Kumi Odori
Kumi odori is a form of narrative traditional Ryūkyūan dance. Kumi odori or Kumi wudui means "combination dance" or "ensemble dance".
Originating in the Ryūkyūan capital of Shuri, Okinawa in 1719, the original purpose of this dance was to provide amusement and diversions, which were termed ukwanshin, for the Chinese diplomats who traveled to Ryūkyū. Tamagusuku Chokun, a Ryūkyūan courtier who lived from 1684 to 1734, is credited with the establishment of kumi odori as a frequently presented court demonstration. An amalgamation of several different types of East Asian dance, the kumi odori has continued to hold a place in Okinawan culture, and is now recognized by the Japanese government as an Important Intangible Cultural Property. In 2010 it was inscribed on the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. It remains today a prime example of native art sustained by the people of Okinawa.
Historical and political background
The Ryūkyū Islands are composed of more than 140 islands, 40 of which inhabited, that lie beneath the southernmost Japanese main islands. A point of contention throughout the years, ownership of Ryūkyū was often disputed by major powers. The island of Okinawa was first ruled by warlords, called either aji or anji, and was unified under the rule of Shō Hashi in the early fifteenth century. Eventually Okinawa conquered the rest of the Ryūkyū Islands, expanding its small kingdom. Trade was booming in East Asia in the late fifteenth and early sixteenth centuries and Ryūkyū's position as a middleman helped foster relationships with Japan and China. Once trade diminished, Ryūkyū faced the threat of invasion by Japan. In 1609, the Satsuma domain invaded the Ryūkyū Kingdom and forced the King to become their vassal in order to take advantage of its connections with China, and ruled only indirectly until the 1872. Coincidentally, this actually served to promote Chinese culture. The ambiguity of Ryūkyū's political status while under Japanese control was a debate that concerned most of the elite. Even though it was under Japanese domination and its leaders were aware of this, it maintained its autonomy until 1879. By this time, Ryūkyū began to come under more formal Japanese control. Emperor Meiji forced the Kingdom to become a Japanese feudal domain in 1872, and in 1879 it was made a prefecture of Japan, and then it was occupied by the United States from 1945 to 1972 following World War II and the Battle of Okinawa. In 1972 it was finally returned to Japan as a result of years of friction between the Okinawans and the U.S. military.Kumi odori was born out of the necessity of diplomatic acts. In 1372, King Satto of Chūzan consented to follow the tribute system with China and, as part of this system, Chinese envoys settled in Okinawa for approximately six months out of the year whenever the succession of a new king needed to be confirmed by the Chinese emperor. It was essential that these important visitors be entertained, so kumi odori was developed in 1719 by the odori bugyo, or minister of dance, Tamagusuku Chokun. Appointed to the position in 1715, his main responsibility was to commission entertainment for the lavish banquets held for the visiting emissaries. He had previously made five trips to Japan, stopping in both Satsuma and Edo. While there, he studied all the fine arts, gaining knowledge of kyogen, kabuki and Noh, which greatly influenced his work. He was inspired by the Chinese arts as well, and at this time Chinese literature, Confucianism, and even the sanshin, an instrument later adapted for kumi odori performances, had been absorbed into Okinawan culture. Kumi odori was staged for the first time at the Choyo banquet in spring of 1719: Shushin kaneiri and Nido tekiuchi, which were Chokun's first works, were performed by male aristocrats and remain a major part of the repertory to this day. With the fall of the Tokugawa shogunate and the rise of Meiji Rule in 1868, kumi odori was all but forgotten. The aristocrats who previously enjoyed the luxuries of time and money that allowed them to study court dance were now scarce in number but, through a few notable figures, it was passed down through the generations and performed for the general population. Even the common people now had the chance to enter the schools and become performers. After the American occupation of Okinawa came to an end and Okinawa was ceded back to Japan in 1972, there was a revival of sorts of all the indigenous art forms. The Japanese support of local Okinawan arts is a source of much debate. Although Okinawan culture was suppressed by the Japanese government during the war, but the On May 15, 1972 kumi odori was proclaimed a nationally important intangible cultural property, or kuni no juyo mukei bunkazai, under the Cultural Properties Protection Law, or Bunkazai Hogoho. Kumi odori was the fifth performing art to be selected as such, joining gagaku, bunraku, no, and kabuki as corporate entities. After its inception, gidayu bushi, tokiwazu bushi, itchu bushi, kato bushi, miyazono bushi, and ogie bushi- all musical or narrative arts- would join them in this esteemed category. After a decade of petitioning for an arts complex to house the prefecture's native arts, the National Theatre Okinawa was built in Urasoe-shi, near the city of Naha in 2004. The reasons for this are not entirely clear, but despite government funding shortages, the officials in Tokyo agreed to support the project. Not only does the theatre attach importance to the city of Okinawa, but it is also a tourist attraction, which gives a more rational basis for their support.
Elements of style
Kumi odori is a mixture of dance styles that has its roots in Okinawan, Chinese, and Japanese methods. In addition to this, it incorporates qualities from religious dances, kami ashibi or chondara, and chants, umui, which were prevalent in villages of the past. A true conglomerate, it merges music, song, narrative, and dance all for a dramatic effect. Originally performed by completely male casts of aristocratic origin, today it is also performed by women who typically take on the roles of females or young males. In the past, casting was dependent greatly on body type, and smaller males would perform these parts.The movements of the kumi odori are very slow and deliberate. There are no shows of bravura nor are there any obvious feats of difficulty, rather the complexity of the steps lies in its restrained simplicity. Highly stylized, its characteristic gliding walk is said to be one of the hardest steps to master. In classical ballet, it is said that it is more difficult to truly master bourrees than it is to complete multiple pirouettes, although the latter may look more impressive, and the same notion applies here. Generally speaking, the easier a step may seem, the harder it is to perfect. There are three levels of odori : realistic actions, emotional actions, and dances within a dance. The characteristic walk discussed earlier would be an example of a realistic action, meant to tell a story. The addition of dance steps to these actions would comprise the second level, and the inclusion of travel dances, or michiyuki, within the storyline would fulfill the third. This is common in many forms of dance, especially in the classical ballet. Often, the main storyline will be subverted by peasant dances or divertissements provided purely for the dance itself, rather than substantially promoting the storyline. Although kumi odori shows greats parallels to the no style of performance, there are also several characteristics that provide distinction between the two. Both feature sparse settings, eliminating the need for elaborate backdrops or scenery. Similar material, structure, and quality of performance echo in both. However, where no deals with Buddhist thought, kumi odori leans toward Confucianism, choosing to promote moderation rather than enlightenment. Where no performers would typically wear a mask, kumi odori performers express their characters through makeup and other means. Facial expressions are understated and emotion is displayed through the movements of the head or the cast of the eyes. The eyes always lead the head, and just as in classical ballet, the eyes arrive first and the rest of the body follows. Such careful attention to detail gives a refined and controlled action life, without which the art would cease to give the desired impression.
There are two qualities that define a good kumi odori performance: kan and konashi. Kan is similar to the idea of innate stage presence, something that cannot be learned. Konashi, on the other hand, is the culmination of the skills acquired through years of experience. All performers must have both characteristics in order for a performance to be deemed good. The idea of hin, or innate grace, is also important. This does not come immediately and can only be achieved after years of hard work and dedication. It is said that one cannot be a good performer of kumi odori, no or kabuki, until at least fifty, which is quite the opposite of the baby ballerinas favored by many in western dance. Perhaps most importantly, while no focuses on past events, the kumi odori style focuses on present action. Kabuki and no both lack the heavy emphasis on music that is so important to ''kumi odori.''