Traditional Okinawan dance developed more than 300 years ago in the royal court. There are three main genres, "kumidori" (operatic), "Ryukyu Buyo" (traditional), and semi-traditional dance. Thirty years ago, at age 24; Noriyoshi Arakaki began studying this ancient art form. He was encouraged by his father, a dancer, singer, and actor in a community center in Okinawa. The young Noriyoshi studied kumidori with Grand Master Noho Miyagi, a National Human Treasure in Japan who teaches at the University of Arts in Okinawa. After Noriyoshi had excelled and passed the three required tests in Okinawan dance, Grand Master Miyagi asked him to leave Okinawa to teach in the Miyagi Ryu Ohtori no Kai USA. Noriyoshi has been teaching in the Miyagi School in the Bay area since 1989.
One of his most promising students is his daughter, Yuka. Yuka has studied with her father and performed with him in events in the Okinawan community as well as for non-Okinawans for thirteen years. She has passed her first test. With the California Folk & Traditional Arts Apprenticeship Noriyoshi will prepare Yuka for the "yushyu-sho" (2nd level) by teaching her specific dance techniques and giving her advanced training in emotional expression.
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