I went to Rimi Natsukawa’s concert held in Heartpia Harue, Sakai City, Fukui Prefecture.
It was my fourth time to see her concert.
But actually, it was my first time in doors as I only had seen her in open air festivals until now. The theme of the tour is ‘find songs’, which means Ms. Natsukawa composes her concert with songs she really wants to sing now.
The concert started with the song “Bashofu”, which is one of famous Okinawan songs.
I like the song very much, too. She sang her big hit “Nadasoso”, and other good songs
including folk songs of Ishigaki Island, where she was born and raised, and ones in Mandarin and in English. She said that occasionally her concert has been held in Taiwan as well these days. She sings any songs perfectly. I don’t think that there are many singers as well as her.
Also, she talked that she had sung since she was very young even at mealtimes, so her
family was angry “Are you singing or are you eating? Choose one.” and she went all the way to the main land of Okinawa to enter singing contests because she was not satisfied with ones in Ishigaki Island.
She is open-minded, her pleasant talk with Okinawan dialect and dance time were fun.
Until the last song, her transparent high voice echoed around, and it cleared my mind.
Of course, she sang this song!
BEGIN, who wrote the song, is also from Ishigaki Island and the song is about the island.
The video was taken in Musikfest Nara in 2016. She sang with Yukito Ara, who is also from Ishigaki Island. （H.S）
Last Saturday I went to a live "Tango x Tap" held at "Music Space Schu House" near Fukui Station.
Natsumi Sugihara who is a flute player and born in Sabae City, Hitoshi on Bandoneon, and Tassei a tap dancer played various music from around the world, and I was so impressed that only 3 people can make this rich music.
I realized tha Tap dancing is a perfect percussion instrument.
Particularly, I was surprised at Chick Korea's "Spain" which was played in the last. I want them to play in Fukui again.
By the way, I remembered the manager who was there. She was actually Mariko Shinagawa who accompanied as the pianist in several violin conserts of Naomi Okubo I have seen.
TS
At the beginning of January this year, I went to see a play “the mermaid’s red candles” written by Mimei Ogawa performed by Mayumi Kagita and Hiroki Sato’s ARTE Y SOLERA dance company and a flamenco dance show performed by them at Sabae City Cultural Center.
After the play, their flamenco show was started.
The dancers danced powerfully with the music which was passionate with a little bit of bitter sweetness.
Source: The photographs of previous performance of Arte Y Solera from Arte Y Solera’s official website ( “Ai koso subete ” in Japanese title, “iAMOR, AMOR, AMOR in Spanish title” performed at Setagaya Public Theatre on September 3rd and 4th in 2011)
Source: The photographs of previous performance of Arte Y Solera from Arte Y Solera’s official website ( “Arte Y Solera Kanki”, TEATRO VILLAMARTA・TEATRO JUAN BERNABE DE LEBRIJA performed on November 6th and 12th, 2005 in Spain)
Hiroki Sato explained about the history of Flamenco. It started about 200 years ago in Andalucía in Spain by Gypsies (Roma). Andalucía used to be a wasteland and the residents, especially Gypsies lived in poverty. Gypsies were the nomadic people who came from India to the west.
Source: The photographs of previous performance of Arte Y Solera from Arte Y Solera’s official website ( “Chikai” performed on August 2nd and 3rd at Le Theatre Ginza)
The Gypsies expressed their anger, sorrow and pain by singing and dancing, and this was the beginning of Flamenco. They released their negative feelings with Flamenco so that they could keep on moving on. Therefore, Flamenco is not a happy thing like a festival. It has bitter sweetness with strength to live. It is like the cry from the deep inside them.
The dancers I saw that day on the stage performed using their whole bodies strongly. They were expressing their strength, anger, sorrow and everything in between from the deep inside them. In the audience, there was a group of Spanish speaking people. They shouted something in Spanish which probably meant great! or something to praise them for the great performance because the dancers on the stage shouted back to them, “gracias! “.
Overall, everyone including the audience, dancers, singers and musicians had such great time. At the end of the show, the audience kept clapping their hands for an encore and it would not stop. Because everyone was so excited that the show could not be finished and time for the encore was extended. In the encore, the musicians who stayed behind the dancers during the show started coming out and dancing on the stage.
This is not the video from the show I went to see but I would like to introduce how great the dance group, "Arte Y Solera" is. So I would like to share a video of "ARTEY SOLERA".
Please enjoy not only the beauty of Flamenco but also the strength that the dancers and musicians express.
