Hirae Kinjo Ryubu Dojo
471
Aza Kin
Kin, Okinawa 904-1201
Japan
ph: 098-968-8664
fax: 098-968-8664
From Hirae Kinjo
OKINAWAN DANCE: POETRY IN MOTION
I love to read ryuka, the Okinawan form of poetry. In thirty syllables, written in the language of villagers and royalty of the Ryukyu Kingdom, the poems express a range of emotions – the loneliness of separated lovers; the simple joys of life; the innocent optimism of youth. Ryuka captures the essence of Okinawan culture – sincerity of the heart, kindness and gratitude.
Ryuka forms the basis of many of the classical dances of Okinawa. Even as a child, the use of dance to convey feelings of these poems struck me as magical. Over the years, that young girl’s interest in dance movements has become a dedication to share the beauty of Okinawan dance with people throughout the world.
To express the emotions of ryuka, the dance must come from the heart. Though I deliberately, consciously study and teach traditional Tamagusuku style of classical Okinawa dance, the master of my dance movements is my heart.
Dancing fills me with a sense of accomplishment and wonder. Without knowing a word of their language, I have been able to share exquisite Okinawan poems with people in many parts of the world through dance.
Hirae Kinjo
PROFESSIONAL BIOGRAPHY
1968 Learned first dance “Nuchibana”
1983 Started lessons at Tamagusuku Ryu Shosetsu Kai / Maekawa Michiko Dojo
1988 Received Shinjin-sho (“New Student” Award of Merit) for Ryukyu Classical Dance from Ryukyu Shinpo
1990 Received Shinjin-sho (“New Student” Award of Merit) for Ryukyu Classical Taiko from Okinawa Times
1992 Received Yushu-sho (Award of Excellence) for Ryukyu Classical Taiko from Okinawa Times
1993 Received Yushu-sho (Award of Excellence) for Ryukyu Classical Dance from Ryukyu Shinpo
1996 Received Saiko-sho (Award of Superiority) for Ryukyu Classical Dance from Ryukyu Shinpo
1998 Established Hirae Kinjo Dojo in Kin, Okinawa
2000 Received Kyoshi (Teacher’s License) from Grand Master Setsuko Tamagusuku of the Tamagusuku Ryu Shosetsu Kai
2004 First recital of the Tamagusuku Ryu Shosetsu Michiko no Kai / Hirae Kinjo Dojo, Kennedy Center, Washington DC, USA
2007 Established Tamagusuku Ryu - Hirae Kinjo Ryubu Dojo
2008 First Recital of Hirae Kinjo Ryubu Dojo, Kin, Okinawa, Japan
Recital at Millenium Stage, Kennedy Center, Washington DC, USA
Profile: Hirae Kinjo
Hirae Kinjo was born and raised in Nago City in Okinawa, Japan. From the age of eight, she began learning Ryukyu dance under Michiko Maekawa sensei of the highly acclaimed Tamagusuku Ryu Shosetsu Kai dance school. The first dance she learned was “Nuchibana.”
After graduating from Okinawa Joshi Tanki University with an Associate Degree in Social Psychology, Hirae Kinjo started to study both Ryukyu classical dance and Ryukyu classical taiko. By 1992, she gained recognition from the masters of musical arts for her excellence in Ryukyu classical drum: “New Students” Award of Merit (“Shinjin-sho) and the Award of Excellence (“Yushu-sho”). A few years later, only in her thirteenth year of studying with Maekawa sensei, Hirae Kinjo achieved the highest level of certification by dance masters for Ryukyu classical dance: Award of Superiority (“Saiko-sho”).
As a student of the Tamagusuku Ryu Shosetsu Michiko no Kai and as a solo dancer, Hirae Kinjo has performed at cultural arts festivals in many parts of the world: Japan, USA, France, Australia and Russia. In 2000, she received her license (kyoshi) from Grand Master Setsuko Tamagusuku of the Tamagusuku Ryu Shosetsu Kai to teach classical Ryukyu dance.
With the school (dojo) located in Kin, Okinawa, Kinjo-sensei teaches dance to children as young as five years old. The Hirae Kinjo School performed its first recital in Naha, Okinawa in 2004. The Hirae Kinjo Ryubu Dojo was formally established as an independent academy in 2007. As her goal is to share the beautiful dances of Okinawa with people throughout the world, she has been teaching Okinawan dance in the Washington, DC and Jacksonville, NC area since 2004.
Hirae Kinjo performing "Shishimai"
471
Aza Kin
Kin, Okinawa 904-1201
Japan
ph: 098-968-8664
fax: 098-968-8664
