Jiutamai Dance recital by Kasami-sensei
I had known since last two years that Kasami-san goes for learning a Japanese traditional dance.
However, with a background of a rather hectic work schedule that she has, and also considering that she has a sweet little daughter to look after, I did not imagine her dedication to this hobby to be more than my own dedication to exercising :-)
One fine day this illusion of mine vanished after Namita-san sent out information mail about the Dance recital which Kasami-san was performing.
When I went to her desk for enquiring about this event, Kasami-san further elaborated us that the major attraction of this program was performances by her Sensei. We had a chance to see the performance of a maestro, accompanied by the best musicians in Japan. Further more, she was also excited about the fact that her Sensei would be wearing the authentic [and very expensive] Kimonos specially brought in for this performance and a genuine traditional makeup by specialists.
Ticket to enjoy a rare traditional performance and to see a colleague as a part of this phenomenon - I was not going to miss this one!!
About the Dance: [Courtesy – Information mail by Namita-san]
This Japanese traditional dance is called Jiutamai. It is performed with accompaniment of a song and a musical instrument called Sangen. Jiutamai derives its beauty by “movement in stillness” and is a representation of self-awareness, of oriental movement, and of holding communion with nature.
Togari-san sent out a map to us soon after this discussion and we decided to assemble at Ometo-sando station exit and go to the theater together.
18th Oct 2008 - the day of performance being a Saturday I struggled to get myself out of my bed and rushed on towards the venue.
After Togari-san arrived at the station, two of us started to walk towards the theater. Intention was to reserve some good seats in the theater for all of us, and then wait for others to join.
The lane, on which this theater is, happens to be a modern fashion street for Tokyo with many fashion houses and brands having their outlets here. I could see many tourists floating around as well.
Theater building is having the original cement concrete casting surface maintained. I believe that with many steel structures wrapped in acrylic panes around, this concrete makes a fashion statement in itself.
It is originally a Kabuki theater with seating arrangement on two sides of the stage and a seating capacity of around 200 people.
The initial two performances were by the maestro herself and these were to be followed by the student performances.
The grace with which the maestro moved gradually along the music beats was wonderful. Music in itself was slow but soothing. I found it very meditative. For those moments, when I indulged into listening to the music and song, and to seeing the dance recital; I forgot all the worldly matters.
While the first performance was of a girl missing her lover, my personal f
avorite was the second performance – portraying first a hunter killing for a living and then a bird hit by this hunter.
It was amazing to see the same performer convincing us to be a hunter; with moves first of a manly and daredevil character and then to be a bird, with all its agony and pain, as it nears the death-bed.
I can’t help to confess that the final moments of this dance, portraying this agony and pain brought tears in my eyes. May be that’s why I liked this dance the most.
During the interval between dance performances, Togari-san elaborated that the songs were in very old Japanese language and not many understand these songs. They may identify the individual words in these songs though.
I am already notorious for relating things, and could not help to think of traditional Indian dance performances at this moment.
These also have background songs mostly in Sanskrit, a language which is mother of so many Indian languages, but which is hardly spoken these days. We also can identify many of the individual words, relating them to the languages we currently speak, but if somebody sings in Sanskrit ….
Anyways, we were soon watching the student dance performances. They said the best student will perform at the end and so it was – last performance among students was Kasami-san’s performance.
Theme of Kasami-san’s performance: Kurokami [Black hair o
f a young girl]
She portrayed the loneliness of a young Geisha missing her Patron.
The Solitude in her moves, and the self-restraint was amazing. Grace in her movement was also good.
For information of all, these performers have to bend in knees during the entire recital. That makes this entire episode really difficult and demands a lot of practice and self-restraint.
Then came our bonus – a motherly touch to this rare recital.
Kasami-san’s mother saw us all and sent out special Rice and Red Bean sweet Cakes for all of us.
Whatever part of world you are in, you won’t be hungry as long as there is a mother around.
We ate these cakes walking on the streets of Ometo-sando, as we were window shopping after the recital.
This recital presented me a unique chance to see a Japanese traditional dance and i enjoyed it fully. Hope you all enjoyed the reading.
