我孫子市国際交流協会

Date: Tuesday, July 14, 2009 10:40 a.m. to 12:00 noon
Place: Abiko Civic Plaza/Grand Hall
Instructor: Ms. Ichiju Sakae and 4 Ichiju-no-Kai members
Participant: Approx. 50 (including 10 children)

The Tuesday class of the AIRA Japanese language course for foreigners since last May has ended on July 14 its first semester. Celebrating its successful ending, volunteer teachers planned an extra program of holding a familialization get-together of 10 subclasses students and teachers.
Mr.Takashi Konishi, in charge of the class's study section hosted the meeting.
First of all, members of each group performed in turn from group one whatever they planned to do.
A newly joined student from India introduced herself saying that for the first time she ate a kaki in Japan and found it is rare and most delicious since it is few to be seen in her country. A couple sang in a duet a tune of the late Michael Jackson. Some other students introduced their hobbies, folkcrafts, or home cooking of their mother countries, and many others. Big clappings rose among all attendants to a volunteer teacher's fantastic hula dancing to a light Hawaiian music.
Generally, not a few students attend the class with their children.
An introduction was made to the child-care volunteers who pay attention to students' children along the on-going regular classes.
When all groups' introduction and performances went through, a rehearsal of Kappa Ondo dancing was performed. The dance leader Ms. Sakae pointed the essence of the dance, saying, "A kappa (a fictitious creature living in water) can only live with some water in the vessel atop his head. So you must swing the arm toward the head as if filling water in it with your palm. The movement of watering is the choreography of Kappa Ondo Dancing."
"It's very easy, isn't it ? " Then, everyone started practice.
Everyone danced in a large ring following the example of Ichiju-no-kai members. Although Kappa Ondo odori looked quite new to the most people, some time later, gradually dancing line became better and more smoothly, harmonizing to the music.
After the rehearsal, the chief instructress cheered the attendants to come and join the Kappa Matsuri of August 29, Saturday, showing today's result to the all spectators on the street.
At the end of the party, all people lined up for a collective picture. Today's pleasant gathering has ended with a big success.

< Prev		Next >