Odori: A Brief Background on The World of Kabuki Dance

Kabuki theatre was the primary theatrical entertainment during Japan’s Edo period (17th through 19th centuries), and odori was the dance form used in kabuki performances. Today, odori continues to charm audiences with intricate costumes, riveting characters, enthralling storylines and a vast array of moods. “Many pieces within the odori repertoire are very much plays unto themselves,” says TomoeArts Artistic Director Colleen Lanki, who will share the stage with master dancers Fujima Shôgo, Izumi Tokuho, and Fujima Monyo. Fujima Shôgo is Lanki’s longtime teacher and a celebrated performer who has performed on countless international stages over the last two decades. “The artists we’re bringing from Japan are masters of odori, and their participation in this project is a real treat for Vancouver audiences,” says Lanki. The quartet will perform character-driven pieces from the odori repertoire.