フィリピン・ダバオ市で毎年開催される、フィリピン日系人会ファミリーの祭典「フィリピンジャパンフェスティバル（日比祭）」が、今年も第23回を迎えました。
この祭典では恒例行事として、ミンダナオ国際大学（MKD）の学生10名と共に、日本舞踊を披露させていただきました。
今年のスケジュールは、10月5日（日）にダバオ入りし、6日・7日に集中稽古を実施。10日のキックオフイベントにて本番を迎えました。
演目は、日本の舞妓さんが踊る唄として広く知られる名曲「祇園小唄」です。
特筆すべきは、彼女たちの熱心さと礼儀正しさです。全員が自力で浴衣を着付けられることはもちろん、稽古開始前と終了時には必ず正座で丁寧にご挨拶をするという伝統が、しっかりと受け継がれています。この真摯な姿勢には、いつも感銘を受けます。
また、稽古においても、経験のある学生が経験の浅い学生に教えたり、学生同士で意見を交換したりと、自発的に最高の舞台を作り上げようとする意欲を示してくれました。その頼もしい成長ぶりを心から誇りに思います。
The annual Philippines-Japan Festival , a cherished celebration organized by the Filipino-Japanese Descendants Family in Davao City, Philippines, celebrated its 23rd anniversary this year.
As a long-standing tradition of the festival, we had the honor of presenting a performance of Japanese Classical Dance (Nihon Buyo), featuring ten talented students from the Mindanao Kokusai Daigaku (MKD / Mindanao International College).
Our schedule for this year began with our arrival in Davao on Sunday, October 5th, followed by intensive rehearsals on the 6th and 7th. The main performance took place during the Kick-off event on the 10th.
Our chosen piece was the renowned masterpiece, “Gion Kouta,” a song widely recognized in Japan as a classic dance performed by Kyoto’s Maiko (apprentice geisha).
What truly sets these students apart is their genuine dedication and exemplary discipline. Not only are all the students skilled enough to put on their own yukata (casual kimono) independently, but they also diligently uphold the tradition of formally bowing while seated (seiza) at the beginning and end of every practice session. This sincere commitment to etiquette is consistently inspiring.
Furthermore, during rehearsals, the students demonstrated remarkable initiative. Those with more experience took the lead in teaching their less-experienced peers, and they proactively consulted with each other to perfect their performance. I am incredibly proud of their spirit of self-reliance and their collective ambition to create the finest possible show.
I’m always looking for passionate students eager to explore the beauty of Nihon Buyo!
