Celebration showcases history and traditions
Imagine Japantown back in the early 1940s, when Roy’s Station filled up cars with gas instead of people with coffee. Throw in popup performances along the San Jose neighborhood’s streets and the chance to try your hand at the Japanese card game hanafuda. Now, top it off with a late-evening swing dancetaiko mashup on Fifth Street, followed by a huge dance party.
That’s Japantown Immersive, a free street party/performance piece on Saturday that’s part of San Jose Taiko’s yearlong 45th anniversary celebration. To pull this off, Taiko collaborated with Epic Immersive, the innovative theater group that puts on experiential performances in which you’re not always sure who’s part of the show.
“It’s our love letter to Japantown; a way of celebrating this community that has been our heartbeat and source of inspiration,” San Jose Taiko Artistic Director Franco Imperial said.
The event, which starts at 5:30 p.m., will radiate from the heart of Japantown at Fifth and Jackson streets, which will be closed to street traffic. Instead of cars, visitors will see 10-minute performances: students from Ukulele Jams, the San Jose Betsuin youth and adult choirs, vocalist Containher and sax player Steve Nakano. You can also learn Bon Odori dance at a pop-up lesson, take part in a scavenger hunt or discover the traditional method of pounding mochi.
But the big highlight of the evening will no doubt be a 6:30 p.m. performance of “Swingposium,” an energetic collaboration between Epic Immersive, the Wesley Jazz Ensemle and San Jose Taiko that transports people back to the days of World War II and a celebration of the swing music that was a source of hope in Japanese internment camps. The evening will finish big at 8:30 p.m., when DJ Cutso and San Jose Taiko are joined by the dancers from The Get Down Dance Studio at the SJZ Boom Box Stage on North Fifth Street.
Epic Immersive CEO Steve Boyle said this really became a community-driven event as people offered up moments
from the past and pieces of their culture to create a “potluck of experiences.”
“Truly, I’ve been astonished and elated by the passion with which the Japantown community has leapt into the innovative world of immersive art,” Boyle said.
Get more information at taiko. org/japantownimmersive.
ARTISTS OPEN THEIR DOORS >> There are three things you can count on around here every May: The beach direction of Highway 17 will be clogged on weekends, the Sharks will be in the playoffs and art lovers will flock to Silicon Valley Open Studios. Now in its 32nd year, the three-weekend art festival stretches from Burlingame to Morgan Hill, as artists in 28 cities welcome visitors to their studios to see how they work and, they hope, head home with some art.
This weekend is devoted to the Peninsula, including Palo Alto, Menlo Park, San Carlos, Redwood City and Burlingame. The weekend of May 12-13 will showcase artists in central communities, including Mountain View, Santa Clara, Sunnyvale. Then on May 19-20, the tour wraps up with the southern and coastal areas, including San Jose, Los Gatos, Campbell, Morgan Hill, Half Moon Bay and Pacifica.
Studios will be open from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., and you can get a complete list of locations and artists for each weekend at www.svos.org.
EDUCATION CELEBRATION >> The Santa Clara County Alliance of Black Educators will honor more than 340 African-American students graduating from elementary, middle and high schools at its 29th annual Student Recognition Program today.
Leon Beauchman, a former AT&T executive who is president of the organization, said its intent is to celebrate all the attributes that make up a well-rounded person. “We must reenforce that education means developing the whole person,” he said.
So to that end, students will be recognized for achievement in academics, leadership, athletics, spiritual consciousness, GPA improvement, arts/talent and African-American history. The festivities at the San Jose State Student Union Ballroom begin at 3 p.m. and are open to the public. You can get more information about the Alliance of Black Educators at sccabe.org.
LOFGREN LIFTS OFF >> U.S. Rep. Zoe Lofgren officially launched her reelection campaign Thursday night at the Westin San Jose with about 200 supporters in attendance. Of course, the San Jose Democrat, who was first elected in 1994, is facing only token opposition in her own campaign. But as chair of the California
Democratic Congressional Delegation, she’s also focusing her efforts on getting others elected, and has delivered more than $1 million from her re-election campaign account and leadership fund to that effort.
DOG-GONE WEIRD >> A San Jose pit bull has taken top honors in the Wackiest Dog Name contest held annually by Nationwide, which is a big player in pet insurance. Are you ready for it? Isabella Miss Worldwide Boo Boo.
Owner Madison Lee said she landed on the mouthful of a moniker by combining references to “Twilight,” rapper Pitbull (who sometimes goes by Mr. Worldwide) and the pup’s birthday on Halloween. Isabella came in ahead of Franklin Woofsevelt, Vladimir Poochin and Ruffy the Vampire Slayer. And I thought Chickenbone, our dearly departed pooch, had a strange name.
Contact Sal Pizarro at spizarro@bayareanewsgroup.com.