[Blog] Thank you for all this time!

During Christmas Eve 2011 I was sitting with Peantus in the kitchen in a student dorm in Japan, looking in a dictionary for a good name for the yosakoi team I had convinced her to start with me. And thus Zyka YOSAKOI was born.

2012 – Zyka’s first camp

Over five years has gone since that day and Zyka has gone from four people dancing in my living room, doing our best not to hit to many things in the process, to a team with two original performances, more members, international performances and so much more. Through all of this I have been the leader of Zyka.

2013 – Performance at Ytterjärna Kulturhus

It has been a honour and a joy to see the team grow and the members come to love yosakoi just like I do. It has not always been an easy road, many of us are strong willed, me maybe most of all. But while there of course has been difficult times, fights among the members and opinions that no matter what stay far far apart I honestly believe that the amount of joy and fun we have shared over the years is far more than the amount of sadness, anger and misery we have gone through at times. We have done great things together, and I am sure more great things are waiting for us in the future.

2014 – Zyka in Japan (Photo: Tilda Dalunde)

But five years is a long time and in the beginning of this year I came to the conclusion that it was time for both me and Zyka to move on, and that it wasn’t me who was to take Zyka down the road to the unknown future that awaited us. I love Zyka and always will, but it is time for me to focus on other things and Zyka deserves a leader with full focus on the team. So for that reason the leadership was handed over to WHOlock (Amanda Carleson) who was chosen as the new leader at the team’s annual meeting in spring this year. I ask that you show WHOlock the same support and encouragement that you have shown me through the years.

2015 – Zyka and Sweden Taiko at Etnografiska museet

So at the 22nd of April this year I did my last performance as leader of Zyka at the Cherry blossom festival organised by Stockholm Japanese Society. Zyka performed with Yosakoi Naruko Odori, the first yosakoi dance of them all, as well as a more modern one together with Japanese children who joined us especially for this performance and dancers from the Try Yosakoi Project. It was a great event, and though our practice time together was short the children did their best and we had a great performance together. Many thanks to Stockholm Japanese Society for allowing us to be part of such a great performance!

2016 – Zyka at Stockholm Kulturnatt

And with this my five years as leader of Zyka came to and end. I will of course stay a member of the team and do my best to help Zyka continue to develop best I can. I look forward to what awaits us and where WHOlock as the new leader is going to take the team.

2017 – Zyka at Stockholm Cherry Blossom Festival

Thank you to all members of Zyka, past and present, for allowing me to continue leading the team for so many years and for choosing to be a part of this crazy idea that I convinced Peanuts to make reality of with me back in the winter of 2011. And thank you to all of those who are, or who have been, supporting our team in different ways during this time. I am immensely thankful for all the help and encouragement you have given.

Thank you for all this time!

 

 

– 王将

Oushou

 

Busy times! Lots of performances coming up!

This spring has been busy for Zyka and it is not over yet! Before we reach May we have three more performances to do.

First out is Stockholm’s Cherry Blossom Festival, arranged by the Japanese society in Stockholm.

We have participated in it before but new for this year is that we will have our own table during the whole day, and two performances!

 

First one is 13:00 and the second one is 16:30, it’s on the small stage though so it’s a different stage than where we have been performing earlier years.

The event starts at 13:00 and ends at 17:00. Apart from our table you will find many other interesting Japanese things there.

 

After that comes Stockholm’s Kulturnatt where lots of exciting things happen all over Stockholm, and one of those things is Zyka performing!

We will perform together with Hino Nora Taiko, the same group we performed with this winter at Etnografiska Museet in Stockholm.

The performance is held outside of Östasiatiska museet on Skeppsholmen and starts at 18:00.

You get a chance to see both us, and hear a fantastic taiko performance, don’t miss it!

 

And lastly there is the International dance day on the 29th of April.

Zyka will participate in the celebrations of the day at Kungsträdgården in Stockholm, 13:00-18:00 on the 29th of April. Zyka is at the end of the program so roughly sometime after 17:30. More information will come later on.

