Nameshida Onikenbai Demon Sword Dance

Nameshida Onikenbai: Demon Sword Dance

The Sheen Center for Thought & Culture
18 Bleecker St, New York, NY 10012
September 20, 2024
7:30 PM
90 Minutes

Experience a Thousand Year Old Japanese Folk Tradition!

The Japanese Folk Dance Institute of NY (JFDINY) is thrilled to introduce Nameshida Onikenbai: Demon Sword Dance, performed by Iwate, Japan’s Nameshida Onikenbai, one of only two Onikenbai traditions recognized as a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage.

This thousand year old folk tradition features Oni (Demon) masked dancers acrobatically striding and leaping with swords and fans. The ensemble will showcase their full repertoire, including the exclusive “Sanninkago” performance. This exclusive occasion marks Nameshida Onikenbai’s first and only appearance in the U.S.

The night will culminate with additional folk traditions from around Japan, presented by Minbuza of JFDINY.

Tickets:

* $27 for adults (Plus $3 Sheen Center Facility Fee)
* $17 for students, children, and seniors (Plus $3 Sheen Center Facility Fee)

Purchase Tickets Here!

Supported by: The JCC Fund, JEC Fund, the Mitsui Sumitomo Cultural Foundation, and NYC Department of Cultural Affairs in Partnership with the City Council

Nameshida Onikenbai

Nameshida Onikenbai was founded in 1901 to preserve the Nameshida tradition of Onikenbai.

Onikenbai are a set of ancient folk dances which are a part of Iwate’s “Nenbutsu Kenbai” tradition. These dances can be traced back to the 9th century when En no Gyoja, founder of Shugendo, created a style of Buddhist dancing to spread the Nenbutsu and pray for the salvation of souls. These dances were further refined by “Yamabushi” (mountain monks) on Yamagata’s Mt. Haguro and eventually evolved into Iwate’s Nenbutsu Kenbai traditions. The Onikenbai tradition is indigenous to the Kitakami City region.

Onikenbai performances feature dancers in Oni (demon) masks, dynamically and acrobatically dancing with a sword and a fan. These Oni masks represent different aspects of Fudo Myoo, one of the most important deities in Japanese Buddhism. Nameshida Onikenbai preserve these traditions, performing annually in Kitakami’s “Michinoku Geinou Matsuri”, the region’s largest folk dance festival. Nameshida Onikenbai is one of only two Onikenbai traditions designated UNESCO World Cultural Heritage status.

The Japanese Folk Dance Institute of New York

The Japanese Folk Dance Institute of New York (JFDINY) was founded by Momo Suzuki in 1992 to perform, teach and preserve the living folk cultural traditions of Japan. JFDINY collects the highly diverse and largely unwritten traditions that express the Japanese identity and spirit, while sharing, engaging, and educating the public about Japanese culture/history, especially in NYC.

Some of JFDINY’s proudest achievements include performing at the Epcot Pavilion at Disney World Florida, the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, annually at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden’s Cherry Blossom Festival, as well as an appearance in Madonna’s music video “Nothing Really Matters”. “. In 2023, we were thrilled to present The Festival Of Japan: Drums + Dance, a collaborative performance between Minbuza, world-renowned traditional drummers Sukeroku Taiko (Japan), celebrating our 30th Anniversary.

Recent cultural advising/choreography work includes Atlanta Opera and Dallas Opera’s productions of Madame Butterfly (2022), as well as a residency in choreography at Boston University for Ronald Richardson’s play “Kamioroshi” (2019). Recent national media appearances include NBC’s Today Show (2021) and dance film “Dancing Joy” (2020).