After the founders of ARTE Y SOLERA Dance Company, Hiroki Sato introduced the story “the mermaid’s red candles” written by Mimei Ogawa, (I’m not telling you the story because I don’t want to spoil it. The story is very interesting so I’m sure you will enjoy it.) the play was started.
As soon as the play was started, Mayumi Kgaita, the founder of ARTE Y SOLERA Dance Company appeared on the stage. The way she moved and used her timing were so amazing that I could not take my eyes off from her.
On the stage, she looked powerful, cute, beautiful and stunning. Every time she was on the stage, she created the atmosphere which kept audience attention strongly.
I was mesmerized by her beautiful dancer’s body which was perfectly balanced. When I saw her from behind wearing a wide-open back dress was breathtakingly beautiful.
Source: The photographs of previous performance of Arte Y Solera from Arte Y Solera’s official website ( “Arte Y Solera Kanki”, TEATRO VILLAMARTA・TEATRO JUAN BERNABE DE LEBRIJA performed on November 6th and 12th, 2005 in Spain)
Source: The photographs of previous performance of Arte Y Solera from Arte Y Solera’s official website ( “Arte Y Solera Kanki”, TEATRO VILLAMARTA・TEATRO JUAN BERNABE DE LEBRIJA performed on November 6th and 12th, 2005 in Spain)
*During their performance, photographs were prohibited so the photographs above are taken at their different performance.
Mrs. Kagita started dancing modern dance when she was 6 years old and she started dancing Flamenco when she was in the dance course of Japan Women’s College of Physical Education. She even went to Spain and danced Flamenco. As you can see, she’s been dancing for a long time.
During the play, “the mermaid’s red candles”, the dancers did not speak, sing or say anything. They expressed the joy, sorrow, sadness, loneliness and pain with their whole body without words. Everyone was amazing but especially I personally liked Mrs. Kagita’s move. The way she danced was very powerful but smooth that she used the femininity fully.
Source: The photographs of previous performance of Arte Y Solera from Arte Y Solera’s official website (“The tour of FLAMENCO Sonezaki-Shinju in 2008”, performed at Yokosuka Arts Theatre on November 15th, 2008 )
In January this year, I saw a play “the mermaid’s red candles” written by Mimei Ogawa performed by Mayumi Kagita and Hiroki Sato’s ARTE Y SOLERA dance company and a flamenco dance show performed by them at Sabae City Cultural Center.
Source: Profile picture of the official twitter of “Arte Y Solera”
The founders of ARTE Y SOLERA Dance Company, Mayumi Kagita and Hiroki Sato have been awarded the Agency for Cultural Affairs Art Festival (Japanese Agency for Cultural Affairs) in 2004, they have been chosen ones of 100 Japanese People the World Respects (Newsweek Article) in 2006, and they have also been highly praised by many dance and theatre related companies and organizations all over the world, especially in Japan and Spain. They usually perform in Japan and Spain.
It was my first time to see Flamenco dance show live, so I was so excited. As soon as I arrived at the venue, I saw many people waiting in a long line. The long line was snaking its way to the outside of the venue.
Finally, the door was opened and everyone rushed into the theatre to get the seats. Luckily, I got to sit in the second row with my friends.
Before the play was started, the dancer Hiroki Sato introduced the story “the mermaid’s red candles”. As soon as Mr. Sato appeared on the stage, a hush fell over the audience. And everyone became completely absorbed in watching him.
Mr. Sato is a tall and handsome man with the “dancer’s body” which is long, lean and strong that must have been built by many years of hard training. His posture is straight so he stood straight and it was beautiful. Although he seems a quiet person but there is something powerful about him that attracts attention. I also noticed that he has both a beautiful external appearance and inner beauty. Not only how he looks but also the way he walks, dances and talks to the audience with caring, humor and great smile were beautiful.
Source: The photographs of previous performance of Arte Y Solera from Arte Y Solera’s official website ( “Chikai” performed on August 2nd and 3rd at Le Theatre Ginza)
Of course, his dance is amazing as well! He expresses the story of the play and/or music with every part of his body so the audience we could tell what was happening even if there was no music and/or sound.
If you have a chance, please go see his dance in live. I’m sure that you’d have a great time!
I would like to share a video of “ARTEYSOLERA”, “ARETE Y SOLERA densnudo vol.12”.
Stay tuned for "Amazing Flamenco Dancers / ARTE Y SOLERA Dance Company /Part 3/ Founders, Mayumi Kagita and Hiroki Sato"
T.F
Official Website of ARTE Y SORERA Compania de Mayumi Kagita y Hiroki Sato
