WSEAS Conference Banquet - The Sansa Dancers

Sansa dancing during the WSEAS conference banquet in Morioka, Japan.
Morioka Sansa Odori Festival, held from August 1 through 4, is one of the Five Great Festivals of Tohoku. Over 10,000 taiko drummers and dancers parade through the city; Sansa is listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the largest taiko drum festival in the world. Legend has it that Sansa dance began when a wicked demon was punished by the god of Mitsuishi Shrine. The god made the demon swear that he would never do bad deeds again, and as a sign of his pledge, the demon placed his hand on a large rock and left a hand print. The locals rejoiced, dancing around the rock. This story explains the origin of Sansa, as well as the name "Iwate," which means "rock hand." The choreography for the main Sansa Odori parade on Chuodori Street is modern and simplified, but you can also see traditional and more dynamic Sansa dances at other venues such as Ekimae Hiroba in front of the station and at various halls.
Sansa is a parade that is visually and aurally stimulating. Imagine a big parade of marching bands in Japanese costumes playing Japanese instruments: that's Sansa. A team consists of three major sections: the taiko drummers, the flutists, and the dancers. All participants wear colorful costumes and dance while marching, even those playing instruments. Each taiko drum is quite large, about 50 cm in diameter and weighing about 6 to 7 kg; you will surely be impressed to see rows and rows of colorfully-clad dancers bouncing around all while playing the taiko and calling out "Sakkora Choiwa Yasse," which is a call to bring in good luck. The festive music and the booming beat of the taiko is sure to excite your soul. Because the choreography is complicated, it takes a lot of practice for participants to perfect their movements. For this reason, to join the Sansa Odori parade, you must be a member of a participating team, formed by organizations such as schools, businesses, and civic groups. But if you cannot help dancing to the beat, you can join the Waodori or "dancing in a circle" at the end of the parade.