 

So there are quite a few chances to see us coming up! Hope to see you there.

 

[Blog] Last stop of Danskarusellen, and a well deserved award!

Yesterday, 3rd of April, Zyka Yosakoi performed at the third and final stop of Danskarusellen 2016.

The event took place at Skarpnäck Kulturhus in (you guessed it) Skarpnäck. It featured the great dancegroups from the two previous tour stops, and all their amazing, creative performances. Well, except one group that couldn’t make it and one of the original choreographies that mysteriously went missing this time.

Which choreography, you ask? Well… it was ours…

“Wait, what? No Bankuramou? But why!?”

Calm down. Let me explain. We wanted to perform Bankuramou, but found ourselves in an increasingly tricky situation when a growing part of our Banku dancing team was unable to make it to the stage. Howl studied for exams, our leader Oushou went on a trip to Italy, Wholock had guard duties and sickness struck Peanuts when we needed her the most.

We ended up with only half of Zyka, including our trusty -to new to dance- member Ewok. Helping us as staff and morale support.

We were full of dance energy!

Since most of us normally dance in the same middle column, trying to perform Bankuramou would feature us in a never before seen (and best left unseen) L-formation.

But just look at us. We were full of dance energy! In spite of our predicament we mustered our courage, and with the strength of ten thousand dreams still in our hearts, we prepared for our plan B: Changing choreography (overnight!) to the always uplifting sou-odori, Za Festival!

And the show was a blast! As we danced, we spread our joy and energy to the crowd. Some couldn’t help themselves, they started waving their arms in dancelike patterns and shout our kakegoe with us. And that’s what Yosakoi is all about.

We didn’t win the competition though. We won’t be representing Stockholm in the finals at Karlstad. That honor was given to the talented k-pop group UNIQUE, and the awesome BLACKOUT EMPIRE. We congratulate them on their victory and wish them luck in the finals!

But Zyka also found a reason to celebrate! One of the special awards went to Zyka’s very own member, Park! “For showing the passion and joy of dancing and boosting her whole teams performance” she won the Best Stage Personality-award!

Park! “Best Stage Personality”, Danskarusellen 2016

It was an award most well deserved. All of Zyka is very proud!

– ヒッチ

Hicchi

Second stop of Danskarusellen 2016!

Today at 14:00 Zyka Yosakoi performs at the second stop of Danskarusellen 2016! The stop will be at Blå Huset in Tensta and lots of great groups will participate!

Photo by: Malin Welander, Danskarusellen

Please look forward to our performance!

Performance at the first stop of Danskarusellen!

On the 5th of March we participated in the first stop of Danskarusellen!

It was the first time since the Yosakoi festival in October we performed Bankuramou so we were a bit nervous but the performance went really well and we all had a blast. The event was great fun and we enjoyed all the other amazing dancers that also participates in Danskarusellen.

Hopefully we will be able to post a video of the performance soon. For now, only a photo though.

WHOlock, Park and Iruka? at Danskarusellen in Sollentuna. 2016

Next stop of Danskarusellen is at Blå Huset in Tensta on the 19th of March, which is next Saturday. If you have the time, please come watch us then!

Zyka Yosakoi at NärCon Vinter 2016!

Tomorrow, Saturday, Zyka Yosakoi is going to perform at the preshow for Cosplay SM at NärCon Vinter in Linköping!

We are all very excited for the performance, if you happen to visit NärCon tomorrow do come and see us!

Keep an eye on our twitter during the day tomorrow for more updates about the performance.

And here you can watch a trailer for Cosplay SM.

Performance at Etnografiska Museet!

On the 5th of December we did our last performance of the year, this year held at Etnografiska Museet in Stockholm. The performance was done together with Andrew Hickman and Hino Tora Taiko.

All of us had lots of fun and the performance went well. It felt good to end the year with a performance we were so happy with and with such a good audience. We hope that we will get the chance to perform at Etnografiska Museet again soon!

