Dancers with Hanayagi Rokufukumi-Kai demonstrate a dance that will be performed in the Nisei Week Grand Parade. The public is invited to join in.
It’s almost Nisei Week time and the public is invited to join and dance in the Nisei Week Grand Parade, which will be held on Sunday, Aug. 11, and the Closing Ceremony, which takes place on Sunday, Aug. 18.
Free public dance practices are being held from 6:30 to 9 p.m. on Tuesday, July 23; Thursday, July 25; Tuesday, July 30; Thursday, Aug. 1; and Tuesday, Aug. 6, on the Japanese American Cultural and Community Center Plaza (JACCC), 244 S. San Pedro St. in Little Tokyo.
Nisei Week choreographer Ma-dame Hanayagi Rokufukumi has created two new dances. The songs will be “Fuyumi no Soran Bushi” by Fuyumi Sakamoto and “Wasshoi Nippon!” by Takashi Hosokawa. Bring a tenugui (towel) and uchiwa (round fan) for practice.
Hanayagi Rokufukumi began her Nihon buyo (Japanese classical dance) career at a very young age under the tutelage of the late Hana-yagi Rokumiye. After many years of study, she received her natori (rank and professional stage name).
Born and raised in Southern California, she traveled to Japan to live and study dance. She mastered the requisite techniques and earned her shihan (teaching certificate) and senmombu (specialty instructor’s degree) from Grand Master Hanayagi Jusuke III.
Under her direction, Hanayagi Rokufukumi’s students continue to perform at many local commu-nity festivals, community events, professional venues, and nonprofit organization events. This year, she is honored to serve as the choreographer and leader of the Nisei Week Japanese Festival Ondo.
To see videos of the two dances that will be performed in the parade, visit: https://niseiweek.org/events/parade-and-street-dance-practice/