JAPANESE CULTURE THROUGH DANCE 

Objectives

• To help students understand the culture of Japan through its traditional dance forms.

• Based on a belief that art, particularly dance, is a form of communication among people that leads to a better understanding about the feelings and cultures of others, students are taught steps and movements of Japanese dance and selected numbers of Kabuki dance, and folk forms.

• Also included are presentations on history, religion, and various social factors that shaped the particular dance forms of Japan.

• Through the learning of dance technique in a new cultural context, students are expected to reflect on the meanings of their own culture and art forms.

• It is hoped that this educational experience will be a source of inspiration in their creative life.

Topics

• Basic movements and techniques of classical Japanese dance. Instruction on selected dances of Kabuki, Noh, folkloric, and Okinawan dance.

• The relationship between Japanese dance and drama forms, Noh and Kabuki.

• Influence of other dance forms and cultures (China, Korea, the West) on the development of Japanese dance.

• The relationship between religion and dance in Japanese society.

• The movement and stylistic differences between the dance forms of Eastern and Western societies as indices of cultural persities.

Audiences/Participants

• Teachers and All levels of students from elementary through college.

• Recommended for social studies, performing arts, humanities, and fine arts classes.

• College majors in Asian Studies, Dance, or Performance Studies.

• General public, continuing education, or community outreach programs.

• Members/general public through museum outreach and educational programs.