Passing the Fan: Traditional Japanese Dance in Oregon
January 20 - April 27, 2008

New exhibit opens Sunday, January 20, 2008
Reception 1:00 to 3:00 p.m.

Nihon buyo (traditional Japanese dance) is a celebrated art form with roots tracing back to the 16th century in Japan. Unlike Kabuki, Nihon buyo is most often practiced by women, who may play male roles on the stage, performing special dances, with beautiful sets and elaborate costumes helping to communicate traditional stories and themes.

Nihon buyo has its own schools of dance, in which students are accepted for study and formally trained. The careers of Japanese dancers can be life long--experience only serves to increase the skills and performance of the best dancers. Oregon is fortunate to have resident master teachers (Sensei) of this art form, originally trained in the Tachibana and Fujima Schools in Japan. These women, and a few select students who have become teachers in their own right, have taught generations of Oregon students of many ethnicities.

Passing the Fan will honor and celebrate the careers and teaching traditions of Sensei Sahomi Tachibana, Kanriye Fujima, Founder of Fujinami Kai, and Barbara Uyesugi, President of Portland Chapter, their careers over the decades, the rich heritage they share with their diverse students, and some of their students who are now accomplished teachers. The exhibit will explore nihon buyo as an art form, the student-teacher relationship, and the importance of dance as a way for Nikkei students to connect with their roots and learn more about their cultural identity. Dance costumes, props, photographs, and moving images will help bring this unique cultural art form to the understanding of visitors of all ages.

Oregon Nikkei Legacy Center (ONLC) is a Japanese American history center that preserves and shares the history and culture of Japanese Americans in Oregon. A project of the Oregon Nikkei Endowment, ONLC creates and hosts exhibits, provides speakers for schools and community organizations, offers public programs, records videotaped oral histories, and preserves historic documents and artifacts.

Oregon Nikkei Legacy Center
121 NW Second Ave
Portland, OR, 97209
www.oregonnikkei.org