NS Ryukyu Ballet to perform at Smithsonian and Disney World

NS Ryukyu Ballet Company is scheduled to perform in concerts at the Smithsonian Museum in Washington D.C. on Mar. 24, and Disney World in Florida on Mar. 28, next year. Ballet company officials say, “This will be the first performance in a foreign country for the NS Ryukyu Ballet, and a good opportunity to appeal to audiences all over the world.

The concert at the Smithsonian Museum is a part of the National Cherry Blossom Festival in the U.S. The venue can hold an audience of more than 1,000, and is one of the largest venues in Washington D.C.

The stage at Disney World can hold about 400 people in the audience and is the largest stage in the facility. Shoppers in surrounding malls can also see the stage.

The ballet company sent a video to Disney World for audition in May, and was accepted.

NS Ryukyu Ballet Manager Hidemi Tagashira negotiated and arranged the contract for their performance. Tagashira first saw a NS Ryukyu Ballet show in 2015, and subsequently became its manager. He hopes that the performance in the United States would provide a good opportunity to expose Okinawan performers to foreign audiences, and to promote Okinawan entertainment by young group members.

The NS Ryukyu Ballet Company was established in 2015. They perform creative ballet influenced with Ryukyu dance and based on traditional Ryukyu music and folk songs.

15:06 14 Dec , 2024