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Dance in Kabuki Mercer Pinkston

"Indeed Kabuki theatre is above all dance" David B Waterhouse

When watching a Kabuki performance it becomes apparent that the body and it's movement is one of the most important aspects of the performance. Dance is a very important part of the movement done on stage by Kabuki actors. Kabuki means roughly: 'The art of song and dance'

Buyo- "Dance" A traditional Japanese dance. Nihon Buyo- "Japanese dance" a dance form that has been around for centuries in Japan. Kabuki Buyo- The dance seen in most Kabuki performances. Shosagoto- "pose business" a piece of dance. Involves poses that make the body and it's movement look beautiful. Sometimes thought to be the most important of the Kabuki dances. Hengemono- A transformation dance piece. Quick change piece. Mie- A pose. They hold these poses for sometime so the audience can study them.

The Kabuki Buyo originated in the 17th century. Noh theatre was performed for the upper class at that time, and the greater public didn't have entertainment like it. Many sources credit O-Kuni with the invention of Kabuki Buyo. She developed it as a form of entertainment for the masses. She would dance and sing for the public. She gained a "manager" and eventually lyrics and music were written for her to perform to. This is when it became known as Onna Kabuki. Eventually women were banned from the performances all together and they dropped the Onna meaning "woman" from the name. Incidently this is also where the Onnagata stems from. Once the women were banned, men had to depict women. The men chosen to do that were called Onnagata. At first only the female characters danced, then at the end of the 17th century dance was spread to other characters in the performances. There were professional choreogrphers for troupes which eventually lead to schools being formed for people to study the art of Kabuki.

The costumes play an important part in the dance. An important goal of the dance is to make the costumes move nicely. Unlike what we may see at a dance recital here, the actors are in robes that flow down to their feet, the practice making these beautiful costumes move just as beautifully. Also, the long sleeves on the robes of and Onnagata are important to choreography. The actor treats them almost as a prop during some of the dance pieces.

Some of the most famous dances in Kabuki are those done by the Onnagata. The mans ability to move like a woman is quite intriguing. Here is an example of an Onnagata dance Performed by Tamasaburo Bando: media type="youtube" key="ABV86sCZ0FQ" height="344" width="425"



Bibliography: Stage by Stage: Oriental Theatre by Phillip Freund http://www.adzuma.com/english/guide/morgue/ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kabuki http://www.creative-arts.net/kabuki/Breakdown/Dramatic%20content.htm