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Saipan Awaodori Team returns to Japan
Saipan Awaodori Team’s Marcela Heben, Jeafanie Tibong, and Leon Wabol are shown dancing at a street performance in Shirogane. (CONTRIBUTED PHOTO)
The Saipan Awaodori Team made a long-awaited return to Japan when six members, accompanied by the traditional Japanese musical and dance troupe founder Misaka Kamata, left Saipan for Japan last July 11.
Joining Kamata on this trip were Jeafanie Tibong, Marcela Heben, Coddie Forbes, Cassidy Wabol, Eljon Tibong, and Leon Wabol.
The six musicians and dancers joined up with the Tokyo Tensuiren group for Awaodori performances in different places in Japan and are expected to stay in the country until Aug. 30.
This marks the Saipan Awaodori Team’s first trip to Japan since the COVID-19 pandemic as their last time to join their parent group for performances in the East Asian country was in 2019.
The Saipan Awaodori Team poses with Tokyo Tensuiren group in Shirogane, Japan. (CONTRIBUTED PHOTO)
So far, the Saipan Awaodori Team has participated in the Shirogane Awaodori Festival last July 16 and at the Ujie Awaodori Festival last July 23.
Kamata said the members of the Saipan Awaodori Team have so far impressed everyone with their performances in Japan and are meshing well and developing lifelong bonds with their brother-and-sister dancers and musicians from the larger Tokyo Tensuiren group.
“Our Saipan kids, in spite of different traditions and culture, dance performances and drum beating, are very impressive [and garnered from] the Japanese audience and foreigners the most attention. They take much pride in this traditional dancing [and] feeling the energy of the place,” she said.
The group’s next performances with the Tokyo Tensuiren will be on July 29 at Kitamachi Awaodori Festival. That will be followed by the Higashi Rinkan Summer Wow Festival on Aug. 5 and 6.
The Saipan Awaodori Team will cap their performances in Japan with the Tokyo Tensuiren when they take part in the three-day Koenji Awaodori Festival—one of the biggest dance festivals in Tokyo—on Aug. 25, 26, and 27.
Kamata also took the opportunity to thank the office of Delegate Gregorio Kilili C. Sablan (D-MP) for extending financial support for their seven-week trip to Japan.
