The
Art of Kabuki
Kabuki
is a highly stylized performing art that combines acting, dancing,
and music in an extraordinary spectacle of form, color, and
sound. Mie is one of the most impressive examples of kata or
stylized forms of acting that are the external representation
of a character's feeling. Mie is demonstrated in the climatic
moments in the course of a performance when the actor strikes
an exaggerated, expressive pose, usually timed to the beating
of wooden clappers. These poses require a disciplined use of
the body to heighten the excitement and to display skill of
the actors. One might assume that there is no room for creativity
once art has been stylized and fixed. However, kata is one
of the basics that kabuki actors must learn. The energy for
creativity comes from the actors' attempts to break through
the rigidity of form, kata, without destroying its artistic
essence. In Japanese society where conformity is highly valued,
deviating from the norm requires a tremendous amount of energy.
This energy is often the source of creativity.
The
Preservation of Kabuki
After World
War II, the United States occupying authorities considered kabuki barbaric
and dangerous because of its associations with feudal ideas that were
contrary to the ideas of Western democracy. However, it was during
this period that American scholars identified and appreciated kabuki's
cultural significance and made great efforts to preserve it. This recognition
contributed to the elevation of kabuki's status. Although it would
appear that kabuki benefitted from its new respectability, some would
argue that once it was regarded as a National Treasure, kabuki lost
its original identity and dynamic ties to the common people. In the
refined theater of contemporary kabuki, the critical subversive spirit
that was so central to its origins has been compromised. Still, in
recognition of kabuki's beginnings, some kabuki actors, even those
ranked as Living National Treasures, still sometimes call themselves "beggars
in silk garments."
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