June Watanabe's Translation/Transformatin of Japanese Nō in Contemporary Practice

Authors

Judy Halebsky, University of California, DavisFollow

Document Type

Article

Source

Asian Theatre Journal

ISSN

0742-5457

Volume

24

Issue

2

First Page

518

Last Page

530

Publication Date

Fall 2007

Department

Literature and Languages

Abstract

This paper considers a 2004 performance of Nö Project II ‘Can’t’ is ‘Night,’ a collaboration of Japanese American dancer June Watanabe, Japanese nö master and Intangible Cultural Treasure of Japan Uchida Anshin, composer Pauline Oliveros, and poet Leslie Scalapino. The project, spearheaded by Watanabe, translated nö for a contemporary San Francisco audience, imbuing it with social and political meaning for California viewers. Watanabe translated nö’s internal concentration into a collaborative process she calls “being in the moment.” The performance became a way for collaborators and audience to examine values in art making and sociopolitical practice.

Rights

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