Classical dance from the Ryukyu Kingdom now has a place in Houston. It was a splendid day at the Japan Festival on April 10th, 2010. White fluffy summertime clouds billowing up into the powder blue sky; paddleboats cruising the lake and a large attentive crowd provided the setting for the Houston public début of Miyagi Ryu NoSho Kai.
This was a big event for the members living in Houston. It had been over a year since several intrepid Okinawan souls started traveling to Austin in order to learn the art of Okinawa classical dance. They had been performing in Houston throughout all that time but it was always as part of an RMDTexas performance or just the entertainment portion of another event. At the 2011 Japan Festival, Miyagi Ryu NoSho Kai was the show. Here, they would be able to take their time and set the stage properly for the classical dance of Okinawa.
It was in the tiny Ryukyu Kingdom of the 15th century; now know as Okinawa, where this classical dance style started. Although tiny by itself, Ryukyu had some might big friends. With its ideal location between China, Korea and Japan; the Ryukyu Kingdom established strong trade relations with that part of the world through its seafaring prowess. The classical dance style of the Ryukyu court was developed to entertain visiting Chinese envoys sent to approve the installation of new rulers.
Today, Ryukyu dance is divided into three types; Koten buyo (classical dance) zo-odori (popular dance) and so-saku buyo (creative dance).
Koten buyo is the style developed at the Ryukyu royal court.
Zo-odori came about after Okinawa became a prefecture of Japan. With the abolishment of the Ryukyu court, dancers started to create dances that portrayed images of ordinary people’s lives and sentiments.
So-saku buyo are creative and new dances combing modern elements with traditional dance.
Performed that afternoon were;
Yotsudake, a dance is from the Koten buyo style. This is one of the Seven Principal Classical Women’s Dances from the Ryukyu Court. In this dance each dancer also plays castanets. The ringing of the castanets expresses the joy and pride of those selected to perform.
After that, Miyagi Ryu chose three songs from the zo-odori style. In this style the dances are usually up tempo and energetic.
Hatoma bushi cleverly incorporates the comic Kappore style of mainland Japanese dance choreography. The lyric of the song, along with its nimble and dynamic dancing, foretells of a fertile rice harvest and is very familiar to many Okinawans.
Hamachidori is a well loved song in Okinawa. The dance features delicate finger movements, soft hand movements and nimble footwork. Hand gestures such as the rolling of hands, pushing hands and moon viewing hands, along with positioning and other fundamental techniques are abundantly incorporated, giving the piece and overflowing grace.
Tanchame is about the daily life of young couples in fishing villages. This dance expresses pleasure for work and the joy of life.
The dancers of the Miyagi–Ryu Kai Okinawa dance school of Austin study under Setsuko Kuniyoushi. The school has ten branches across the USA, including four in California and others in New Mexico, North Carolina, Tennessee, New York and Texas – making it the largest Ryukyu dance school in the USA.
With Setsuko-sensei on the left of the picture; Yuri-san, on the right, gives her closing remarks about Okinawa classical dance and Miyagi-Ryu NoSho Kai, everyone on stage had a deep sense of satisfaction about the performance. They were able to show something so dear to their hearts to a brand new audience; an audience that now had a deeper appreciation for the individual culture that Okinawa brings to Japan... a splendid culture that is now part of the patchwork of Houston’s multi-cultural identity.
To see how the day went for OCATexas and RMDTexas see;
OCATexas - Japan Festival 2011
