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Report for International Lecture Series, October 1st, 2011

Speaker Dr. Shelley Fenno Quinn
Associate Professor, The Ohio State University,
Department of East Asian Language and Literatures
Theme Will the Noh 'Flower' Blossom in Foreign Soil? The Case of American University Students
Date October 1st, 2011
Venue Josai University

Several decades ago, after graduating from college in the U.S., I took a job teaching English conversation in Osaka. I just happened to attend a performance at a Noh theatre there and was immediately taken by what I saw and heard. It was the beginning of my connection with Noh, one that became central to my life, both in my graduate training and presently as a teacher and researcher in the field of Japanese studies.

My talk explores the appeal that Noh can have for people like me who come to it from outside its long tradition. In the first part, I reconstruct my own track record with Noh, both as an amateur learner, and as a student and then teacher of its history and aesthetics, with special mention of the drama theory of the seminal playwright and theorist, Zeami Motokiyo. In fact, a keyword from Zeami's theory is embedded in the title of this talk, the 'flower' (hana): that emergent something that blossoms between performers and audience when the chemistry of a performance is right. Hopefully the dynamics of the 'flower' may operate in the classroom as well.

The second part of my talk addresses the present generation of American university students and the challenges of making the Noh 'flower' blossom in an environment so distanced from its roots. I concentrate on one representative university in the American Midwest, Ohio State University, where I have taught for some years. I discuss the types of Japan-related courses that we offer at OSU, our Japanese major, and the types of students our programs attract. How can Noh materials be integrated into the curriculum in ways that make it accessible and engaging? How can learning about Noh contribute to broader cross-cultural understanding? I will mention a few tactics that I have tried and touch on some of the teaching resources that have recently become available.

I close with an appeal for support for more teaching resources on Noh developed with non-Japanese learners in mind. Of special importance are enhanced opportunities for guided exposure to the art, whether through multimedia materials, or hands-on learning conducted by Noh professionals in workshop formats. I believe that such experiential learning of a Noh dance or chant, for instance, though it may not produce a seasoned Noh performer, is an excellent means to foster cross-cultural understanding that is personal and lasting.

Dr. Shelley Fenno Quinn