TED-Ed

Amanda Mattes: Kabuki: The people's dramatic art (2013x581)

: 30, 2013

The Japanese dance and theater art of kabuki, derived from the word kabuku, meaning "out of the ordinary," can be traced back to the streets of seventeenth-century Kyoto. Kabuki became a dramatic art for the common people, with its use of makeup and facial expressions rather than masks, as well as a playful take on current events. Amanda Mattes tracks the evolution of kabuki and its place in Japan's rich cultural heritage. [Directed by Tom Gran, narrated by Addison Anderson].