Japanese Dancing:The School of Soke Tachibana

Japanese Dancing :
The School of Soke Tachibana

We introduce our "Japanese Dancing" activivies for the people all over the world interested in Japanese traditional culture: Japanese traditional dancing, performance, music, art and so on.

History

Kabuki actor Chu-sha Ichikawa the Eighth, who was the first Soke of The School of Soke Tachibana, was named Chu-sha Tachibana in after years.
Chu-sha established The School of Soke Tachibana in 1958; however, our origin dates back to Taisho-Era.

Chu-sha choreographed various works such as "Mushi (Worm)" produced by En-ou Ichikawa the First, his elder brother. "Mushi (Worm)" was a great success as a typical work in Neo-Japanese Dancing Movement, where Chu-sha played an important role, breaking out the Old-fashioned Japanese Dancing.
In Showa-Era, he choreographed/produced a new dancing movement of Midori Nishizaki the First.

Innovation is the ethos of the current School of Soke-Tachibana. We place equal importance on modern creation and inheritance of tradition. Our Activity is not limited to Japanese traditional dancing, but also includes study and creation of new-style Japanese Dancing.

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Philosophy

Dancing is an expression of mind.

We believe discipline of mind to be as essential as technical improvement in Japanese Dancing.

Further, deportment and behavior in everyday life, such as poise on opening/closing Fusuma and Shouji doors, are linked to expressions in dancing.
Dancing must be backed with arts of gracious etiquette behind its showiness. Our lesson is based upon education of honesty and discipline in every aspect of life.
We learn them through Japanese dancing practice, and make good use of traditional expression in the modern world, where international sensibility is required.

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Soke Profile

The Third generation Soke

HOUZAN TACHIBANA

Japanese dancer, Producer, Stage Director
Consultant for The Japanese Dance Association Inc.
Director of NPO Peta Art Net Japan
Member of Japan center of International Theatre Institute(ITI/UNESCO)
Instructor in Showa Academia Musicae

Houzan is a nephew of Shisen Tachibana, the Second generation Soke.
He started to appear on stage, in TV programs and movies as a kid actor.
His career as a kabuki actor started at the age of 17, apprenticed to Chu-sha Ichikawa the Eighth.
In his years in Toho Co., Ltd. Stage Department, he received National Theatre Incentive Award for 7 times.
After the passing of his master Chu-sha, he became a successor of The School of Tachibana and was renamed to Shasen Tachibana. His life has been devoted to Japanese Dancing from that time on.

Following the demise of the Second generation Soke, he became the Third generation Soke in June 1998.
Since then, he has appeared on numerous stages at home and abroad.
In January 2008, after he turned 60, he started Houzan Tachibana the First.

Currently, as a Japanese dancer, Houzan Tachibana heads up "Houzan Odori-gatari” (Odori-gatari means "dancing and talking" in Japanese) and also performed as a member of Japanese Dancer Team "Ninjo-Odori-Za".
As a choreographer, he has choreographed and directed various dance plays and operas, such as Yuzuru, Madame Butterfly, and La Boheme.

Tachibana Houzan's Works

Houzan is active in wide range of performing arts, backed with his rich experience in TV, Cinema and Stageplay from his childhood, and in Kabuki in his adolescence.

Currently, besides Houzan Odori-gatari, he organizes Houzan "Wa*" rkshop - a program including live performance and talking - where participants can enjoy Kabuki dancing from all angles, showing resonance of Japanese traditional art and fascination of "Wa*".

*"Wa" in Kanji means "harmony", "sociable", "Japanese-style" etc. in Japanese.

Dancing, opera, concert, recital, cultural lessons ... his borderless activities are dedicated to reestablishing the beauty of Japanese deportment, which is about to fade away in modern Japanese life.

Sep.1982	Performance in Rattanakosin Bicentennial 1982 Japan & Thailand International Relations (Bangkok,Thailand)
June.1986	Performance in New Zealand Japan Week Supported by Japan Foundation (Christchurch,Oakland)
Nov.1987	Performance in Japan Total Introduction Organized by Urban Council/Consulate-General of Japan in Hong Kong (Sha Tin Town Hall / Hong Kong)
Dec.1987	Performance in Asia Art Festival / Taiwan Supported by Interchange Association, Japan
May.1988	THE ELEMENT OF THE EXODUS / Charity campaign against AIDS Collaborative Performance : Japanese Dancing x Textile Planed by Hiroshi Saito(Textile Finisher) (Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine / New York)
Oct.1988	Warsaw Autumn(International Polish festival of contemporary music) Opera "Kesa and Morito" by The Japan Opera Foundation Assigned by Agency for Cultural Affairs Choreography / Appearance
May.1997	Performance in Washington Organized by World Bank Staff Art Society
May.2002	Opera "Madam Butterfly" Japan & Italian Republic international relations Choreography (Nuovo Theater / Milano)
Oct.2005	Opera "Madam Butterfly" by Fujiwara Opera Macau International Music Festival Staging
Sep.2007	Opera "Madam Butterfly" Japan & Russia international relations Stage Direction
Sep.2007	Shasen Tachibana"Odori-Gatari(Dancing & Talking)" ~Kabuki-makeup,costume,lecture of Japanese Dancing & Perfomance Organized by Japan Information And Cultural center,Embassy of Japan in Austria (Wien,Republic of Austria)

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