About us:
The People behind the JTPAO
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JTPAO Founder & President, Mikko Haggott Henson aka Katada Kikusa Mikko Haggott Henson is a dynamic woman involved in many community activities. In addition to being honored with many volunteer service awards, she also founded the Torrance Sister City Program with Kashiwa Japan. While active in community affairs, she never the less has made time in her busy schedule to promote and participate in traditional Japanese performing arts. She founded the JTPAO in 1992 to serve as a vehicle for the promotion and preservation of the these arts, and through her tireless dedication, the Los Angeles area has benefited greatly as a result. Beside of this performing arts field she works as a cultural consultant, cultural coordinator, cultural adviser and educater to be a bridge between two cultures. E-mail: mikko@jtpao.org At left, Mikko Haggott Henson received the most prestigious award, Jared Sidney Torrance Award of Merit for her lifetime committment to the community from Torrance Mayor, Dee Hardison on April 2, 2002. The article of this award appeared on May 2002 issue of The Cultural News. |
What We Do
The Japanese Traditional Performing Arts Organization
was
founded in 1992 to preserve and promote Japanese traditional performing arts in
the United States. Traditional performing arts have had a difficult time
surviving in this age and a conscious effort is needed to hand down traditional
art forms to future generations. It is a nonprofit tax exempt organization under
501(c)3.
It is an umbrella organization for all the Japanese traditional performing arts
groups in Los Angeles. Our organizations main interest is classical
performing arts such as Gagaku, Noh, Kabuki dance and music,traditional
instrumental music such as biwa, koto, shamisen, shakuhachi, tsuzumi etc. To
learn more about the Japanese traditional music, please visit
http://jtrad.columbia.jp/eng/index.html.
Its activities are:
1. Public presentation of Japanese traditional performing arts. We pride
ourselves in presenting high quality authentic performances. This does provide
opportunities for master artists of Los Angeles to showcase their works. We have
been presenting concerts once a year since 1992.
In our presentation we try to include lectures to acquaint general audiences
with traditional performing arts.
Usually performers from Japan are invited to perform along with local
artists.This stimulates and helps develop the artistic level of local artists so
that they are comparable to those of their native lands.
We produced the following concerts: (please check our event
archives)
Showcase Presentation of Traditional Performing Arts of
Japan
1992, at the Torrance Cultural Arts Center - James Armstrong Theater.
The World of Tsuzumi
1994, at the Japan America Theater in Los Angeles.
Sound of Japan
1995, at the Torrance Cultural Arts Center - James Armstrong Theater.
Dance of Japan
1996, at the Torrance Cultural Arts Center - James Armstrong Theater.
Dance and Music of the Orient
1997, at the Torrance Cultural Arts Center - James Armstrong Theater.
Kabuki Hayashi Concert
1998, at the Torrance Cultural Arts Center - James Armstrong Theater.
Spring Concert of Japanese Traditional Music and Dance
2000, at the Torrance Cultural Arts Center - James Armstrong Theater.
Katada Kisaku New Year Concert
in commemoration of designation as a Living National Treasure.
2001, at the Torrance Cultural Arts Center - James Armstrong Theater.
The World of Noh, Kyogen and Buyo
2002, at the Torrance Cultural Arts Center - James Armstrong Theater.
Katada Kai 20th Anniversary Concert
2003(Jan), at Aratani/Japan America Theatre in Los Angeles
Kineya Kichisaburo Memorial Concert
2003 (June), at Aratani/Japan America Theatre in Los Angeles
Music
of Edo Concert
2003 (Dec.), in the Garden Room, JACCC, Los Angeles
The
World of Kabuki Music Concert
2004 (Feb.), at the Torrance Cultural Arts Center-James Armstrong Theater
Nagauta SHIKI NO KAI Concert
2005 (Feb.), at the Torrance Cultural Arts Center-James Armstrong Theater
Moon
of the Scarlet Plums
2005 (Sept.), at the Torrance Cultural Arts
Center-James Armstrong Theater
Altogether the organization presented more than 300 performers including
80
artists who traveled from Japan.
2. Provides easy access to education and training to assure the continuation of
Japanese traditional performing arts by providing workshops and Artist in
Residence type programs. These programs are offered free of charge with the
funding from the California Arts Council.
Artist in Residence Program
1998-2001 at Japanese American Cultural & Community Center
Classes on Japanese dance and Kabuki percussion.
Residence artists Katada Kikusa and Hanayagi Wakana
This three year program presented students recitals at the end of each year
and culminated in November 2001 with a graduation performance at
David Henry Hwang Theater
Union Center for the Arts, Los Angeles
Arts in Education Program
Winter-Spring 2002 at Brea Olinda High School, Orange County
Three months session on Japanese dance and percussion.
instructor Katada Kikusa and Hanayagi Wakana
The workshop culminated in a performance of the dance and percussion classes by
the
students and the artists/instructors
at the Japanese Cultural Evening on Friday, Olinda HS Performing Center
April 12, 2002 from 6-9 pm.
1990 Lecture Demonstration at a drama class at UC Irvine.
1991 Demonstration and workshop at LA County High School of Arts.
1998 Lecture Demonstration at Japanese American National Museum.
1999 Lecture Demonstration at California Institute of the Arts.
2000 Lecture demonstration at Cal Poly, Pomona. Theater Department.
2001 Lecture demonstration at CSU San Marcos
4. Referral Service
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Japanese traditional performing arts are theater arts which are visual arts as well as performing arts. Our aim is to present the performance as authentically as possible which includes proper stage props, costumes, wigs, live musicians, etc. To fulfill our goal is costly, however we think these are essential things in order to be fully understood and appreciated. We also have to account for the cost of bringing performers from Japan. Our production expenses far exceed ticket income. Yet we would like to present it at a reasonable price to general audiences.
Therefore, we appreciate funding from the following sources:
California Arts Council
Fund for Folk Culture
California Community Foundation
City of Los Angeles Cultural Affairs Department
Los Angeles County Arts Commission
Japan Foundation Los Angeles Office
Center for Global Partnership of Japan
Individual donations
Corporate donations
If you are willing to help us in anyway possible including advice, volunteering,in-kind services, etc., we would very much appreciate hearing from you.
Please contact us at: mikko@jtpao.org