Jiutamai dancer Yoh Izumo will present her 35th anniversary performance April 19, 7 p.m. at the National Theater. A classical form of Japanese traditional dance, jiutamai is considered a very intimate form of dance emphasizing a woman's innermost emotions, expressed through slow minimalist movements. As such, many consider it the "women's noh" as it is an aesthetically spiritual and refined dance.
In the upcoming program Izumo will perform four dances, each with a unique style within jiutamai. "Edo Miyage (A Souvenir From Edo)" was written and set to music to celebrate the success of well-known dancer Utaemon Nakamura III. "Are Nezumi (Wild Rats)" is a humorous piece in which Izumo incorporates pantomime and jiutamai movements to portray the chaos of the unruly rats. "Zangetsu (The Moon Left in the Morning Sky)" expresses the sorrow of people left behind after the death of a loved one. For "Yuki (Snow)," an elegant classic expressing a woman's complex feelings for her lover represented by gently falling snow, Izumo will incorporate a more contemporary style, combining the music of "November Steps" by Toru Takemitsu and jiutamai movement.