The Morris Dance of Japan

Check out my previous blog entry here.  I've added a few words to the pictures I unceremoniously dumped last night.

So the tiny school I work at is holding a school event in a few weeks.

They're doing a wickedsick dance.  I can't fathom the reason for the dance, but the youngest (and fittest) teacher is performing with the kids.  I was lucky enough to witness the dance, and I must say that it's impressive to say the least.

She uses a number of resources to practice, but this video is the one she used to demonstrate.

The reason he one-arm standing chest presses the air a number of times?  To show how badass he is at lifting fish out of the net, that's why.

So this dance has a specific meaning - and it turns out that a lot of areas in Japan have them.  This particular one is from Hokkaido, and assuming you've watched it, what do you think it represents?

This is a fishermans dance, and once I learned that it made perfect sense.  The opening is him representing the waves.  The tugging is pulling in the net.  The scooping is him harvesting the bounties.

The female teacher showing me was extremely faithful to this guys representation, and she is extremely enthusiastic to boot.  I can't wait to see the finished production.

I showed a number of the teachers the English equivalent.  Of course, maypole dancing and morris dancing.

The rough translation for what they say while witnessing the spectale (not performed by my, mercifully.  Youtube is your friend) was something akin to 'man that looks gay.'

I concur.

I guess some things that are so old, just can't be left alone to die out.