Kyomai Dance (Web Text)
Some of the most recognizable keepers of Kyoto traditions are geiko (known as geisha in other regions) and maiko, their apprentices. Geiko are female performing artists who entertain guests with dances, songs, music, and games. One of the arts they practice is the elegant Kyomai dance.
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Kyomai dances in this program are generally performed by maiko from Gion Kobu, one of the five traditional entertainment districts where geiko and maiko work in Kyoto. In Gion Kobu, geiko and maiko study the Kyomai dance of the Inoue school, inspired by the deliberate, symbolic movements of noh theater and the delicate, sophisticated dances favored by the emperor’s court. The Kyomai style of the Inoue school was created in the eighteenth century to be performed in zashiki, relatively small tatami-mat parlors in teahouses and other venues where guests could eat, drink, and enjoy the songs and dances provided for entertainment.
The show includes two dances performed in the Inoue-school style of Kyomai. One dance is changed each season, and the other is the popular classic called Gion kouta (A Song for Gion).