Fire / Wind Days
New and Old Performances
火 Ka or hi is Fire;
associated with energetic beings, it is heat, passion, desire, drive and
motivation. Yet it is also security, outgoing nature and, as it often relates
to in traditional tales, fear and aggressiveness. In addition to compassion and
benevolence, 風 Fū or kaze (wind) deals with growth, expansion and the capacity
to enjoy the freedom of movement.
What better way to represent Ka than with a performance
based on the passionate and fiery affair between Kiyohime and the priest? We
have shared several renditions of Kiyohime, The Maiden Who Became a Dragon,
including two kabuki (Ninin Dojoji, Musume Dojoji) and two simpler performances
featuring the text of the fairy tale.
For wind, we went in a completely different direction and
produced a new show called Fu, the Wind Spirit. Featuring oiran Kaminari, this
performance was an East meets West collaboration between the oiran and actors
of Shinmachi and a few of our najimi (top patrons).
Set to the music of “East Meets West – Koto Concerto: Genji”
performed by the Orchestra of the Swan, and the highly talented koto musician
Yumi Kurosawa, Fu was a mixture of traditional Japanese dance and ballet. This
performance focused on the tale of the wind spirit’s joy of movement and
freedom, her capture and her eventual release.
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