「Private or Group Lesson (Non-Sports)」カテゴリーアーカイブ

Tai O’Malley: Shamisen Performance

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In this CIP I learned all the basics of playing the shamisen, from techniques to repertoire, alongside two other classmates from KCJS. We’d go to the Greenwich House (practice space) twice a week to practice with different groups of relatively older Japanese locals, most of whom had relationships to Iwasaki sensei as students. Learning the shamisen in an environment with a language that I’m not entirely familiar with led to the action of demonstration and common understanding within music to be the biggest teacher of all. I also learned how the power of music can bring people together from various different walks of life, as evidenced by the diversity of people attending Iwasaki sensei’s rehearsals. For future students of Iwasaki sensei, I wouldn’t be worried about making mistakes, as the space is very friendly about giving people a voice through music despite skill level. In fact, in Iwasaki sensei hearing me noodle around on the instrument one day, I was given the opportunity to perform a improvised solo for our final concert.

Our full performance can be found here: https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5N9qkeN6lkI__;!!BDUfV1Et5lrpZQ!QEtwNJ5CtYMGkjg0sapTOUV1f9RVug_dUbArsKQoFUmgiGif-0kPvViiBa3M5wjz4VNft1a5TyGyHPFxUWBI0uky$

Nava Berwick: Learning the traditional dance art form, 日本舞踊 (Nihon Buyo)

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I had the amazing opportunity to learn Japanese traditional dance, 日本舞踊 (Nihon Buyo), for my CIP activity! The teacher is so bright, funny, and very knowledgeable about this art form, so it was so fun learning about Nihon Buyo’s history and method from her.

Personally coming from a long history of learning traditional dance myself (specifically Indonesian dance), it was quite fascinating learning the similarities and differences between both country’s respective traditional dances.

If you find yourself wanting to also partake in this CIP, the advice I have is to be prepared for mild confusion when trying to figure out the proper tuition payment system. If you’re able to find resources on this practice on the internet before arriving in Kyoto, I recommend reading up on that before coming. Also, when first starting your lessons you may feel a little lost at first when you see how the teacher and dance classmates interact, as there will be a lot of keigo and a certain body posture to follow. Be sure to observe them! This will really help you get more comfortable and help you connect more deeply with Japanese culture.

Nell Di Bona Beck: Calligraphy

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During my time at KCJS I chose to take semi-private shodō, or Japanese calligraphy, classes. My teacher, Tanaka-san, is a professional calligrapher and he guided me during this time. Some of the things I learned was how to position my arms, both the one holding the brush and the one not, how to control the amount of pressure I exerted, how to manipulate the brush to move how I wanted it to, how much ink I needed, and most importantly to never stop the flow of the brush as it glided across the paper. There is a lot more to the world of shodō than simply painting the characters, you must write with intention and meaning. The type of brush you use, the style of writing, and where you position the characters on the paper are also important in conveying not just the meaning but the feeling to the viewer. I recommend incoming students to put themselves in challenging situations–situations where they will encounter new things, or listen to Japanese above their level, or have to speak to strangers. Tanaka-san communicated with me in broken English and Japanese in order to teach me shodō because he wanted me to learn and no language barrier could change that. As long as you show that you are actively trying and putting effort, there will be people willing to help, and you in turn with grow.

Brian Ramon-Miron: Koto Lessons

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This semester I took one-on-one koto lessons under Kurahashi Sensei. For the duration of nine weeks, I took classes once a week with Kurahashi Sensei and learned different techniques and ways to play the koto, while also learning how to play various song with these different methods.

Each class would build upon the skills that I have already had or have learned in the class prior, and would continue to advance in playing more difficult song. I would definitely recommend taking koto classes, the one-on-one focus definitely helped me to understand new vocabulary, techniques, and have any questions answered while playing.

A word of advice I can give is that it is ok to make mistakes while playing! Different techniques require different ways to play the koto, be prepared to pull strings in different directions and methods to create classical yet stunningly sounding notes in traditional songs!

Ethan Chuang: Shamisen

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This semester I took one on one shamisen lessons once a week from Kurahashi-Sensei. Throughout the semester, I learned a lot of different techniques and a completely new style of reading music. At the end, I was able to play a duet with my sensei on the koto, which was really rewarding.

Despite having some previous experience with other instruments, it was my first time learning a string instrument. I’m glad I got to go through learning a new instrument over again, while picking up little bits of Japanese culture along the way through the friendly conversational environment with Kurahashi-Sensei and her family. 

