Undokai

The first week back to school was spent practicing for the Undokai, or sports festival. Every school here has one of these. The elementary schools had theirs much earlier, but the junior high schools have them at the beginning of the second semester.

Practicing for the sports festival involved wearing a lot of sunscreen and spending time out in the hot sun watching kids run around and do things that American kids their age would never do. I was asked to join in with the Suzume Odori, or sparrow dance with the second year students. It is a traditional dance that originated when the Samurai Date Masamune, who is from Iwadeyama (where I work), built his castle in Sendai and this dance was performed, or improvised, by his servants. It is performed with decorative fans, and the movements are reminiscent of a sparrow's movements. Everyone knows this dance at my school except for me, and I was only told that I should perform a couple days before the sports festival, so I think I was meant to make a fool of myself. However, before the actual Undokai on Saturday, I practiced in my room, watching the Suzume Odori on YouTube. I don't know how much it helped, but I got a few compliments afterwards.

I also competed in the relay race when the different sports teams competed against each other. I was asked to be on the teachers' team. Right before I raced, the English teacher told me that they were all insured in case they get hurt, but I was not, so not to get hurt. I agreed, and ran as fast as I could, but we still ended up in second place, with the baseball club in first :(

The coolest part of the sports festival was when the students made different shapes and structures with each other, and I captured an image of the final result of each of their attempts:

For this one, everyone had to do a handstand and their partner had to hold them up by their legs. These performances are all about what people can accomplish by working together (I am assuming)

For this one, a smaller kid is lifted up on someone's shoulders.

This tower is formed by one kid standing on two others' backs. The girls just stand on each others' legs.

And this is the pyramid, which was the most difficult one for them to do.

And for this one, they all sat down using each other to lean upon.

In other news, I have long fingernails now! :-)