Japanese Traditional Dances
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About Japanese Dance Traditional Japanese dance is an religious dance used to the ritualistic noh dance-drama and theatrical kabuki dance. In modern times, Japanese avant-garde butoh dance has also attracted international interest. Historically, kagura (dance of the gods) is the oldest form of dance in Japan. Originally performed by shamans, its influence is perceived in all Shinto dances performed at shrines today to appease or attract the favor of the deities. Outside the court, bugaku was also performed at shrines and temples along with kagura and Buddhist ceremonial dance. It is still performed to a limited extent today.
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Japanese Dance History
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is said that the history of Japanese dancing goes back to the mythical
age. A famous Japanese myth tells us that Amenouzume no Mikoto danced in
front of the Amano Iwato to open the cave entrance that Amaterasu Ohmikami
had concealed herself in. The 'kagura' dancing in its religous and
mystical influence is said to have came into existence from this story.
'Bugaku' and 'Gagaku' were brought over from China while 'Dengaku' and 'Sarugaku' sprang up as the entertainment of Japaese farmers. From these, the uniquely Japanese 'Nohgaku' came into being. 'Nogaku' came to have an influence on Kabuki. It is thought that the current form of Japanese dancing is the direct descendant of Iizumo Okuni's Nenbutsu Odori'. The dance of Okuni is different from ' Nohgaku', but it was a dance that has its origin in ethnic dancing. Izumo Okuni is also credited as being the founder of Kabuki.
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It can be said that Kabuki and Japanese dancing used to be synonymous. Later, however, the Okuni Kabuki was played by prostitutes and was passed down from generation to generation. During the Edo period, it was prohibited because it was thought to be might be immoral. Iregardless of this suppression, kabuki passed down form generation to generation while changing style. Kabuki used to be simple dancing (odori), but the element of performance was introduced into it. The ryukyu (Okinawa snake-skin shamisen) was brought to mainland and changed into a shamisen. From then the accompaniment of music progressed. Gradually the element of story-telling performance became the focus of the performance. Many performances based on authentic news accounts were written. |
Even
though it has changed to the dramatic performance of today, the posturing
of Japanese dancing, the vocalization of traditional Japanese music and
the stage presentation has been preserved carefully. Furthermore the
training and endowment of Japanese dancing has been essential basis of
Kabuki theater.
In Kabuki programs there are many pantomime dances called 'shosagoto'. It was the evidence of shosagoto in Kabuki that illustrated the use of Japanese dancing by choreographers and directors of Kabuki. In kabuki performance, only men can appear on the stage, women are allowed in the exception of a special case. Since Japanese dancing branched off from Kabuki, many women became concerned with the inheritance of Japanese dancing. And until today, many schools were organized and concentrated their efforts on inheritance and evolution of Japanese dancing by making the best use of their unique, distinctive features.
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Japanese dance costumes
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When speaking of Japanese costume, we find the kimono to be indispensable.However the stage costume's dressing system has several relevant points, which differ from the current system of our normal use. Stage costumes are designed according to the season of the performance and the role's sex or character.The costume as well is an important method of theatrical representation.On the other hand, Japanese dancing at times adopts 'suodori', which is a performance focusing on the dancer's physical expression not costume.
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