Moving from August to May, EC'98 presented a completely new challenge- evolving from a mid-summer festival to a celebration of spring. There were several "firsts" this year, but with the help of the glorious spring weather, EC in May was an overwhelming success.
Workshops The festivities started early this year with sleep-over workshops from May 7-10. Over the long weekend, Kodo and special guests hosted five seminars ranging in theme from percussion to dance. Mini workshops during the festival itself featured taiko, local Sado performing arts, Brazilian Pandeiro and Native American dance. Special Guests 
EC'98 special guests "The Red Willow Dancers" came early to Sado Island to spend several days with us in the village before the festival. Through sharing meals, rehearsals and even an unofficial "powwow", we had a rare opportunity for cultural and personal exchange. The result was a real connection formed among performers, a connection which was clearly revealed on stage.
Shiroyama Open Space 
Open only for concerts in previous years, Shiroyama Park played a special role in EC'98. Introduced for the first time this year, "Shiroyama Open Space" was a free-spirited public venue complete with ethnic crafts, food, and even a visiting art exhibit from the Taos Pueblo Oo-oonah Art Center. Spontaneous Frisbee games and soccer matches sprang to life on the lawns while multicolored kites took flight overhead.
Shiroyama Concerts 
This year Kodo and the Red Willow Dancers shared the stage in three afternoon concerts. The performance consisted of a separate set by each group and was capped off by an improvisational collaboration. Without a roof, curtains, or microphones, this year's outdoor stage melted into the green lawns and springtime flowers of Shiroyama Park. A line of cherry trees in the rear not only provided a beautiful frame for the venue, but also picked up the powerful reverberations of the taiko and sent them washing over the audience. Some 1000 Earth Celebrators had no problem hearing this extremely rare unamplified set in Shiroyama. ��KODO's Shiroyama Concerts Gallery Evening Concerts This year the music continued well into the night with a second concert each evening. Friday night showcased the powerful vocals of Japanese pop sensation EPO, and Saturday Night brought Brazilian Pandeiro master Marcos Suzano and celebrated jazz guitarist Kazumi Watanabe together for an unprecedented collaboration. Both evenings were marked by impromptu performances by various members of Kodo. Benito Concha and the Red Willow Dancers were joined by Kodo and other special guests to crown EC'98 in a Sunday night finale that was nothing short of a spiritual experience. ��EVENTS SCHEDULE ��Do you want to know about Earth Celebration'99? |