Photos by MARIO G. REYES/Rafu Shimpo
Madame Fujima Kansuma poses with members of her dance troupe holding paper lanterns with the names of late dance instructors Sunday on First Street in Little Tokyo.

It was time for the Madame to dance. For the final dance of this year’s Nisei Week ondo, Madame Fujima Kansuma, Nisei Week choreographer, joined the hundreds of dancers on Little Tokyo’s First Street to perform a graceful, emotional tribute to her colleagues—teachers who have passed away, but left a lasting mark on the Japanese American community.

Madame Kansuma performed to “Wa Ni Natte Odoro” as members of her dance group waved stately chochin, paper lanterns bearing the names of six late dance instructors: Madames Nishikawa Kikuharu, Azuma Sumako I, Sanjo Kanya, Fujima Chiseye, Hanayagi Rokumie, and Hanayagi Tokuyae. She had the lanterns made in Japan to pay tribute to the teachers.

“I think we should be thankful to the teachers who performed for 66 years, I don’t think we should forget,” Madame Kansuma affirmed.

Yuki Sato Lee came up afterwards to thank Madame Kansuma. Her mother, Nishikawa Kikuharu taught dance in Little Tokyo for many years before her passing in 1954.

“She was a very good friend of Fujima-sensei,” said Sato Lee. “I’m very touched. It’s so emotional. She was so kind to do this for all of us and for all the teachers who passed away.”

For most of the two-hour street dance, Madame Kansuma encouraged the dancers from her seat in the center of First Street, clapping and smiling at the colorful, at time raucous, display of J-Town community spirit. The ondo is Nisei Week’s final event and the public is encouraged to get into the act and try their hand at the ondo dance moves.

“I like that everybody can participate and everyone’s so helpful,” said Andreia Gray of Los Angeles, who came to Nisei Week with her son. “It’s okay that I don’t look that great when I do it, they just cheer you on anyway. You feel great, you feel like you’ve accomplished something.”

Gray explained that her 15-year-old son was interested in Japanese culture and had gone to watch a samurai film at the Japan America Theatre.

Paula Dejohn of Carson, and her 3-year-old son David, wearing a bright blue happi coat, also joined in the dance.

“This is our fourth year, his third,” she said of her son, intently watching the festivities. “Hopefully he’ll learn the steps eventually.”

Councilmember Jan Perry, a frequent participant in the ondo admitted that she had not practiced this year.

“I have to tell the truth, I did not practice. I was dancing behind Rodney Kageyama at first but he really threw off my rhythm,” she joked, referring to Kageyama, nattily dressed in a straw hat and yukata. “So I had to go with Frances (Hashimoto) again this year, because she’s dependable, she’s focused and she’s trustworthy.”

“I yell a lot: one two three!,” Hashimoto interjected.

“The word for next year is do not dance behind Rodney,” the councilmember advised.

The Nisei Week ondo was a familiar mix of esteemed dance troupes, community groups and the general public.

The first song was “Tanko Bushi” followed by other ondo favorites. For “Ichi Tasu Ichi,” (One Plus One) the Zendeko group performed a playful, spirited dance, quickly outpacing the others dancing in a large circle.

“It’s the same steps, we’re just kind of ... overdoing it,” explained Daisuke Arai. “It’s the same thing, just that we’re a really energetic group and we like to have fun and do as much as we can.”

The 2006 Nisei Week Court had an equally challenging task: perform the many ondo songs in happi coats, tiaras and heels.

“Our heels aren’t too bad, they aren’t too high. We’ve been walking in heels all week,” said Princess Callen Kitaura.

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