KYOTO — Geiko and their “maiko” apprentices will perform an elegant dance drama based on the European folk tale “Cinderella” for the 74th Kitano Odori spring dance performances, it was announced on Feb. 10.
The announcement was made at the Kamishichiken Kaburenjo theater in Kamishichiken, one of Kyoto’s five famous “hanamachi” entertainment districts, in the ancient Japanese capital’s Kamigyo Ward.
The first act is a dance drama rich in story whose title roughly translates to “The princess who counts bells.” It is a new work directed and choreographed by Suketaro Hanayagi, who has reimagined the Cinderella story within Japanese culture. Rather than telling “a story in which the unrewarded simply find happiness,” the production, upon examining the distortions in people’s hearts and the sorrow that arises from them, is intended to depict hope.
Following the adaptation of “Journey to the West” in 2025, the theme once again features a globally known story from overseas. Modern language is used in the dialogue, making it accessible to those unfamiliar with classical Japanese works as well as to foreigners.
Tatsuma Hanayagi, a dancer who announced the project, commented, “We hope audiences will enjoy seeing what happens when a renowned story is turned into something Japanese, including what might take the place of the glass slipper.”
The second act features a dance piece called “Zokkyoku Wasurenagusa,” or “the ballad of forget-me-nots.” The finale will conclude with the “Kamishichiken nocturne,” performed by a total of 18 geiko and maiko. Ichitama, a maiko making her stage debut, said, “I’m very nervous, but I want to follow the lead of my seniors and do my best to help make the Kitano Odori a success.”
This year’s Kitano Odori will be held from March 20 to April 2. Performances are held twice a day at 2:00 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. Tickets are 6,000 yen (about $39), or 7,000 yen ($46) for a seat with a tea ceremony. They can be purchased at convenience stores or by phone at 050-3092-0051 (in Japanese).
(Japanese original by Saki Hidaka, Kyoto Bureau)
AloJapan.com