Aharen Honryu Keisen Wanokai - Dance (Okinawa, Japan)

Culturally rich Okinawa has been a prefecture of Japan since only about the time of the US Civil War. For hundreds of years, Okinawa was an independent kingdom, with its own distinct language and culture. We welcome to the Asian Festival the Grand Masters of the Aharen Honryu tradition of Okinawan court dances, along with some of their highest level students. Three of the four current Grand Masters will travel from Japan to partner on our stages with the fourth, local artist Grand Master Kazuko ?Chibana? Volkmar, to present the classical dances that were performed for the king during the days of the Ryukyu kingdom.