Japanese Noh dancers in costume

Feb. 29 CHRIST'S RESURRECTION - THE SUBJECT OF A JAPANESE CLASSICAL DANCE PERFORMED FOR THE FIRST TIME IN HISTORY: Revolutionary departure for Tokyo's 500-year old classical Noh dancers is being performed this year. A 30-minute dance depicting or symbolising Christ's Resurrection, takes place in a setting supposed to represent Dawn before the grave of Jesus'. As in all Noh dances, the dancers wear masks, and the one representing Christ has been specially prepared by the New Christian Noh Committee which intends sending replicas to Queen Elizabeth II, the Pope, and President of the USA. The Noh Dance is difficult for a Westerner to appreciate and is the most classical form of Japanese drama. It is characterised by subtle restraint and yet depicts the emotions. In its simplest essentials it consists of a dance preceded by a dialogue explaining its significance. The dancer is called a shite or doer and subordinate characters who do the explaining are called Waki'. There is a chorus of seven or eight who chant from the side of the stage to the music of a flute, two hand drums and a stick drum. The stage is built to strict rules measuring 18 feet square with curved roof. On the rear wall a pine tree is painted, and the other three sides are open. The chorus sits on the right and the musicians at the rear. A long gallery, 9 feet wide, leads to the changing room. A JAPANESE CONCEPTION OF CHRIST: The shite or dancer of the Noh Dancers performs on the special stage, watched by two waki or assistants, in the role of Mary Magdalene and Mary, the mother of Jesus. The dancer is Kuro Hosho

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30-minute Appreciate Assistants Changing Chant Characterised Chorus Conception Consists Curved Dances Departure Depicts Dialogue Difficult Doer Emotions Essentials Explaining Flute Hosho Intends Leads Magdalene Masks Measuring Performs Preceded Prepared Replicas Represent Representing Restraint Resurrection Rules Sending Shite Significance Simplest Specially Strict Subordinate Subtle Supposed Symbolising Tokyos U.s.a Watched Westerner

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