I’ll be sitting in with the Minidoka Swing Band for a meaningful show at Portland State University on February 19. The band will be performing as part of a Day of Remembrance, sponsored by the JACL, on the 70th anniversary of the signing of Executive Order 9066.
Sunday, 2/19, 2-4pm
Portland State University
Hoffman Hall
Free admission
Traci and I have been able to participate in several performances with the Lee’s Association in February.
Lan Su Chinese Garden, 2012 Chinese New Year Celebration
NW 3rd Avenue and Everett Street
Saturday, 2/4: 12, 1, 2, 4, and 7pm
Sunday, 2/5 12, 1, 2, 4, and 7pm
Monday, 2/6: 7:25pm
Established in 1996, Mochitsuki is Portland’s annual Japanese New Year celebration. The mission is to celebrate, share, and educate the broader community about the dynamic Nikkei New Years traditions while strengthening bonds between our Nikkei groups.
Numerous performers will be participating, including the Tachibana Dance Group and Utsuki-kai. I’ll be dancing Haru Kaze Soran with Tachibana and drumming with Utsuki-kai.
Saturday January 29, 11am-4pm
Scottish Rite Center
1512 SW Morrison Street
Admission: $4-$10
PSU-TV covered the event. Watch the news segment here.
The Portland Lee’s Association Dragon and Lion Dance Team has been busy with numerous performances for the New Year. I was able to participate in a few so far:
Uwajimaya’s “Year of the Dragon”
Video: Lion Dance
Saturday 1/21, 3pm
Beaverton, OR
HK Cafe “Families with Children from China” Event
Saturday 1/21, 4:30pm
4410 SE 82nd Avenue
Portland, OR
Out and About with Drew Carney
Monday, 1/23, 6-7am
Video: Live from Lan Su Chinese Garden
Portland, OR
Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association Chinese New Year Banquet
Monday, 1/30, 6pm
Wong’s King Restaurant
8733 SE Division Street
Portland, OR
The PSU Taiko Ensemble performed at Lincoln Hall on Monday, December 5 at 4:30pm, presenting Matsuri Daiko, Renshuu, and Isami Goma. The ensemble repeated this performance at the “Teach East Asia Youth Forum” hosted by the World Affairs Council of Oregon and the PSU Institute for Asian Studies on December 9 at 12:45pm.
The Tachibana Dancers will be performing for a fundraising dinner at the Portland Art Museum on Friday 11/4 at 7pm. Unfortunately this is a private event, but it should be fun. I’ll be dancing Byakkotai with Kimi and performing taiko with Traci as an interlude before the final dance number. We’re planning on two-person versions of Yatai from the Edo Bayashi repertoire as well as a short Matsuri Daiko.
The Lee’s Association Dragon and Lion Dance Team will be performing for the World Animal Festival on the Amphitheater Stage at the Oregon Zoo. Traci and I will be performing on Saturday, 9/24 at 11am, but the team will also be performing on Sunday at 10:30am. Both days have a morning and afternoon program including such performers as Northstar Dancers, Boka Marimba, Hanz Araki, Los Rumberos del Caribe, Baba Wague, Natya Leela, Wild Rose Garland Dancers, Prashant Kakad, Portland Taiko, and Obo Addy! Come check it out!
