2015 Nisei Week Marching Band and Dancers

The 2015 Nisei Week Grand Parade celebrated its “75th Anniversary” in Los Angeles as they “Let the Good Times Roll” on Sunday, August 16th.  Once again, the Nisei Week Foundation Marching Band & Ondo Dancers took part with our largest group-to-date with 65 band members, 3 taiko drummers and 82 dancers.  And it was a busy but fun-filled day for all of us.
We started the day with a mini concert at Centenary United Methodist Church playing the popular Ondo dance song , “One Plus One”,  as the congregation gathered for service.  The excitement of the music had people on their feet and some even joined our dancers in moving to the song.

Then we went over to the Japanese American National Museum for a tour featuring Japanese American culture and history which helped many experience the legacy of the evolving JA culture in the United States.  It was followed by a traditional Japanese bento box lunch before our concert at the Little Tokyo Galleria Mall.

All the shoppers and diners in the mall were momentarily surprised to see and hear a marching band playing in the galleria.  But “surprise” quickly turned to appreciation as a huge crowd gathered to watch the band and dancers perform “One Plus One”, “Shiawase Samba”, “Taiko”, “Liberty Bell” and “Thunderer’s March”.

Finally it was time to head over to the Big Event.  At 4:30PM on one of the hottest days in remembrance for the parade (nearly 103 degrees on the asphalt), we lined up at the start of the Grand Parade route.  As we waited for the two units ahead of us to move, we learned we had the privilege of leading out the Nisei Week President to start the parade.

We were very excited by all the smiles and clapping from the enthusiastic crowd as we played and danced down the route to “One Plus One” – a dance we’ve adopted as the signature of the Nisei Week Marching Band. And then our busy day came to an end.  But it was a great day for us and we can’t wait for next year’s parade.  We’re going to try a totally different marching band & dance concept (think “Pep Band on Steroids”) with some possible surprises like maybe one of us dressing in a Yukata (think Shogun official).

We hope you come to Little Tokyo in Downtown Los Angeles next year and experience all the excitement that is the Nisei Week Grand Parade!

Thanks for Reading!!!

Photo Credits: Fujinami Photography, E. Hayden, Marc Amba,  KDI Music, LLC & Nisei Week Foundation














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