Chibana Sensei - Higasa Odori

This is a video I took of Chibana Sensei performing in Virginia in 2008. Higasa Odori is what could be classified as an Okinawan Modern Dance. Previous to this style of dance there were but to genres of Ryukyuan dance. Classical dance whose aesthetic finds expression in elegant and restrained gestures and Popular dance which is a highly varied form of dance which exhibits uninhibited exuberence and elements of classical beauty. Okinawan performing arts have been evolving however to reflect the changing times and now there is a third classification of Okinawan dance which is modern dance. In Okinawan modern dance choreographers strive to express their personal artistic sensibilities while at the same time suceeding to connect with the spiritual and formal legacies of the past. Higasa Odori is but one of many highly varied modern dances which now add vitality and colour to the tradition of Okinawan dance.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Chibana
• Sensei
• Okinawa
• Ryukyu
• Odori
• Dance
• Sanshin
• Higasa
• Okinawan
• Kenjinkai
• Washington
• 2008
• Kimono
• Master

[tcorrao]

I'm not really sure, the primary attraction of Higasa Odori lies in the graceful motion of the parasol held by the dancer. Chibana sensei has an especially nice parasol in this video if you notice it is transparent which lends to the visual beauty of the dance.

[Tuigwaachan]

hirumasan (wonderful)

[Tuigwaachan]

hirumasan (wonderful)

[signedlongint]

At first I thought, "Chibana Sensei was alive in 2008..???" Then I realized I was thinking of a different Chibana Sensei.

[brseavey]

What are the gestures after she puts down the umbrella about?