PROFILE
Japanese Traditional Dance Troupe
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KIKUNOKAI
Japanese Traditional Dance Troupe
The dance troupe Kikunokai was founded by Michiyo Hata in 1972. While upholding the fundamental principles of classical Japanese dance, we have worked to foster growing artists while striving to always create dance pieces that befit the times.
Ms. Hata trained for many years under Onoe Kikunojo I, headmaster of the Onoe School of Dance founded by the great modern Kabuki actor Onoe Kikugoro VI. She made her debut as a butterfly in the New Year Lion Dance.
Michiyo Hata was granted permission to carry on the name "Onoe" by changing her name to Onoe Kikunori in 1955. Since then, she has energetically choreographed dances and taught young people, working to assist the headmaster of the OnoeSchool. She held a recital at the Takarazuka Girls' Revue Theater in 1963.
In 1988, Hata choreographed the dance scenes for the Academy Award-winning movie Yume (or Dreams), directed by Japanfs masterful Akira Kurosawa. As the representative of a troupe creating a wide variety of original dance performances as well as training young dancers, Hata won the 22nd Outstanding Performance Award of POLA in 2002. She was recognized with numerous other prizes and awards over the course of her lifetime. Hata passed away in August 2010.
Kikunokai was particularly honored to receive a Prize for Excellence at the Cultural Festival sponsored by the Agency for Cultural Affairs in 1976. Since then, Kikunokai has been acting as a cultural envoy, traveling and performing not only all over Japan but also throughout Europe, America, Asia, the Middle East, and Australia. We received an official commendation from the Minister of Foreign Affairs in 1986 for our activities across the globe. In 1993, Ms. Hata and Kikunokai were granted an award by the Matsuo Arts Foundation. Moreover, troupe members annually participated in the Japanese Dance Competition sponsored by the Tokyo Shimbun newspaper from 1997 to 2007, with 35 prizewinning members in total.
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