Kyogen practice is bright, fun and energetic!

A 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. This is because you have to speak loudly during practice, and that's the nature of the play. But thinking about it, this is a Kagura hall in the shrine grounds, and it's semi-outdoors. It might be a bit awkward to speak loudly outside. When I encouraged them to "don't worry about it, let's just do it," the student shouted loudly! The voice broke the silence, was absorbed into 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 it.

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 practice begins 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 achieve the desired form. Movements are kept to a minimum. And beautiful. You hone your body while facing it.

Students have a variety of reasons for starting Kyogen. They include office workers, housewives, teachers, students, and children. Some have only been doing it for a year, while others have been doing it for over 30 years! Everyone, men and women of all ages, practice together, aiming to perform at recitals or for shrine dedications. The motto of the school is "Bright, fun, and energetic!"

Now, 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 distributed at school when I was in the first grade of elementary school.

Each of you has a different history in kyogen, but could you tell us why you continue to do so?

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

I'm happy (laughs)

MMIt feels good to speak loudly, and it has given 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 right in front of me , I feel like I can practice with the audience in mind, 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 practice hard every time, but what do you look for in practice?

In addition to TY techniques, the teacher also provides an explanation of Japanese culture that goes along with them.
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 discoveries that apply to many other things.
TM: I think it would be interesting to incorporate multiple lessons and hold song study sessions.

What is the appeal of Kyogen?

MY: Now, the only option is to 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 a bizarre, surreal world.

Finally, please tell us your vision for the future.

I don't know how far I can go, but I want to do as much 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 place to re-employ after retirement where I can work as a senior executive (lol)

In the classroom, everyone has a different goal in mind.

On this day, we focused on practicing the Kyogen play "Mosquito Sumo," which will be dedicated at the Nakanojima Inari Shrine annual festival on October 6th. Admission is free on the day and anyone can watch, so even those who have never seen Kyogen before are welcome to come.
And if you've seen the results of our students' daily practice and thought, "I want to try it too!", please feel free to contact us as we offer trial lessons at our studio!

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