Steps to Japanese Traditional Dance

The steps to traditional Japanese dance have been handed down through generations and are still performed today. Cultural festivals such as the "Bon" dance keep the tradition alive among everyday folk, while more performative versions such as kabuki and noh theatre preserve the more formal steps.

Like most dance forms, Japanese folk dance has very specifically choreographed forms to specific pieces of music. There are two characteristics of the steps to traditional Japanese dance that set them apart from Western styles of dance.

The first is a low center of gravity. Western dance forms such as ballet or even the folk dancing of Russia contain large leaps and jumps, fighting against gravity and the constraints of the earth. Japanese dancers, on the other hand, are encouraged to "get your koshi down!" as one instructor put it (koshi is the Japanese word for a person's rear end). The center of gravity is kept low and grounded, emphasizing the connection with the earth. The dancers often seem to draw energy and movement from this connection, in fact.

The second is a matter of timing. Instead of a rigorous framework of 4/4 or ¾ time, the steps to traditional Japanese dance are put into a more organic framework, taking as long as they need to take. That is not to imply that they do not go with the music – rather that the music itself has a different sense of timing and pace. The closest example in Western music is the fermata, which signifies a musician holding a note as long as they feel appropriate – no set amount of time, just a trusting that when the time is right, the next step or note will be played.

The method of teaching Japanese traditional dance is very different from the Western style as well. Much more formality is kept between the student and the teacher, with ritualized greetings and farewells during every lesson. Material symbols such as kimonos, fans, and towels are given rich symbolic importance as the rehearsal space is changed into a sacred and special room separate from the worries of the outside world.

Rather than taking a student through drills and stretches and other "technique" exercises, the teacher will then simply begin the dance, often in front of a mirror or facing the student, and expect the student to follow. Usually the dance has been divided into sections, and the student will work on specific sections with the teacher at each lesson, as well as the entire dance.

When a section is completed, the teacher will do it again – and again – until they feel the student should try it on their own. At this point the sections are performed with feedback from the teacher, sometimes verbal ("Get your koshi down!") and sometimes a simple adjustment to the tilt of the head or the hands. Rarely is there music accompaniment to this part of the lesson, and even verbal instruction is sparse. Questions are usually not asked either – the student trusts the teacher to correct mistakes, and at any section they are unsure of they can simply stop and wait for guidance.

At the end of the lesson, the teacher will usually have the student attempt the entire dance by themselves. In the beginning these can be the most frustrating of times as the sheer volume of what the student doesn't know can be overwhelming. Often any feedback will be nothing more than a terse nod or single word. This results in intense focus by both student and teacher on the dance.

It is not only the Japanese who are performing the steps to traditional Japanese dance. Movies such as The Karate Kid 2 introduced audiences to the steps of the Bon Oduri dance to welcome and remember their ancestor's souls. Many folk dance troupes have also integrated traditional Japanese dances such as the Tanko Bushi into their repertoire as well, ensuring that the dances will be remembered and performed for years to come.

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