Japanese Dance Traditions Old & New 

The island culture of Japan has many strong traditions in its history, some of them old and some relatively new. This program will explore dance traditions that include Bon Odori, a traditional folkdance done as part of a festival honoring and welcoming ancestors for an annual visit; Nihon Buyo a dance form derived from Kabuki and Noh Theatre during the 19th Century; Aikido, a martial art form that is like a partner dance, and has been adapted into a form known as "Contact Improvisation" outside of Japan; and Yosakoi, a contemporary recreational dance form done to traditional folksongs in Japan and elsewhere today.