Usagi Usagi

Usagi Usagi

Usagi Usagi 

Nani Mite Haneru

Jugoya Otsuki-san

Mite Haneru

Rabbit Rabbit

What are you looking at when you jump?

On the night of 15th (lunar calendar) with the Full Moon

that is what I am looking at

Usagi Odori

In Summer 2014, my friend Mika Yamazaki and I created this dance for Usagi Daiko. In this video, I was dancing in mirror image, so you can easily dance along as if you are looking at the mirror.

Usagi Daiko

composed by Chizuko Endo

Section 1: Hop Hop Hop

Don Don Don  (teke te Ten te teke teke)

Don Don Don (teke te Ten te Ten)

Don Don Don  (teke te Ten te teke teke)

Don Don Don (teke te Ten te Ten)

Section 2: Squiring around looking for carrots 

(teke teke) Doko Doko

(teke teke) Doko Doko

(teke teke) Doko Doko

Don Don Don 

(teke teke) Doko Doko

(teke teke) Doko Doko

(teke teke) Doko Doko 

Don Don Don

 

  Section 3: Dance

Don  Don  (teke Ten)

DoDON (te Ten Teke)

Don  Don  (teke Ten)

DoDON (te Ten Teke)

Don  Don  (teke Ten)

DoDON (te Ten Teke)

Don  Don  (teke Ten)

DoDON DO DON

Here is a video of Taiko Tots (Tuesday) preparing for their performance in Bonenkai 2014

Usagi Daiko (beta/upright)

 

Here is a video of Family Taiko (Monday) preparing for Bonenkai 2014

Usagi Daiko (naname/slant)

Video of the Family Taiko (Honolulu) dancing Usagi Bon Odori

Story Behind the Song

In May 2014, I had the opportunity to work with Yoko Fujimoto from KODO and Hanayui (Sado Island, Japan). During the Pau Hana, we had a wonderful conversation about pedagogy for taiko drumming and dance. She taught me this beautiful song, "Usagi Usagi." I also shared with her the Usagi Daiko piece composed by Chizuko. The two songs work perfectly together, so then I decided to teach these two songs together for my Taiko Tots class.

 

We also had an opportunity to take a "taiko, song, and dance" workshop with Yoko Fujimoto, Chieko Kojima, Mitsue Kinjo, and Kodo’s premier odaiko player Yoshikazu Fujimoto. The workshop had inspired me to create similar pieces to bring drumming, dancing, and sing together for my Taiko Tots class. Usagi Daiko with the song and Odori was the first attempt in doing so.

Hanayui in Concert, May 2014