LONG BEACH — To prepare for this year’s Obon and summer festival season, an ondo dance demonstration was held June 4 at the Earl Burns Miller Japanese Garden on the CSU Long Beach campus.
With June Miyamoto Donovan providing instruction and Shih-Wei Wu and Terry Nguyen keeping the beat on taiko, the Long Beach and Terminal Island ondo groups formed a large circle and performed several dances. A number of first-timers of all ages joined in.
The dances were: “Kyou mo Egao de Konnichiwa,” “Sakura Ondo,” “Yoru ni Kakeru,” “Shiawase Samba,” “Pokemon Ondo,” “Tanko Bushi,” “Dancing Hero,” “One Plus One” and “Gokigen Ondo.”
The two groups will be dancing at temple and community center festivals throughout the Southland every weekend.
Photos by J.K. YAMAMOTO/Rafu Shimpo
