Kyogen practice is bright, fun and energetic!

The stage for Kyogen performers living in the 21st century
Vol.2 Kyogen practice is bright, fun and energetic!
Ozo doctrine (Noh performer Kyogen style Ozo school)

"Is it okay to speak loudly?" a student asked with a surprised look on his face, and I was even more surprised. That's because rehearsals require loud voices, and that's the nature of the play. But thinking about it carefully, this is a Kagura hall in the grounds of a shrine, and it's semi-outdoors. It may be true that it's a little awkward to speak loudly outside. When I encouraged them to "just do it without worrying," the student's loud voice broke the silence, was absorbed by the trees in the grounds, or was carried away by the wind and disappeared. The silence returned again. Many students love this and continue to do so.

What is a "voice"? It must be something that proves that you are you. Just like fingerprints, there are no two voiceprints alike. By speaking, you prove that you exist here. I think it is proof that you are alive here.

The job of a Kyogen performer living in the 21st century is not just to perform on stage. Another important task is to open "classes" to spread and convey Kyogen culture, and to teach dance and chanting to students.
Kyogen training starts with imitating the teacher. From singing to the prescribed movements of the play, you imitate everything. It may be a small thing, but you pursue every move until you get it right. Movements are kept to a minimum. And beautiful. You hone your body while facing it.

Students have various reasons for starting Kyogen. They are businessmen, housewives, teachers, students, and children. Some have only been doing it for a year, while others have been doing it for over 30 years! They are a mix of young and old, both male and female, and practice with the aim of performing at recitals and shrines. The motto of the school is "cheerful, fun, and energetic!"

Now, this time we spoke to the students.

What made you start Kyogen?

TY: For me it's to avoid losing sight of myself due to work stress.
MM: I had been watching classical performing arts performances for many years, but one day I suddenly wanted to try it.
MY I became interested in it when I saw a flyer handed out at school when I was in the first grade of elementary school.

Each of you has a different history in Kyogen, but please tell us why you continue.

TM: It's a flexible training with a fascinating teacher (laughs).

I'm happy (laughs)

MM It feels good to speak loudly, and it also gave me the courage to stand in front of people.
MYAs soon as I finish a recital I start thinking about the next one, so I can't stop!

You practice at a shrine rather than in a studio. What do you think about the location?

Since worshippers pass by right in front of me , I feel like I can practice with the expectation that there will be an audience, just like in the real thing.
TY: It's a sacred place, so you can't do anything bad there (laughs).
TMFor me it's the location. I also like the retro atmosphere.
MM: It makes me feel quiet too.

You always practice hard every time, but what do you look for in practice?

In addition to learning TY techniques, the teacher also gives a corresponding explanation of Japanese culture.
I would like to improve the beauty of my body through MY Mai and other activities.
MM: I want to approach each event with a sense of tension. I have also made some discoveries that apply to many other things.
TM: I think it would be interesting to incorporate multiple types of lessons and hold song study sessions.

What is the appeal of Kyogen?

Now , the only thing I can do is laugh (lol)
TY: That's right. Whether I'm watching, acting or dancing, I think it's a worldview that I create myself.
TM: I find it enjoyable how the story depicts universal themes such as human stupidity, cunning, and shallowness in a bright and simple way.
Like MM , it's a world of universal human humor and the bizarre and surreal.

Finally, please tell us your vision for the future.

I don't know how far I can go, but I want to try as far as I can! I think I'll continue with Kyogen for a while.
I would like to connect with many different people through TY Kyogen and live a happy and enjoyable life.
MM: I want to enjoy the gap between the things that remain the same and the things that have grown.
TM I'm looking for a job after retirement where I can work as a senior employee (laughs).

In the classroom, students work towards a variety of goals.

On this day, we focused on practicing the Kyogen play "Mosquito Sumo" that will be dedicated at the Nakanoshima Inari Shrine Annual Festival on October 6th. The performance is free to watch on the day, and anyone is welcome to come, even if you have never seen Kyogen before.
And if you've seen the results of our students' daily practice and feel like you want to try it yourself, please feel free to contact us as we also offer trial lessons at our school!

You can see what's happening in the rehearsal studio on the Daizo Kyogi blog "Nori Nori Kyogen Life" http://ohnori.blog５２.fc２.com/ !