More Snaps of this recital available at my Picasa web album:
http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/parsooram/Japanese_Dance_Recital
I had known since last two years that Kasami-san goes for learning a Japanese traditional dance.
However, with a background of a rather hectic work schedule that she has, and also considering that she has a sweet little daughter to look after, I did not imagine her dedication to this hobby to be more than my own dedication to exercising :-)
One fine day this illusion of mine vanished after Namita-san sent out information mail about the Dance recital which Kasami-san was performing.
When I went to her desk for enquiring about this event, Kasami-san further elaborated us that the major attraction of this program was performances by her Sensei. We had a chance to see the performance of a maestro, accompanied by the best musicians in Japan. Further more, she was also excited about the fact that her Sensei would be wearing the authentic [and very expensive] Kimonos specially brought in for this performance and a genuine traditional makeup by specialists.
Ticket to enjoy a rare traditional performance and to see a colleague as a part of this phenomenon - I was not going to miss this one!!
About the Dance: [Courtesy – Information mail by Namita-san]
This Japanese traditional dance is called Jiutamai. It is performed with accompaniment of a song and a musical instrument called Sangen. Jiutamai derives its beauty by “movement in stillness” and is a representation of self-awareness, of oriental movement, and of holding communion with nature.
Togari-san sent out a map to us soon after this discussion and we decided to assemble at Ometo-sando station exit and go to the theater together.
18th Oct 2008 - the day of performance being a Saturday I struggled to get myself out of my bed and rushed on towards the venue.
After Togari-san arrived at the station, two of us started to walk towards the theater. Intention was to reserve some good seats in the theater for all of us, and then wait for others to join.
The lane, on which this theater is, happens to be a modern fashion street for Tokyo with many fashion houses and brands having their outlets here. I could see many tourists floating around as well.
Theater building is having the original cement concrete casting surface maintained. I believe that with many steel structures wrapped in acrylic panes around, this concrete makes a fashion statement in itself.
It is originally a Kabuki theater with seating arrangement on two sides of the stage and a seating capacity of around 200 people.
The initial two performances were by the maestro herself and these were to be followed by the student performances.
The grace with which the maestro moved gradually along the music beats was wonderful. Music in itself was slow but soothing. I found it very meditative. For those moments, when I indulged into listening to the music and song, and to seeing the dance recital; I forgot all the worldly matters.
While the first performance was of a girl missing her lover, my personal f
avorite was the second performance – portraying first a hunter killing for a living and then a bird hit by this hunter.It was amazing to see the same performer convincing us to be a hunter; with moves first of a manly and daredevil character and then to be a bird, with all its agony and pain, as it nears the death-bed.
I can’t help to confess that the final moments of this dance, portraying this agony and pain brought tears in my eyes. May be that’s why I liked this dance the most.
During the interval between dance performances, Togari-san elaborated that the songs were in very old Japanese language and not many understand these songs. They may identify the individual words in these songs though.
I am already notorious for relating things, and could not help to think of traditional Indian dance performances at this moment.
These also have background songs mostly in Sanskrit, a language which is mother of so many Indian languages, but which is hardly spoken these days. We also can identify many of the individual words, relating them to the languages we currently speak, but if somebody sings in Sanskrit ….
Anyways, we were soon watching the student dance performances. They said the best student will perform at the end and so it was – last performance among students was Kasami-san’s performance.
Theme of Kasami-san’s performance: Kurokami [Black hair o
f a young girl]She portrayed the loneliness of a young Geisha missing her Patron.
The Solitude in her moves, and the self-restraint was amazing. Grace in her movement was also good.
For information of all, these performers have to bend in knees during the entire recital. That makes this entire episode really difficult and demands a lot of practice and self-restraint.
Then came our bonus – a motherly touch to this rare recital.
Kasami-san’s mother saw us all and sent out special Rice and Red Bean sweet Cakes for all of us.
Whatever part of world you are in, you won’t be hungry as long as there is a mother around.
We ate these cakes walking on the streets of Ometo-sando, as we were window shopping after the recital.
This recital presented me a unique chance to see a Japanese traditional dance and i enjoyed it fully. Hope you all enjoyed the reading.
More Snaps of this recital available at my Picasa web album:
http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/parsooram/Japanese_Dance_Recital
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