Mei-Shun learned how to dance “Echigo-Shihi” a few years ago. As a beginner, she did not understand well the way to write scores. That is why the score is tough to decode – mirror-like sketches sometimes appear. 80% is clear now, leaving sarashi part untouched.
2013 Performance
StandardMei-Shun posted a short column on her last performance “Shima-no-Senzai (=Senzai, the priestess)” to the public relation brochure of Tsuchiura City. It follows partly below.
… “Shima-no-Senzai” features a woman who originated the geisha girl: she is said to be the first one who served dance entertainment to a party site. In the first half of this performance, you put on a long-hem kimono with a sash bound in maiko (=younger geisha) style. Chou-Ken, a light kimono coat is added on the kimono. Plus the ponytail wig with flower-shape accessories, a golden cap and a sword hung around the waist, it weighs approximately five kilograms …
That means a stage performance is the best exercise for a dancer.
Summer Lesson
StandardMaster Mei-Shu gave Mei-Shun a lesson. Quick steps of manly dance are so hard today, since it is torrid after the typhoon. It seems nice for diet.
Stormy Festival
Standard“46,000 days” festival is held at Sensoji Temple, Tokyo today. However, Typhoon Neoguri, landed on Kyushu early in the morning, brings a stormy weather into Kanto area. Shin gave Mei-Shun a curfew. She cannot but stay at home with Mikan-chan …
A Hard Task
StandardIt is no easy to write a dancing score. Normally, masters sit down face-to-face with their students. Many of them keep sitting, move their upper bodies only, like in the mirror. In this case, when you sketch your master, his/her right hand will be your left one, left hand right. Or you have to make the score upside-down, when you try to sketch yourself.
Score Writing
StandardJapanese dance has scores, as music does. Musical score for music, dancing score for dance? … A Master’s thesis published from Kanazawa College of Art mentions this word, so it seems correct.
Cat in Rainy Season
StandardOur garden cat Tora-chan dislikes rain. In this season, she always waits for us at the door, asking to let her in. We really would like to do so, yet our home cat Mikan-chan, a Russian blue girl, should not be exposed to such a pressure. Sorry, Tora-chan.
Japanese Culture@wkend
StandardJuly 7 is Tanabata star festival date. Japanese people erect wish trees made of bamboo stems so they can write their wishes on strips of paper and attach on. It is based on a Chinese legend about two lovers, represented by the stars Vega and Altair, who are allowed to meet only once a year. (2014/07/04, Japan Times, with writer’s correction)
However, in the middle of rainy season, the Milky Way is rarely seen. It seems to mean that we should not interrupt the lovers from below.
Today’s Lesson
StandardMaster Mei-Shu gave Mei-Shun a lesson. “Echigo-Shishi” is a bit different from normal manly dance: it is for kid performers. Gorgeous performance full of scenes to watch including sarashi (=a long strip of cotton cloth) swinging, yet at the same time, it is no easy for grown-up dancers to do with lightness of steps.
Summer Gift
StandardChugen (=summer gift) season has come. Trainees of Japanese cultures, including sado (=tea ceremony) and kado, (=flower arrangement), are supposed to bring chugen and seibo (=winter gift) to their trainers. As for Japanese dance, natori dancers are to follow this custom. However, Master Mei-Shu gave Mei-Shun a souvenir of Hokkaido yesterday – what a timing! It is just before receiving chugen from her student.
meishunkikunoe 