Third RI Draft
Kabuki is a traditional form of Japanese theater. In kanji, ‘kabuki’ is written in three ideograms, ka (singing), bu (dancing) and ki (skill), “the skill of song and dance”. The balance of “stylized acting”, lyric singing, dancing, and elaborate aesthetics and skill development symbolize the totality of this tradition (Encyclopædia Britannica).
The origins of this tradition may be traced to the early 17th Century, the Edo period in Japan. The conpemporary Bunraku puppet theatre practice influenced Kabuki plays and performances. Many scripts were initially written for Bunraku and then adapted (Brandon), such is the case of “Yoshitsune Senbon Zakura, English: Yoshitsune and the Thousand Cherry Trees”, (1747 and 48).
According to the legends, Okuni, a priestess at the Grand Shrine of Izumo, Kyoto, created the foundations of Kabuki as street performance by dancing at the dried bank of the Kamogawa River. She gathered unlucky women from their miseries, forming an exclusively female cast who played both male and female roles under her guidance. This was an unusual practice at the time, and became acknowledged as shibai, Onna (women) or Okuni Kabuki ("Okuni"). One mayor reason for its rapid spread and popularity was that these early performances were accessible for everyone, unlike the refined Noh Theatre. As Onna Kabuki expanded, public disturbance was created, until the Shogun banned these forms of Kabuki and women from performing stages. The young male actors, who replaced them in the stage however, were both as popular and as controversial. They were also banned from acting in 1652. At this point, only mature men were allowed to perform, taking female roles. These prohibitions lasted until the Meiji Restoration (Exley...
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...known feature of performing Kabuki. The acting in Kabuki can be so stylized that it becomes virtually indistinguishable from this dancing. Most Kabuki dances are derivative of energetic folk dances, with rapid vertical moves, jumps, and stamping and stomping to emphasize rhythmic movement. The outcome is very different from the Noh or Western dances. Michiyuki (travel dances), show the journey and fate of tragic lovers, and their suicide pact.
In addition to the above skills’ achievement, Kabuki actors’ training also incorporates mastering the samisen, Japanese flower arranging and calligraphy. They are also required to learn how to conduct a Tea Ceremony. Students also choose and research one of these arts to deepen their knowledge to prepare a demonstration. Inclusive, they write a brief report on the art chosen and its historical significance in Japanese culture.
Throughout the years, America has pursued the performing arts in a large variety of ways. Theatre plays a dramatic and major role in the arts of our society today, and it takes great effort in all aspects. Musical Theatre, specifically, involves a concentration and strength in dance, acting, and singing. This is the base that Musical Theatre is built upon. For my Senior Project, I helped choreograph multiple scenes in a community musical “Thoroughly Modern Millie”. Choreography is a way of expressing oneself, but it has not always been thought of for that purpose. Agnes de Mille’s expressive talent has drastically affected how people see choreography today. Agnes de Mille’s influence in the world of dance has left a lasting impact in the Performing Arts Department, and her revolutionary works are still known today for their wit, lyricism, emotion, and charm.
Even though there are differences such as the audience and production, the magic of watching the performance in dancing, singing and acting are the same. This kind of art would be appreciated by the people through onstage or a cinematic production. However, in both ways of appraising, this is something beautiful to be enjoyed.
In the history of civilization, there have been many different types of theatre. There is Greek theatre and Elizabethan theater. Some are musicals, some are comedies and some are tragedies. Some types employ realistic techniques while others are more avant-gardes. But one type stands out among the rest, and that is Kabuki theatre. This classical Japanese style of dance and drama is not just theatre. It is a beautiful form of art, which has been carefully crafted over many centuries.
Kano, Ayako. Acting Like A Woman in Modern Japan: Theater, Gender, and Nationalism. New York, Palgrave. 2001
Brazell, Karen. Traditional Japanese Theater: An Anthology of Plays. New York: Columbia UP, 1998. Print.
Kabuki theatre has important characteristics like its own music, costumes, props and gadgets, and uses specific language and acting styles. All of these elements combined produce an astounding and captivating performance. Originally, kabuki used to involve both male and female actors and was popular among common people.. However, later during the Edo Period, Tokugawa Shogunate restricted women to participate. Since then, all the actors are played by men, a tradition that has remained till present day.
