Physical Educ. & Athletics 117 - Bon Odori

This course focuses on a Japanese Buddhist folk dance performed outdoors and danced in a concentric circle around a raised platform. It is celebrated as a reminder of the gratefulness one should feel toward one's ancestors. From this dance of joy comes Bon Odori, a time in which ancestors and their sacrifices are remembered and appreciated. Through studying the dance, students will understand its intentions: remembering and appreciating who you are and where you come from. Because the dance is closely related to Buddhism, this course will provide an opportunity for the students both to exercise through dancing and to calm their minds.