The Japanese folk performing art tradition, minzoku geinô, includes the dramas, dances, and music that are at the center of the local festivals and traditional events throughout Japan.
There has been a fair amount of research in the post-World War II era on the evolution of the folk tradition in modern Japanese culture, particularly since this minzoku geinô label has become increasingly legalized and centered on the Cultural Properties Protection Law. The law, passed in 1950, provides a design for the preservation of many traditional practices considered the essence of the Japanese culture. The adaptation of many of these folk art forms for larger audiences has opened the door to new discussions on the role of the folk arts in schools, theaters and in the streets. Some scholars have argued that preserving the folk arts in this manner have removed them from intended contexts and altered the forms themselves.
As an art form, dance is particularly amenable to the various transformations involved in the cultural presentation plans. It has often served as a powerful tool for representing regional diversity as well as breaking cultural boundaries. Dance has had a long history in Japanese life, first serving functional purposes; earliest forms were associated with Shinto religious practices. With the introduction of several Chinese dance styles in the 17th Century, the Japanese developed a variety of dance styles, now collectively known as Nihon Buyo, some of which were designed for court performance and the theater, and others that were more colloquial. Traditional forms of classical Japanese performance such as Noh and Kabuki became associated with upper class ways of living and refinement. The basis of the folk dance tradition is the ritual celebrations that were held by the working people around the New Year or the planting season as a way of communicating with the Gods. As the traditions were passed from generation to generation, the performance aspects took center stage to form the folk style of dancing.
As the understanding and appreciation of the folk performing arts expands within Japan, folk dance and music have traveled into the international market. Because New York City has an extremely vibrant street and festival culture, aided in large part by the diversity and pride of the city’s many ethnic communities, it provides an interesting space for the promotion and development of folk art forms. Because there is no centralized Little Tokyo or Japan Town on the East Coast, New York City’s position as a global city gives it an important role in extending and promoting Japanese culture.
There are many organizations and festivals in New York City today that work to present and preserve folk performing arts, utilizing the wide variety of venues within the area to showcase the music and dancing that make up much of many folk dance traditions. The Japanese Folk Dance Institute of New York, founded in 1992 as a not-for-profit organization, focuses on the dance styles of the working class people of Japan. Unlike many of the other Japanese dance groups in the city area which present more classical and modern traditions, the Institute has made it its goal to bring the spirit and culture of Japanese working life to a wider audience. As a way of preserving the varied minzoku buyo style, which is typically associated with the communal festival setting, the institute takes a multi-faceted educational approach. The institute’s founder and director is Momo Suzuki. She began her training in classical dance at the Fujima School of Yamagata, Japan and studied folk dancing at the Toriwa Ogawa School. She had a successful career as a teaching member of Kamiyoka Folk Dance Company of Tokyo before moving to New York in 1983. In addition to directing the Japanese Folk Dance Institute, Suzuki is a noted choreographer and has been featured on stage and in videos.
Minbu Za is the professional performing troupe of the institute and is comprised of dancers and performers with classical training in a wide variety of art forms including ballet, jazz, acting, and martial arts. All the members have active individual careers, teaching, performing, and acting as members of other organizations and collectives, but together, the group focuses on showcasing the various regional and seasonal forms of Japanese Folk Dancing. Building off their diversity of talents, they are able to offer interactive workshops designed to give participants a more full understanding of the folk tradition, covering everything from importance of props to history sessions. The majority of the members are from Japan, showing the collective power of both New York City and folk dance. By incorporating many different aspects of Japanese life and tradition into each performance, Minbu Za helps to broaden the awareness of the diversity and uniqueness of Japanese folk life. The Shi Shi Mai or Lion dance is one style that is often not associated with the Japanese tradition. These dances, performed within Minbu Za by Yoshi Amao, feature a performer with a large lion mask and can be both fierce and comical depending on the spirit of the piece. Another misconception about the Japanese dance style is that it is slower moving and less energetic than certain forms of Western dance. However the celebratory parading style of the Bon Odori dances work to debunk this myth. Along with a more upbeat style of music, the smiles and facial expressions of the dancers convey a spirit of youthful exuberance. Costumes in general are considered a reflection of the theme as well as the personality of the dancer, and for summer, pieces often feature bright colors like oranges, reds, and blues.
The parade style is also studied and performed by Hangasa Kai or “flower hat dance group,” the institute’s nonprofessional group, which is open to anyone who would like to dance at festivals and other local events. The membership design of Hanagasa Kai is intended to foster diversity and a cross-cultural dialogue and participation for this parading style of the Yamagata prefecture. The flower hat used in the dance is representative of the prefecture’s safflowers and the dance itself is said to represent the various movements of the farmers harvesting in the fields. What make this style of folk dance particularly translatable are its upbeat and often repeated movements which inspire group participation.
The work of the Japanese Folk Dance Institute has been well received and integrated into the life of the New York Tri-State Area. Within New York City, the group has performed outdoors for the city’s many Cherry Blossom Festivals including the annual Brooklyn Botanical Garden’s Sakura Matsuri, Central Park’s Japan Day, and the Macy*s Thanksgiving Day Parade, as well as in theater settings and college campuses. As the spring festival season rolls around, the Institute has been busy preparing. In the weeks leading up to the annual Cherry Blossom Festival, the group offers Hanagasa classes in the Lower East Side. This upcoming August, the group will travel to Yamagata prefecture in Japan to perform in the city’s annual dance festival.
© 2008 Lauren Miyamoto
