BSX Caravan in Kamiyama

Diary 2008.12.4

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投稿者:Shinya Ominami

( ↑ The best part of the lesson, walking on four legs. Our teacher, Mr. Leim tells us, “Make powerful steps, like a lion!” as he shows us how to do it.)

This past Sunday, I participated in the BSX Caravan Workshop and Concert. It exceeded my expectations. What fun!

First, from 2pm we had the “Breathing and Movement Workshop.” Our teacher was Mr. Brian Tjon Tjauw Liem. Brian looks so Asian (!), so I asked him about his roots and he told me that his grandparents immigrated from China to Suriname, which is a former Dutch colony in South America. After that, his family immigrated to the Netherlands.

First, we started out with a breathing exercise similar to Qigong or Tai Chi, called 16 Ways. We make sounds like “ooh” and “oh” while pushing our chests out (breathing in) and pulling in our chests (breathing out) and other exercises like that.

I know it looks like radio taiso exercises, but it's in fact these are bona fide breathing exercises.

Now, teacher, please show us how it’s done!

I suppose it comes with the territory, but Brian had such powers of pursuasion when he spoke, and such beautiful form. His movements were so smooth and efficient.

Take energy from the floor, and bring it up to the top of your head. Then repeat in the opposite direction. The movement and posture says it all! That’s what it was like.

Do you think it looks easy? It’s actually tougher than you’d expect.

How about we get this guy to try it?

He's the one. Mr. Sato seems to be saying that he's the most flexible man in the world. (ha ha)

Hey, he doesn’t have what it takes!

Huh? Or maybe he does?

Depending on your perspective, you can’t say he hasn’t gotten the hang of it…. (ha ha)

Continuing on, (like the Carnival of the Animals composed by Charles-Camille Saint-Saëns) a performance where we moved slowly and purposefully, like lions.

No matter how skillfully you do it, a human walking on four legs just doesn't look graceful! I just knew I'd get in trouble if I showed anyone's face in this shot. I managed to frame it so the only one recognizable is Nikolai! Ho ho ho... (ha ha)

Rather than the “First Movement: Lion”, we were closer to the “Fourth Movement: Elephant”… (ha ha)

The next exercise is the expression of desperation while lying down! Woah…

Such rich expression! Oh, could be he's just lying in an uncomfortable position...? I took this shot on the sly... I hope no one minds...? Sssshhh

Ultimate! The word ultimate seems to fit this perfectly… (ha ha)

Now, when it comes to excellent powers of expression, these two can’t be beat. Ms. Yamaguchi from Tokimeki Dance Company Shikoku (TDCS) and Sarah Charalambides from the Netherlands.

Ms. Yamaguchi does the Tokimeki Dance Company Shikoku name proud! She and Sarah make a great dance duo!

It reminded me of a jazz improv session.

And so our fun and pleasant workshop came to an end. My face, body, and heart all felt lighter, and I felt fresh and happy.

The second half of the day’s program was a concert in the judo dojo.

In this mystical setting, we heard Ms. Ueda's sad Funa Benkei (an old Kabuki piece) and Will's avantgarde flute, I was swept away...

Wil’s flute surprised me a bit. He had a sort of humming-while-playing style that is quite unlike the typical textbook classical performance… “So this is another way to do it!” I drank in the free, uninhibited performance.

The grand finale was “Letter from Space” and the workshop participants performed what they learned earlier in the day along with the live music. Of course I joined in as well. Eeps!

I was performing so I wasn’t able to take any pictures, but you can see a photo in this article on the Tokushima Shimbun website. (Our teacher Mr. Liem is on the left, and that guy curled up like a doodlebug behind him is me… ha ha)

Wil Offermans said, “I'm so glad we were able to bring the BSX Caravan to Kamiyama, and use part of an installation by one of our fellow countrymen during our performance.”

This kind of event has become more and more common here in Kamiyama. What a wonderful town, don’t you think!

Mr. Wada, the general manager of Kamiyama Onsen was the one who coordinated this visit of BSX Caravan to Kamiyama. To him, and to the Green Valley members who helped out in so many ways, thank you, thank you!!

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Shinya Ominami

Director of NPO Green Valley Inc. Working daily to create a Global Kamiyama.

Articles by Shinya Ominami

Comments

  • So nice to see Sato-san enjoying himself. I miss you all very much! Ando-rea

    12/04/2008 3:04 AM | Andea Dezsö

  • Ando-rea, I will let him know about your comment. Are you in New York now?.....Shinya

    12/04/2008 9:14 PM | 大南 信也

  • Hi, And-rea-san! How are you doing? I’m doing great and a workshop was fun! Is it cold in NY?……Sato-san 

    12/04/2008 2:40 PM | サトーさん

  • haha, thank you Shinya for your amusing article!! Wishing you all the best from The Netherlands, Brian Tjon Tjauw Liem

    12/04/2008 11:19 PM | Brian Tjon Tjauw Liem

  • Good to hear from you, Brian! If you have a chance to visit Japan again, feel free to come and see us in Kamiyama. From Shinya

    12/04/2008 10:01 AM | 大南 信也

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