Yosakoi is often described as a traditional Japanese dance, but in a nation where there are nearly a dozen companies that have been performing for more than a thousand years it’s actually surprisingly modern. Born in the southern prefecture of Kochi in the mid-1950s, yosakoi (which means whirlpool or circle) quickly spread around the country and is now performed at festivals and events across Japan. Blending traditional choreography with modern and folk music, the dance is usually performed by large multi-generational teams of colorfully costumed men and women who accompany their swirling choreography with wooden clackers called naruko. With some 40 members between the ages of seven and 64, Uzumaru is a yosakoi team from San Jose’s Japantown launched by Ikumi Sekiguchi in 2017 shortly after she moved to the South Bay from Japan.

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