西三河阿波踊り研究会若鯱連 Awa Odori 7- Finale Anjo Tanabata Matsuri 2009 Video

http://mauj77.blogspot.com/2009/10/awa-odori-awaodori-tokushima-japao.html
西三河阿波踊り研究会若鯱連の皆さんによる阿波踊り
第56回安城七夕まつり 2009年
Awa-odori é uma dança folclórica da província de Tokushima, localizado na Ilha de Shikoku. É uma dança típica que representa o carnaval japonês, comemorado durante as festividades de verão. A tradução literal da palavra significa:

awa = antigo nome de Tokushima, Awa no Kuni [阿波の国]
odori = dança
A origem desta dança deu-se na Era Azuchi Momoyama (1587), durante a comemoração do término da construção do Castelo de Tokushima (Tokushima-Jyo) [徳島城]. Muitas pessoas se embriagaram com a fartura de saquê e dançaram, tropeçando para frente e para trás. Algumas pegaram instrumentos disponíveis à sua volta e começaram a acompanhar a dança com canções. Hachisuka Iemasa [蜂須賀家政], o daimyô da província, prestigiava a festa e gostou da performance. Incentivou mais pessoas para participar da dança e surgiu assim, o awa-odori.
The earliest origins of the dance style are found in the Japanese Buddhist priestly dances of Nembutsu-odori and hiji-odori of the Kamakura Period (1185-1333), and also in kumi-odori, a lively harvest dance that was known to last for several day
The song associated with Awa Odori is called Awa Yoshikono and is a localised version of the Edo period popular song Yoshikono Bushi. Parts of it are sung, and others are chanted. The origins of the melodic part have been traced to Kumamoto, Kyūshū, but the Awa version came from Ibaraki Prefecture, from where it spread back down to Nagoya and Kansai.[8] The lyrics of the first verse are:
Awa no dono sama hachisuka-kou ga ima ni nokoseshi awa odori - What Awa's Lord Hachisuka left us to the present day is Awa Odori
The song is usually sung at a point in the parade where the dancers can stop and perform a stationary dance - for example a street intersection or in front of the ticketed, amplified stands which are set up at various points around the city. Not every group has a singer, but dancers and musicians will frequently break out into the Awa Yoshikono chant as they parade through the streets:
踊る阿呆にOdoru ahou niThe dancers are fools
見る阿呆Miru ahouThe watchers are fools
同じ阿呆ならOnaji ahou naraBoth are fools alike so
踊らな損、損Odorana son, sonWhy not dance?
The dancers also chant hayashi kotoba call and response patterns such as "Yattosa, yattosa", "Hayaccha yaccha" and "Erai yaccha, erai yaccha", "Yoi, yoi, yoi, yoi". These calls have no semantic meaning, but help to encourage the dancers.
[edit]Dance

During the daytime a restrained dance called Nagashi is performed, but at night the dancers switch to a frenzied dance called Zomeki. As suggested by the lyrics of the chance, spectators are often encouraged to join the dance.
Men and women dance in different styles. For the mens dance: right foot and right arm forward, touch the ground with toes, then step with right foot crossing over left leg. This is then repeated with the left leg and arm. Whilst doing this, the hands draw triangles in the air with a flick of the wrists, starting at different points. Men dance in a low crouch with knees pointing outwards and arms held above the shoulders.
The women's dance uses the same basic steps, although the posture is quite different. The restrictive kimono allows only the smallest of steps forward but a crisp kick behind, and the hand gestures are more restrained and graceful, reaching up towards the sky. Women usually dance in tight formation, poised on the ends of their geta sandals.
Children and adolescents of both sexes usually dance the men's dance. In recent years, it has become more common to see adult women, especially those in their 20's, dancing the men's style of dance.
Some of the larger ren (dance groups) also have a tako odori, or kite dance. This usually involves one brightly dressed, acrobatic dancer, darting backwards and forwards, turning cartwheels and somersaults, with freestyle choreography. In some versions, other male dancers crouch down forming a sinuous line representing the string, and a man at the other end mimes controlling the kite