Today was the day of the dance recital. Practice had been cancelled three weeks prior to the trip and we practiced different dances while we were in Ueno.
We watched the rehearsal and the women were amazing. They were beautiful. The props and their movements made even the monotone songs beautiful. Japanese dance, I think, is all about stage presence: not too bright but not dim either. The face and movements must present both confidence and a deeper understanding of the music and movements. The eyes look so far beyond the audience that it seems like they really are in a completely different time period.
Needless to say, I was terrified. Chizuko-san, a woman who will be visiting as a singer in August, donated many kimonos to Linda, our dance teacher. I have a black and pink yukata and a lavender and a pink kimono. I was given a blue and gold kimono from the donation to borrow for the recital. I was told I looked great in it.
The morning was very stressful. It was difficult to dress in new kimono, half did not even have their kimono because one of the packs was forgotten. But we managed to pull it off with some quick practices. I messed up on one of the final moves.
I'm sorry everyone!
In the evening after dinner, we met the middle school students who will be visiting in August. We practiced the Nagasaki Burs Bura again. This time we had to teach it to them. Luckily, a teacher was there to help. The students are excited to visit. I'm hoping I can recruit some of my students to help out. So many people are coming! I'm going to need a bigger car.
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