Densho Digital Archive
Densho Visual History Collection
Title: Ayame Tsutakawa Interview II
Narrator: Ayame Tsutakawa
Interviewer: Tracy Lai
Location: Seattle, Washington
Date: June 5, 1998
Densho ID: denshovh-tayame-02-0003

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TL: In one of the photo albums you showed me several where you were dancing, and I was wondering if you could talk about some of the those events like what the occasion was where you were performing.

AT: I think it had to do with mostly Japanese sponsored programs. Some evenings they had what they call engeikai and it was sort of a talent show. And those who can dance, danced, and could tell jokes and then what they call naniyabushi, that the Japanese singing. And then occasionally when there was like a state fairground they have a Japan Day. Then I would be going there with my teacher and the musicians and did performing, dance or drums or whatever, in the program.

TL: Did your teacher also take you and other dancers to other Japanese American communities -- like, I don't know, maybe even as far as San Francisco?

AT: No, not my teacher. I studied Bando school of Japanese classical dance, Nihonbuyou, and my teacher's teacher lived in Los Angeles. So I have gone to Los Angeles to see her performance with my mother driving the car and this Sacramento teacher and myself going to Los Angeles.

TL: For teachers of other schools of dance, could you tell me something about the differences in what they were teaching?

AT: Different styles of dance, yes. Well, there are Bando school and there's the Fujima and there's Yahanayagi. It's all originated from kabuki dance, but quite similar, but the teachers... the costumes are quite similar, too. It's hard to tell what is different. It's just different, little different.

<End Segment 3> - Copyright © 1998 Densho. All Rights Reserved.