If I had to give advice it would be to feel free to try something new. I remember that I was super nervous about learning a new instrument in a foreign language, but I’m really glad I went through with it. Lessons with my sensei made for an amazing opportunity to learn a lot about Japanese music, and discover another side of Japanese culture that I hadn’t seen before.

Jacob Solano: Fly Dance Studio

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At Fly Dance Studio, you have the opportunity to learn dance from a diverse range of instructors. Whether you’re interested in hip-hop, k-pop, jazz, house, or any other style, there’s a class for you. To get started, create an account with them and choose between paying per class or purchasing a pass that allows you to attend multiple classes freely.

If you’re a beginner dancer looking to learn choreography, Fly Dance Studio is the perfect place to learn. The instructors are incredibly friendly and welcoming, and most importantly, they really invest in your learning. Dancing at Fly Dance Studio was a blast as the environment was super fun and encouraging. It seriously reignited my love for dance.

Phoebe Yao: Dance at Fly Dance Studio

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Chika’s 初めてのHip-Hop Class!

Fly Dance Studio is a dance studio located in Sanjo where you can attend a variety of classes ranging from beginner to advanced in styles ranging from k-pop to hip hop to breaking, locking, freestyle, jazz, and more. 

Although this CIP would definitely require more effort on your part to make friends and connect with classmates and teachers, it is an especially great opportunity for experienced dancers to experience the dance scene in Japan firsthand! 

I definitely recommend picking a CIP that has both components of something familiar and unfamiliar. For me, dancing k-pop was somewhat familiar, and attending class and dancing hip-hop were wholly unfamiliar to me. Whenever I was struggling with aspects of the unfamiliar like the classes going too fast or the teachers being scary, I was able to fall back on the k-pop class and my enjoyment of that choreography and that music, and that experience helped me to persevere past the others. 

My biggest piece of advice is to try and make friends with the people at your CIP! Although it was extremely difficult for me in the moment for factors such as most of my classmates being middle schoolers and already in extremely tight knit groups coming to class and there being very limited space in the studio for talking in between classes, in hindsight, I could have definitely attempted to bond with the classmates I kept seeing over and over at the same classes. For this CIP in particular, foreigners are not an unusual sight at the dance studio, so it is definitely a little bit more of a safer space to attempt and speak to Japanese people you’ve never met before. Additionally, the dance scene as a whole appears to be somewhat casual and pretty social, so it definitely felt more approachable or acceptable to try and start a conversation than it might be in other more formal settings. The studio itself is also surrounded by a ton of trendy shops and a movie theater, so it’s a great place to hang out before and/or after class as well!

Victoria Raiken: Shamisen at Greenwich House

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For my CIP, I took lessons at Greenwich House to learn the shamisen. I was joined by two other students from KCJS where we learned how to play a variety of traditional music pieces and ended the semester with a concert that involved the whole music school.

Before coming to Japan, not only did I have very limited experience with stringed instruments but I had also never seen a shamisen in real life before. Learning the shamisen in such a short time to perform at the concert was a big challenge for me but I’m so grateful I was given the opportunity to be a part of this community and learn about such a valued piece of Japanese culture.

My advice to incoming students would be to apply an interest you already have and use that passion to create connections within the community. Despite my skill-based challenges, I had a genuine interest in music and because of that I was able to bond with both the other KCJS students as well as the wonderful people at Greenwich House.

Susan Flatt: Koto

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This semester, I had the opportunity to practice the koto twice a week at Greenwich House, along with two other classmates, who were learning shamisen. At the end of the semester, we all performed a traditional piece together (月に寄せる日本の歌） at the Otsu Traditional Performing Arts Center.

Through my time practicing with the musicians at Greenwich House, I was able to learn a lot about Japanese traditional music, including the many ways in which it differs from Western music. I also enjoyed the opportunity to develop meaningful relationships with the other musicians, who were all incredibly welcoming to the KCJS students.

My advice to future KCJS students is to never be afraid about trying something new, even if you aren’t sure whether you can succeed. No one will expect you to be perfect right from the start, and the people around you will appreciate the effort you put in, even when you’re struggling.

Alex Wills: Taiko

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This semester, I had the opportunity to participate in the Fujinomori Preservation Society’s Taiko Drumming Practice! Along with one of my fellow KCJS students, I learned the basics of how to play Taiko while also learning more about its significance in Japanese culture. Over the course of the semester, we prepared a roughly 2 minute long piece and performed it for the group, making connections with the team members and practicing our Japanese along the way. At first it was a little intimidating, but once you’re there, it gets to be very fun and rewarding.