I believe that universally, theater is the concentration of passing down history, whether factual or mythical, to future generations paired with various degrees of artistic dignity. Like many other staged performances, the root of Noh is based off of a storytelling tradition, enhanced or exaggerated to be viewed by a wider audience. In the end, it was supposed to be somewhat entertaining, the viewer perhaps receiving a more dramatic interpretation of a past tale accompanied by dance, music, and visuals. In general, another characteristic not as significant from the original literatures and stories that seeps its way into Noh are the religious undertones and shrinking the distance between the world of the living and the world of spirits. In Zeami’s Atsumori, the play concerns characters from a scene in a probably already overdramatic depiction in Heike Monogatari, bringing in a single frame from Japanese military history into a different context. Sumidagawa has a slightly different way of coming into existence, since it does not depend so heavily on an exact picture from Ise Monogatari, and is only loosely associated with it. Nevertheless, both Atsumori and Sumidagawa have interesting ties to literature from earlier periods that make each unique in their presentation.
Kauikeaouli was hesitant to establish the Christian ten commandments because he was unsure whether his people wanted Christian Laws.
Pamela Z, although trained in classical performance, wanted to find a way to perform contemporary music. In order to perform contemporary music, Pamela Z bought a delay unit and began creating loops using her voice. Z was able to think about her voice in the areas of texture and rhythm, the influence of outside texts, and how she could vary her vocal technique. One of Pamela Z’s most notable pieces that integrates the unusual elements of looping and layer is Gaijin. Gaijin is the Japanese word for foreigner and this piece came about when Z was living in Japan. This interdisciplinary piece involves electroacoustic texts, screens of large projects and traditional Japanese dance. Gaijin features Pamela Z as the primary performer. She uses her voice, processors, and samples to create her vocal musical. While she is performing, she connected to a machine called a body synth. A body synth is a control that transmits body movement, gestures, and other physical efforts into sounds. Pamela Z created a whole-body performance experience. Pamela Z successfully demonstrated that one does not need a story and can have highly unique elements, and still have a piece that moves many
Kenrick, John. Musical Theatre A History. New York: The Continuum International Publishing Group, 2008. Print.
Kabuki Theater in one of four main types of traditional theater in Japan (“Japanese”). The four types are Noh, Kyogen, Kabuki, and Bunraku (“Japanese”). This theater combines drama, dance, and music. It is also the most well-known form of Japanese theater around the world (“Japanese”). It is a very lively type of theater. Until 1680, plays used real swords as their props (“Japanese”). The art of Kabuki was created in opposition to the Noh Theater (“Japanese”). Common things in Kabuki Theater are sword fights and wild costumes (“Japanese”). Men would sometimes play the women’s roles (Bayley). The eerily beautiful effects of Kabuki derive from the deeply traditional aspects (Bayley). These aspects include a combination of dancing, acting, music, and elaborate costumes and scenery (Bayley). Early Kabuki borrowed aspects from other theatrical forms to create their own traditions (Bayley). Borrowed some aspects form Noh theater and...
There are many different versions of kagura, as the word is used to describe any music associated with Shintoism, but there are a few themes that run throughout each different type. The lyrics of the songs of kagura are derived from early Japanese poetry (2). This poetry splits kagura songs into two basic types: torimono, songs meant to praise the kami or seek their aid, and saibari, songs meant to entertain the kami (b1). Kagura music has been associated with dance since its beginnings in the story of the sun kami and the word “kagura” itself indicates its function to accompany some form of dance (4). Kagura dances are comprised of patterns which can be arranged in sequences forming cognitive units, making it possible to identify a repertory of kagura dance movements (3). These dance movements are often associated with drum patterns and the renditions of dance movements can determine the number of repetitions of a given drum pattern during a performance (3). Kagura generally contains a drum beat with strong connections to the dance, a number of wind instruments playing long floating melodies, a string instrument playing arpeggios marking the beginning or end of sections of the music, and a
In this paper, I will be focusing briefly on my knowledge and understanding of the concept of Applied theatre and one of its theatre form, which is Theatre in Education. The term Applied Theatre is a broad range of dramatic activity carried out by a crowd of diverse bodies and groups.
Kabuki which was understood to be the greatest form of theatre throughout Japan for over three centuries, entails an intense mixture of dance, music, mime, costumes, and remarkable staging. As Kabuki originated at the time of Banraku, Kabuki adopted numerous movements and multiple plays from this theatre form that have played a big part in the creation of Kabuki Theatre. While The Picture Book of the Taiko was created and performed by the Banraku movement in 1789, its first performance in Kabuki form was achieved in 1799. According to many Kabuki folklores, in 1603, this art form was created by Okuni, a Buddhist priestess who performed ritual dances on riverbeds along the Kamogawa River in Kyoto. Even though a woman created this theatre form, women worked as prostitutes when they were not performing, and ultimately the government banned women from performing Kabuki theatre, for the attempt to save the public standards of women. Because of this upset command by the government, men perform all women characters.
"Article. "Traditional Yoruba Theatre"" Yoruban Ritual/Theater. Movable Type Enterprise, 17 Nov. 2012. Web. 8 Mar. 2014. .