Traditional Dance From Okinawa

A warm breeze from Okinawa opens the season with traditional dance from Japan’s southern islands. A group of leading dancers and musicians, who are also alumni and faculty members of the prestigious Okinawa Prefectural University of Arts, perform refined court dances developed during the period when Okinawa was an independent kingdom (Ryukyu Kingdom, 15th-19th centuries), and playful folk dances (zo odori) that became popular after the end of the Ryukyu Kingdom. A stunning array of works depicting idyllic life on the islands, accompanied by seven musicians including instrumentalists and chanters, takes audiences on a trip through the rich history and culture of the archipelago.