
The Como Park Japanese Lantern Lighting Festival, produced by Como Park Zoo and Conservatory, Japan America Society of Minnesota, and Saint Paul Nagasaki Sister City Committee will be held on Sunday, August 23, 2015 from 3:00pm-9:00pm.  Admission is $5.00 per adult (13+), $3.00 per child (ages 3-12) and Seniors (ages 65+), free for children under 3.  Free shuttle bus service will be available from a staffed off-site parking lot at the District Service Center located at 1930 Como Ave.
JLLF2014.RackCard.FINAL.OL-page-001
 SCHEDULE OF THE 2015 DAYS ACTIVITIES
Program