Kyo no Kai Holds Third Annual Yukata Kai
By TOMOKO NAGAI
Rafu Staff Writer
The third annual Yukata Kai, or summer dance recital, presented by Bando Ryu Kyo no Kai under the direction of Bando Hirohichiro, was held June 14 at the San Fernando Valley Japanese American Community Center in Pacoima.
Performers ranging from children to natori dancers who have earned professional stage names showcased the results of their regular training and entertained the audience with imaginative presentations rooted in classical tradition. The event was organized by the U.S. Kabuki Kenkyu Kai and co-sponsored by the center.
A yukata kai is an informal recital in which dancers perform in yukata rather than elaborate formal stage costumes. This year’s program featured 14 numbers encompassing nagauta, hauta, minyo, short dance pieces and Yamatogaku. Special guest artists Marisa Kosugi, a minyo singer; Yamato Yasoyo, a Yamatogaku performer; and Katada Kimisen, a specialist in traditional percussion, appeared with their students, providing live musical accompaniment.
The program opened with Bando Kyomutsumi performing the risogaku piece “Minyo Shichifukujin.” The lively dance expressed wishes for good fortune, prosperity and a bountiful harvest. It was followed by such works as “Kyo Hanagasa,” “Kurodabushi,” “Kyo no Shiki,” “Fuji Musume” and “Fuji Ondo.”
Taiki Sario, 12, and Daisuke Sario and Koji Shah, both 14, performed “Tako Yakko,” a dance inspired by the Boys’ Day tradition of kite flying. Through forceful movements and humorous choreography, they portrayed the energy of kites soaring high in the wind. The three had practiced once a week for several months.
“We had fun dancing and want to continue,” they said with smiles.
In “Sanosa,” sung by Kosugi and danced by Christine Inouye, a popular song from the Meiji and Taisho eras was given a blues-inspired arrangement. Kosugi’s commanding, nostalgic vocals and Inouye’s dance expressed the feelings of a woman longing for an unattainable love.
Bando Kyosaburo, known in the Japanese American community as taiko artist Walter Nishinaka, drew on his drumming experience in “Abare Daiko,” experimenting with the incorporation of live taiko into Japanese dance. Set in Kokura, Kyushu, the work depicted the spirit of Muhomatsu, a bold and freewheeling rickshaw driver, through stirring drumbeats and dynamic movement.
“This was the first time I combined taiko and dance,” Nishinaka said. “I hope to take on an even larger-scale work in the future.”
The second half featured live music and dance performances of the Yamatogaku works “Shiro,” “Ayame,” “Fuji Murasaki” and “Danjuro Musume.” In “Danjuro Musume,” Bando Kyoharumi and Bando Kyomisuzu portrayed the humorous exchange between a young lady infatuated with kabuki actor Ichikawa Danjuro and the apprentice sent to bring her home, drawing laughter from the audience.
Hirohichiro concluded the program by performing the spring section of the nagauta piece “Atama Yama,” based on a rakugo story. In the fantastical tale, a cherry tree grows from the head of a man who swallowed a cherry pit, attracting crowds of revelers eager to enjoy the blossoms. Hirohichiro deftly portrayed a colorful succession of characters while bringing the humorous story to life.
“At a time when fewer people are studying Japanese culture, I am truly grateful that people from many different fields have come together and joined forces to keep the traditional arts thriving,” Hirohichiro said.
Reflecting on the program’s combination of preserving tradition, exploring new forms of expression and passing the arts on to the next generation, he added, “Only by building a solid foundation in the classics can we introduce freedom of expression and a sense of play.”
Hirohichiro also introduced his upcoming performances scheduled for Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 24 and 25, at The Huntington Library in San Marino. The program will feature special guest Bando Nao, daughter of the late Bando Mitsugoro X, in such works as “Dango Uri” and “Sho Chiku Bai,” the latter choreographed by Hirohichiro. An ensemble of approximately 10 musicians will provide live koto, shamisen and vocal accompaniment, and the program will also take on the celebrated kabuki dance “Kagami Jishi,” the lion dane.
Satoko Shimazaki, associate professor of Japanese theater at UCLA, will serve as guide to this unique cultural program and introduce audiences to the appeal of kabuki and Nihon buyo.