The Tachibana Dance Group will be teaching all the bon-odori in preparation for the New York Buddhist Church Obon Festival in Bryant Park, Sunday July 8. Come join us from 6:30 to 8pm on the following days: Tuesday June 26, Thursday June 28, Tuesday July 3, and Thursday July 5.
331 Riverside Drive between 105/106th streets
Come join us for three full sets at Forbidden City, 212 Avenue A between 13th and 14th streets. We’ve got some new tunes for Rodrigo and Brian, and keep your ears open for our tribute to “Gene, the dancing machine” and those two Korean karaoke girls. Be sure to pick up your official, limited-edition, fresh-off-the-presses HAPPYFUNSMILE t-shirt.
The annual Tachibana Dance Recital will be held at the New York Buddhist Church this coming Sunday at 2:00pm. I will be dancing Byakkotai, based on the actions of the White Tiger Brigade, a group of young samurai in the service of the Aizu daimyo.
Here’s our group photo after the recital:
It’s been a really nice summer so far. Traci and I went to San Francisco over Memorial Day weekend and visited with Yasmin, Goksel, Kevin, her sister Jenna, and her uncle.
Unfortunately we didn’t get a chance to try her uncle’s sushi place, but we did go here.
Back in New York by Monday morning. This past weekend I attended my friend Amy’s wedding. She’s been a dear friend since I first arrived in NYC in 1998, and her husband Andrew, is an amazing guy. I managed to catch up with Emily, Luki, Monica, Suze, and Melissa at the wedding. Then, a return to Yokocho (Japanese izakaya) with Winnie, Linda, Donna, Nam, Melissa, and Traci.
I’m trying to schedule a rehearsal and performance for HAPPYFUNSMILE, but things are getting complicated with summer vacations. KIOKU has a performance at the Noguchi Museum this Sunday and we’re working with Quiet Design Records for our first CD. On the horizon, I’ll be dancing Byakkotai for the Tachibana Dance Recital on Sunday June 17. And after that, I’ll be an audience member attending various plays at the first National Asian American Theater Festival and seeing the Jarrett Trio on June 21.
This week we lost a wonderful drummer and human being, Takeaki Toriyama. In gassho, Namu Amida Butsu.
This event starts at 7:45am with a mini-marathon and we’re supposed to provide a shishimai and music. That means I’ll be in Central Park by 6:30am, which means I’m not going to be happy. Hopefully I’ll be awake by 10:30am, when SOH DAIKO takes the stage for a short performance. Stick around for the legendary Leonard Eto at 3:30pm or so.
Hard to see, but that’s me on the big screen. Seikatsu Newspaper.
