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Paper short abstract:

Examining newly created Japanese dance, this paper explores the tendency of their themes and directions and discusses why and how these common characteristics were constructed. It also refers to the nationalistic climate which promotes new traditional performance.

Paper long abstract:

Nihon buyō (Japanese classical dance) is recognized as representative Japanese traditional culture, but in addition to perform classical repertoires which was premiered more than a hundred years ago, several new dance dramas have been written every year and premiered. The Japanese Classical Dance Association which is one and only representative organization for professional dancers hosts several dance performances, including special performance of new productions. Even the number of new works has decreased recently, each year the association works together to create new productions. In this manner, newly created repertoires have been not exceptions but established activities of Japanese classical dance.

Creating new dance seems to be social requirement. Especially, because of hosting Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic games or even Osaka, Kansai expo 2025, nationalistic climate encourages traditional performance including Japanese classical dance to represent Japanese culture. However, it is another issue to define Japanese classical dance. Since being distinguished from other dance forms, it could have its unique techniques of body movements or stage directions. However, nevertheless, restrictive contents seem to be expected for this certain dance. They tend to depict exotic　image of Japan, such as myth, rituals or four seasons. In comparison with other creative dances, the Japanese classical dance is overwhelmingly limited.

This paper examines recent attempts of new works produced by Japanese Classical Dance Association. Most of them are group dances which require tens of dancers. As the number of new productions have come down, the scales of the performances have become bigger. This trend made dancers more difficult to create new work. Even based on western story, characters seem to be people in premodern Japan by the look of their costumes. In this way, this paper analyzes the current situation of the new productions of Japanese classical dance and argue how new trend of tradition or exoticism-like "Japan" has been recreated.