Sanaburi (Arauma)
Composer: | Unknown – Traditional |
Arrangement: | Toki Tatara (flute) and Aki Takahashi (taiko) – Choreographed by Keiko Kitano |
Premiere Performance: | December 1, 2007 – Ryerson Theatre |
Because Japan was for many years largely an agrarian society, many of its festivals are intimately tied to the production and harvesting of rice. SANABURI is a festival, which is held after the rice was planted. The people would dance and pray for a good growing season. Such festivals were solemn but boisterous, and firmly rooted in the earth.