Yosakoi combines traditional movements with modern music , creating a vibrant and energetic performance style.

Training and experience

Established on December 14, 2012, Mirai Yosakoi is a place where students who love Japanese culture meet, practice, and spread this distinctive art form to the community. According to Ms. Hoang Thi Lan Nhi, a teacher in the Department of Japanese Language and Culture, the club was initially guided by a volunteer Japanese teacher who helped them learn about the yosakoi dance.

Yosakoi is a famous Japanese dance that originated in Kochi Prefecture in the 1950s. This dance combines traditional movements with modern music, creating a vibrant and energetic performance style. One of the most distinctive features of Yosakoi is the Naruko, a wooden hand-held prop that makes a pleasant clicking sound when shaken to the rhythm of the music. The powerful dance steps, synchronized formations, and the sound of the Naruko create the unique character of Yosakoi.

In its early days, Mirai Yosakoi primarily performed at internal events within the University of Foreign Languages, serving as a platform for students who loved Japanese culture. Later, Mirai began to receive invitations to participate in many external events, ranging from cultural exchange programs and Japanese festivals to community activities.

Currently, the Mirai Yosakoi Club has nearly 20 members, led by Duong Hoang Ha Nhi, a final-year student majoring in Japanese Language and Culture. Nhi explains that a typical yosakoi dance usually lasts more than 5 minutes. When performing, Mirai typically has 7 to 12 members, depending on the stage size, with movements and formations arranged uniformly to create a beautiful visual effect. Whenever they want to learn a new dance, the club must contact and request permission to use the music and choreography from Japanese yosakoi teams. While some yosakoi teams in Vietnam compose their own music, this is still quite difficult for a student club like Mirai. For each new dance, members usually practice continuously for about a month, almost every day. “It’s a whole process of practicing each movement, each formation, and even the characteristic yosakoi chants,” Ha Nhi explains.

Costumes are also an important part of the performances, with happi or haori jackets paired with hakama pants, obi belts, and accessories such as fans or umbrellas. However, being still a student, Mirai doesn't have much money to invest in costumes. "Luckily, the professors in my department are very fond of Mirai, so they have supported the club a lot," Nhi confided.

It's not just a dance club.

Phan Lac An Nhien, a former member, recounts that she initially joined the club simply because a friend introduced her to it. “At first, I didn’t even know what Yosakoi was. Practice was quite tiring, and sometimes I felt discouraged, but every time I performed, it was so much fun. At the club, I made many new friends, and even had the opportunity to meet Japanese people at events,” Nhien shared. Even after graduating, she continues to return to the club to support new members.

As a student, balancing academics and club activities isn't always easy. Ha Nhi recounts that last December was particularly busy as she had to complete her thesis while also preparing with the club for three events, each featuring a different dance performance. "Some practice sessions lasted three or four hours. It was tiring but very enjoyable because everything turned out well in the end," Nhi said.

For Mirai members, yosakoi is not just a dance, but also a way to gain a deeper understanding of Japanese culture. According to Ms. Hoang Thi Lan Nhi, participating in the club helps students clearly feel the spirit of teamwork, the interplay between tradition and modernity, and discipline – values ​​characteristic of Japanese culture. For Ha Nhi, the years spent with Mirai are also the most memorable time of her youth, as "every memory with Mirai is a happy one."

From those passions and memories, the rhythm of yosakoi continues through generations of foreign language students. Mirai's dance steps are not only a joy for young people but also a way for Japanese culture to spread closer to the community.

Text and photos: PHAM PHUOC CHAU

Source: https://huengaynay.vn/van-hoa-nghe-thuat/mirai-yosakoi-van-hoa-nhat-cat-nhip-163946.html