2010 Rhythm of Nations Event

This Wednesday, January 27, Yosakoi took part in Delta Sigma Theta’s annual Rhythm of Nations event. Several other campus dance groups also taught portions of their dances to those who came. The Poize Hip-Hop team taught a hip-hop routine to Beyonce’s Beautiful Nightmare, and another group taught a merengue pairs dance. Barbara taught Yocchore to the group, and Micah, Jordan and Greta helped teach and demonstrate the dance. There was a lot of energy at the event, and people were very enthusiastic about the dance. It was an exhausting but entertaining and enjoyable evening to share Yosakoi with other dance groups and dance enthusiasts on campus.

Yosakoi Performs at Naka-Kon

The Yosakoi group were highlighted as guests of honor at Naka-kon 2009. This Anime convention, which is hosted annually, took place this year at the Hyatt hotel in the Crown Center shopping area. Yosakoi members enjoyed an early-morning roadtrip to the hotel, where they registered and had lunch before teaching a workshop. Four members of the team taught Soran Bushi to Naka-con participants while QiuXia vocalized the different steps and ran the music.

After dinner at Kabuki, a Japanese restaurant inside Crown Center, the team returned to the convention and performed 3 dances during an exhibition of Anime costumes and Japanese culture. This was Yosakoi’s debut of the dance Net de Yosakoi. After the performance, while judges were deciding the results of the costume contest, Yosakoi was asked to come back onstage. The group performed Yocchore as a finale to the evening’s performance. After an exhausting but enjoyable day, Yosakoi returned to Manhattan, having debuted their new dance to an enthusiastic audience in a new venue.

KSU Alumni Performance

Last week, a few members of KSU Yosakoi had the opportunity to perform for the KSU Alumni Board. On February 13th, Barbara, Cami, Ching, Greta and Jordan were able to perform two dances for a small audience in the KSU Alumni Center on campus. The group first danced the Yosakoi Soran, followed by a description of Yosakoi and some of its history. After some self-introductions by the Yosakoi members, and a short question-answer session, the group finished with a performance of Soran Bushi. This was a special opportunity for Barbara, who is part of the Alumni Board, to introduce her co-members to the Yosakoi dance. The board members were very appreciative and asked a lot of questions. It was an energetic, short performance in which the group was able to give a short history of Yosakoi and to share this style of dance with the Alumni board members.

Chinese Lunar New Year Performance

Shuffling back and forth on the back stage with unease and anticipation shuddering through us all, we watched as the acts before us concluded and the curtains closed. It was then our turn. We rushed out carefully so as to not let our narukos clack together and positioned ourselves in front of the large curtain with last minute straightening of our costumes so bright and eye catching. The curtains open with the sound of the swiftly moving velvet cloth, and we all stepped forward onto the center of the stage to hear an eruption of applause encircle Forum Hall. Oh yes! They knew who we are and were equally excited to see our show. The dance began; the familiar melody rhythmically pulsing with reverberating Japanese high and low notes each cueing a new action. We danced in form and we danced in fun. Even through our winded breaths, we danced with a big smile on our faces. It came to a close and we bowed and took our leave of the stage excited to have made a good performance that night. Being a Japanese dancing group at a Chinese New Year celebration may seem odd, but if the audience whose cheers and clapping echoed through forum hall were signs, then we were well received.