top of page

Obon Dance 2022

Hi all!

Welcome to the Obon Bon odori page.   

This year we will return to in person dancing in the parking lot for both practice and Obon.   Many of us are vaccinated but we will still try to distance and please wear a mask if you wish.   We will not mandate but encourage as we want everyone to feel safe.  

 

Dance practice will be from July 19th to August 4th,  Tuesday and Thursday, from 7 to 9 pm. Obon Bon odori will be August 6th at 7 PM (please bring a mask for the indoor service).     Please note:   all of our joyous plans depend on covid numbers/issues but we are pretty confident that we will be OK.   If it gets really hot, we might need to practice in the basement (with mask) if we can all fit.    Please bring lots of water and a lawn chair.   Parking will be addressed as we get closer.   

 

Because we have been joined by dancers outside of the Portland metro area, practice and Obon will be hybrid --- in person and streamed on a zoom meeting.    At least that is the goal. We will do a bunch of testing and update this page if that is not the case.   We will film at least one practice and Obon bon odori.  

 

Below, please find the dance list for 2022 plus some extra dances that Theresa in LA wanted to learn.    The order of the dances will change and perhaps the number of dances (we are all a bit rusty ) so keep watching this page .   The extra dances will be in a separate dance lesson – probably on zoom.    The numbers on the list are the order from last year and the last three numbers are this years added dances.    Now we can do in person the dances we have done on zoom for the last couple of years.  

 

Following the list of 2022 dances, are videos – how to dance, dancing, and with a pdf (name underlined) with information and links.  

As usual, if you have any questions or want to say hi, you can reach me at obon@oregonbuddhisttemple.com

 

Thank you for dancing with us. 

Chris sensei

2022 Obon Bon Odori List

Start at 7:00 PM

01 Bon Odori Uta                  uchiwa – always our first dance – from Rev. Iwanaga

02 Ichi Tasu Ichi                    old favorite – recorded in Japan 1970 on a 45 vinyl

                                                      record

03 Nippon Daiko                   Japanese, fast! recorded in 1976 – another 45

 

Break

 

04 Akachan Ondo                 kachi kachi, new, from San Diego Temple 

05 Portland Ondo                 OBT song, 2016, American in English

06 Ocha Tsumi Ondo            uchiwa,  71?, Sahomi liked and created a choreography

07 Hiroshima Ondo               Japanese, written 20’s for Hiroshima festival, 30’s Rev.  Iwanaga brought to America

 

Break

 

08 Bon Odori Song               American folk song, 2019, in English, by Cecilia Eng

09 Riverside Ondo                From America in Japanese, 1976, Riverside Park Obon

10 Mottainai                          tenugui, American 2011, by Nobuko Miyamoto, in English,

                                                      Take the old and make it new – big finish

 

Break

 

11 Fukushima Bon Uta         Old folkdance (aka Soma Bon Uta), in remembrance of

                                                         tsunami victims 

12 Pokemon Ondo                Japanese, end of the 90’s, dance for all kids (big or small)

13 Zumpa Ondo                    CLOCKWISE!  an old favorite from 70’s or 80’s

14 Tanko Bushi                     always our last dance – the coal miners dance

                                

bottom of page