Date of Award

2012

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Bachelors

Department

Social Sciences

First Advisor

Vesperi, Maria D.

Keywords

Sensei, Nihon Buyo: Japan

Area of Concentration

Anthropology

Abstract

Nihon Buyou, like many other Japanese traditional arts, uses the iemoto system, which creates a family (ryuu) based in the art form from a surname exclusively associated with that art form. When a deshi reaches a certain level of mastery in the dance, he or she is given a name by the sensei to accompany that surname, initiating him or her into the kinship unit officially. Thus, the deshi holds the sensei in a parental role during dance contexts while simultaneously using his or her legal name and identity outside of this context. Drawing from ethnographic data gathered in Toyama Prefecture, Japan, combined with external research, I examine the levels of formality and familiarity of this relationship.

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