Unit 2 Dances of Cambodia, China, Japan

Apsara

Female spirit of the clouds and waters from Hindu and Buddhist mythology (Cambodia - Robam Boran)

Ban Zhu

Master who set all details of training and performance (China - Jingju)

Chol and chaen

“chol” - to enter, returning to human realm when exiting the stage

“chaen” - to go out, entering another realm when stepping on stage (Robam Boran)

Flying position

dancers practicing balancing for long stretches of time, usually on 1 leg (Robam Boran)

Jo-ha-kyu

used to define and shape the movement, stage, music, each play, and even cycle of 5 plays - jo = beginning ha = breaking kyu = urgent (Noh)

Lakhong lueng

sacred dancer of the king, intermediary between ruler and gods, escorted kings body to his cremation (Robam Boran)

Onnagata

Highly trained actor specializing in female roles (Kabuki)

Yangbanxi

8 yangbanxi were the only approved art for the stages in Jingju - 5 operas, 2 ballets, 1 symphony

What is the difference between hanamichi and hashigakari?

Hanamichi: “flower walk” in Kabuki, is elevated ramp for entrances and exits extending from back of audience to stage. Hashigakari: Passage connecting stage to dressing rooms in Noh, symbolic of bridge spanning from spirits to the mortal world

What is ma and which two Japanese forms utilize it?

Butoh and Kabuki, means “the space between”. It is momentary pauses used for dramatic timing

What is the difference between shite and waki?

Shite is the lead actor in Noh theater and waki is the secondary actor that never plays female and is always unmasked.

Who performs the dances? Which dances were women banned from?

All women performed Yangbanxi and Robam Boran, and all women were banned from Jinju, Kabuki, and Noh

Jingju also goes by which names?

Peking Opera or Beijing Opera

What were the Red Detachment of Woman and the White-Haired Girl?

China’s Central Ballet Company repertoire, two model works in Yangbanxi (the two ballets that were allowed) *Western art form

Noh theater originated from 2 forms of folk dance, what are they?

Dengaku: musical offering to gods by rice farmers

Saragaku: acrobatic entertainment from China

Who is Okuni?

First female performer in Kabuki dance in 1586. Said she was a temple dancer to collect money, performed comical seductive dancers, and her troupe of all females dressed as men

What are Noh plays usually about?

Morla questions and Buddhist tenets of Karma. Ultimately about salvation of souls

What country is each dance from?

Robam Boran - Cambodia

Jingju - China

Noh - Japan

Kabuki - Japan

Butoh - Japan

What are the 4 basic hand characteristics in Robam Boran?

1. Leaf

2. Flower

3. Tendril

4. Fruit in palm

Who are the founders of Butoh?

Tatsumi Hijikata and Kasuo Ohno

What is the most sacred part of the body in Cambodia?

The head

What is the oldest monarchy in the world?

Japan

How are masks used in Noh?

Called omote, are less about the audience recognizing the character and more about the actor becoming the character. They also have a neutral expression, the actors movements give it emotion

What happened when the Khmer Rouge took over Cambodia?

They stripped Cambodia of its artistic past, 1.5-3 million Cambodians died. 90% of professional artists were sent to killing fields. They also banned all religions, 300 royal dancers were detained and only 30 survived. After 4 year reign, finally left power in the 1990s.

Which dance’s performers were given the honorary status of samurai?

Noh theater “shogun” = great general

Which dance form is one of the oldest dance forms in Southeast Asia?

Robam Boran

Which dance form was created during the Qing Dynasty

Jingju

Who codified Noh theater?

Zeami Motokiyo

What are the four social classes created by the shogun in Japan?

Samurai, Farmers, Craftsmen, Merchants

What are the four main Robam Boran roles?

Neay rong = male

Neang = female

Yeah = ogres or giants

Sva = monkeys

What are the four stock characters in Jingju?

1. Dan = female

2. Sheng = male

3. Jing = painted face

4. Chou = clown

What happened during the Cultural Revolution of China?

Qing dynasty fell in 1911 and a period of westernizing took place. China occupied Japan from 1937-1945. Zedong Mao and the “Red Army” under the communist part of China to fight against Japanese. Mao was chairman and ruled from 1949-1976 then the People’s Republic of China (PRC) assumed control. The PRC targeted artists, schools, and religious institutions.