Group shot before the performance

You can find more photos from the performance over at our photo page!

Group shot with Hino Tora Taiko and Andrew Hickman

We now also announce that we once again will participate in Danskarusellen! We are hoping for as much fun as we had last year and looking forward both to seeing all other great dancers and getting to show Bankuramou on a stage. You can find more information about our participation in Danskarusellen here.

Performance at Etnografiska museet on the 5th of December!

On the 5h of December 14.30 we will perform together with Andrew Hickman and Hino Tora Taiko at their taiko-consert called “Musikmöte – Rytmer från urtid i nutid”.

It’s the first time for us performing together with taiko drummers and we find it very exciting. Taiko drums is really an impressive instrument, we got a sneak peek of their performance when we practised together a few weeks ago and can’t wait to hear the rest.

This will also be our final performance for this year. Which means it is the last chance to see us before 2016! Don’t miss it.

You can see us perform at:

Etnografiska museet, 5th of December at 14.30.
Together with Andrew Hickman and Hino Tora Taiko.
More information can be found on the museum’s homepage.

See you there!

Festival!

A bit late of an update but…

On the 17th and 18th of October the long-awaited YEN camp took place in Trosa in Sweden, and with that came the YEN Mini Yosakoi Festival that was held on the 18th.

The festival was held in Folkets hus in Trosa. When the guests arrived they could enjoy both yosakoi photos exhibited on the walls and some Japanese festival snacks. The tickets and snacks was handled by our beautiful staff, many thanks to you! The guests also had the chance to speak to the dancers who were out mingling before the dancing started Many took the chance to ask about the dance and the different teams there.

(All the beautiful photos in this post is taken by Tomoya Suzuki)

Manager-san selling Japanese snacks to the guests. Photo by Tomoya Suzuki

Naruko from different teams (both present and not present) on display. Photo by Tomoya Suzuki

And then it was time for the main event, dancing! Zyka started out by presenting Bankuramou for the first time ever. We were all nervous but the audience enjoyed it so that’s all good.

Bankuramou with Zyka. Photo by Tomoya Suzuki.

After that followed a mix of sou-odoris, danced by all teams together, and team performances, with just one team.

 

Sou-odori. Photo by Tomoya Suzuki

It was an exciting day with lots and lots of fun. While it was a bit tiring dancing so many dances at the same event we got a lot of energy from each other and the audience. It was a great experience to dance so many dancers together, and all with different styles. Some of Zyka’s members experienced a larger team during the Japan project but even then the different languages hindered communication for many. And our new members had never experienced any other team then Zyka before the meet-up. So it was an important, and fun, experience for all of us which we hope to repeat again.

All of the dancers. Photo by Tomoya Suzuki

Where will the next meet-up be? We are already looking forward to it!

YEN meet-up and Europe’s first Yosakoi Festival!

On the 17-18th of October YEN will hold the second meet-up, this time hosted by Zyka in Trosa. For two days we will dance, talk yosakoi and have fun together. It has been half a year since the first meet-up and those of us who participated then are exited to meet each other again, and for the rest excited to finally meet more yosakoi loving people.

The meet-up will also bring Europe’s first Yosakoi festival, YEN Mini Yosakoi Festival, which will take place in Trosa on the 18th of October. This will be a unique chance to see the yosakoi teams from Europe and experience many different kinds of yosakoi! Three of the European teams will take part in the meet-up and the festival, Raiden yosakoi, Yosakoi Hinodemai Paris and Sakuramai Poland. We will both perform together and as teams.

And most of all, for Zyka the festival will be the first time we present our new dance Bankuramou! Don’t miss it!

The festival will take place at Folkets Hus Trosa on the 18th of October 12.00 o’clock.
100kr for and adult50kr for children up to 12.

You can either buy tickets at the book-store in Trosa or here.

Find out more about the festival on the facebook event!