Workshop at an elementary school! ~What connects me with the children~

The grand stage for Kyogen performers living in the 21st century
Vol.7　What connects me to the children
Ozo doctrine (Noh performer Kyogen style Ozo school)

Mr. Hirata was my homeroom teacher when I was in the third grade of elementary school. When class ended early, he would take everyone to the audiovisual room and tell us stories using candles.

Close the curtains in the room to make it completely dark.
The story begins when you light the candle.
The teacher has memorized short stories and speaks to each student individually, looking them in the eye.

That time was special to me.

Currently, the Kyogen play "Kakiyamabushi" is included in sixth-grade elementary school textbooks. Thanks to this, I've had more opportunities to visit schools and conduct workshops.
We always conduct these classes in small groups, so if there are more than 70 students in a grade, we split it into two sessions. I feel that otherwise, I won't be able to connect with the children on an emotional level.
Although it is part of the lesson, to be honest, I don't think it's necessary for students to learn "what Kyogen is." Kyogen is filled with various elements, such as comedy, morality, creativity, etiquette, exaggerated expressions, kimonos, and the humanity of the performers, so I think it's enough if one of these stays in the children's minds.

The children chat with us during breaks and playfully tease us. When it comes to trying on kimonos, even the quietest children sometimes become very active, and when it's time to recite lines from Kyogen plays, some children come forward and speak loudly in front of everyone.
Witnessing such "chemical reactions" is one of the great joys of workshops.

I've been doing these kinds of activities for about seven years now, and at the beginning of this year, I received some very heartwarming news from the principal of one of the schools where I held a workshop. One of the students who participated in the workshop wrote about it in their graduation yearbook under the heading "A Miraculous Kyogen Experience." The student wrote about how they were captivated by Kyogen, how they wanted to cherish this long-standing cultural tradition, and how they wanted to incorporate it into their own life.
In addition, some schools have sent us videos of their children performing the Kyogen play "Kakiyamabushi," and we are deeply moved by the fact that the results of our efforts over the past few years have finally come to fruition, and that all our hard work has been rewarded.

The workshop concludes with a talk by Professor Hirata.
I can enjoy the workshops thanks to Professor Hirata. When the children grow up, I would be very happy if they remember the time they spent with us and use what they learned and felt to their advantage.

I hope that the future of our children will always be bright.