About Hana Takehiro WASOSENKA
Hana Takehiro WASOSENKA and Northampton Community College Fall 2022
Day 1 Kimono makeup and Performance
On November 15th, Japanese Cultural Program held a kimono makeup and performance event at NCC campus in Bethlehem. A classical Japanese dance performer Hana Takehiro joined us virtually. Hana's assistant and cinematographer, Eriko Yamakawa demonstrated an ancient Japanese makeup called shironuri which has been developed since 16th century in Japan (first image on the left). On the other hand, a program coordinator Megumi Taguchi did a decorative modern makeup on another model (first image on the right).
Eriko also demonstrated kimono dressings on the stage with two models, and audiences were able to experience putting Yukata on their own by watching Eriko's demonstration.
Day 2 Kimono dressing and dance lesson
In the evening, Japanese Cultural Program visited Luther Crest, Allentown to perform a kimono dressing and hold another dance lesson with senior citizens.
Eriko performed and demonstrated some of dance movements from nagauta and Fumiko introduced a yo-yo play as a great chair exercise.
Day 2 Hagoita workshop and dance lesson
On November 16th, Japanese Cultural Program held Hagoita workshop and dance lesson event at children's center on Northampton Community College campus
Hagoitas are a Japanese style racket often used to play in the 16th century by young children. Later, it became a popular article in Japan to decorate homes in New Year. In addition, Japanese people believe that playing with Hagoitas called Hanatsuki is a way of drive away evil spirits because the movements of the Hagoitas are similar to the hararu action (a Japanese expression meaning "to drive away").
This time, Eriko helped students to decorate Hagoitas as well as to put yukata on and dance with Hagoitas. Fumiko Green who also helped this event shared Japanese yo-yo techniques.
After they finished making Hagoitas, each student came up to web camera and presented their artwork to Hana through zoom.
Day 3 Hagoita workshop and dance lesson
Our final event with Eriko and Hana was held at Moravian Academy in Bethlehem Downtown.
33 2nd grade students made beautiful Hagoitas and played and dance with them. We practiced a dance called Hane no kamuro which has been performed by young dance performers since the 16th century. This was the song to practice at the begining of early child lessons. Eriko taught students the way to take a step, shake head, and move bodies with Hagoitas.
At the end, we did a big hanetsuki competition including teachers.
Students made gorgeous hagoitas on their own by hand. Second Grade Learns Traditional Japanese Dance (vimeo.com)
Hana Takehiro WASOSENKA and Northampton Community College Spring 2023
Day 1 Japanese New Year Event
On January 31st, Japanese Cultural Program held Japanese New Year event on NCC campus.
Hana Takehiro who came to NCC in 2019 invited Lehigh Valley Community to experience ancient Japanese makeup (male/female makeup based on kabuki and maiko style makeup), kimono dressing, and dance lesson to celebrate Japanese New Year. We had about 25 people including NCC faculty, students, and other college students experienced this event.
Day 3 Hana Takehiro Samidare Performance
On February 2nd, Hana Takehiro did a Japanese Nihon Buyo Performance at NCC Lipkin Theatre.
Her Nihon Buyo Hana yanagi dance institute created a song called Samidare, meaning an early summer rain or May rain made in February 1924, during the Taisho period in Japan.
This dance, Vision of Samidare, takes place On the banks of the Pond in the May rain(tsuyu), a beautiful woman holding a dark blue eyes umbrella gets lost in thought and staring at iris sanguinea.
This figure was drawn to appear in the scene of a flying swallow, sounds of bell, and Japanese zither(koto) instrument and created this lyrical song.
Utagawa Kunisada created those ukiyo-e images and images used to produce the Samidare song.
The song was composed by Sakichi Kineya in the Edo period. A 4th generation composer, he was introduced to long epic songs with shamisen accompaniment which present a song like a performance.
He composed many songs during WWII and protected and handed down this Japanese traditional dance performance style to future generations.
Samidare is known as the most extraordinary creation and popular song throughout Japan since the 19th century.
Day 2 Hana Takehiro private workshop and performance at Freedom High School
On February 1st, Japanese Cultural Program held a workshop at Freedom High School in Bethlehem. We had about 15 students who are in the school's "Travel Club". First, we did a Kimono dressing demo, and then we asked students to try on their own or by helping each other. Then, we did a group dance lesson. Students used fans as an article to practice Nihon Buyo dance, Renjishi which was the song about lion shishi. This song is a reproduction of the legend of a father who kicking off a child into the bottom of a ravine and raising only the strong child.
Day 4 Hana Takehiro private workshop and performance at Northeast Middle School
On February 3rd, Hana Takehiro held another Nihon Buyo performance and workshop event at Northeast Middle School.
Hana performed Nihon Buyo, Samidare on the stage of school atrium. We had about 90 middle school students watched her dance performance.
After the performance, she did a kimono dressing demo front of the student's audiences. Then, we did a Yukata dressing workshop and folding workshop with about 15 students.
