Noh Dance

Basically a part of class I learnt a simple Noh Dance and got to do it in costume

Category:

People & Blogs

Tags:

• Noh
• Dance

[AlanMolstad]

I would like you to tell me what this is all about.

I want to understand, I want to understand what we are looking at here.

[kystelnacht]

your guess is as good as mine. we never really had it explained to us in English only in Japanese, which for anyone who's studied the language old Japanese men can be REALLY hard to understand most of the time.

I do know the song being sung is a congratulation/celebration song. The teacher said it was the kind of performance that would get done at a wedding etc.

[Qcumber]

Sorry. No, I couldn't. Nobody could. It takes a long time to master the steps, the head and body poise, ... the kata, etc. Why on earth do they make people make fools of themselves by doing this without being properly trained? On the other hand, if it made you happy, only this counts.

[kystelnacht]

I'd hardly say giving it a go = making a fool of yourself.

and it was just an experience, getting to dress up in the clothes, wear the horribly claustrophobic masks, hear the music being sung, and try the dance moves out for size.

Afterwards we had the head teacher show us how it was really done.

but if you want an idea of how 'serious' we took it, just look for the stripey socks/jeans underneath that costume.

just take it for what it was - fun, and an attempt at something new.

[Qcumber]

Of course, it's a joke. None of the movements is correct. How can people applaud such a bad performance?

[kystelnacht]

umm ... no ... it wasnt a joke.

It was the final assignment for a Japanese culture course.

Shall we see you do better after two, one and a half hour lessons? Whilst they try and teach 8 other students as well? All in thick male Japanese accents?

[mataeka]

@ruzickaw Yeah but did you read the description? Saying it was a SIMPLE Noh dance we were taught as part of a University culture course? Over 3 weeks. On only 1 day a week? I have never claimed it is anything special other than a special experience we got. Jeez people, drop your snobbery and actual read before commenting. You couldnt do any better because I bet everyone who has posted this is an armchair expert. altho now that I've said that at least 1 person will most likely claim otherwise.

[MaryMcc97]

@mataeka Yeah I will, and maybe I will get the chance to go there nxt yr :) .....thanks mate :D

[ruzickaw]

It is not a question of seeing many Noh play. Just seeing the lack of creativity in the movements is enough. It is just stagnate.

[mataeka]

@MaryMcc97 I didnt think it was rude at all :) 日本語の勉強頑張ってね。 Keep it up with your japanese studies - and if you get the chance to go to Japan particularly if you choose to study it at uni I definitely recommend it, particularly if you can find a good uni that'll support you the way mine did (Sunshine Coast Uni in QLD)

[MaryMcc97]

@mataeka ahhh cool thanks :) im learning Japanese at school. just realized how rude my comment was sorry!! if only Australia had such culture :)

[mataeka]

@MaryMcc97 noo? To be specific its actually nou or in Japanese 能. It's like Tokyo is actually spelt to equivalent of Toukyou. But to make it easy for westerners they add the h at the end to make it more phonetically easy to understand. 外人は馬鹿らしいからね。

[mataeka]

@ruzickaw Take it you havent seen too many Noh performances? look to your right on the screen there - there are plenty to choose from.

[ruzickaw]

Where is the dance? I just see walking.

[revolversmoke]

but needs applause for effort.