Little Tokyo Dance Club

Calendar of Events

Another Chance to Dance - minyo odori group Koto Buki no kai at Nisei Week Street Ondo

03/08/2025 - Angel Nishinaka's Mardi Gras Celebration of Life Ondo Party

MARDI GRAS ONDO PARTY in LITTLE TOKYO / DTLA - COMMUNITY EVENT - ALL WELCOME TO ATTEND.

All are welcome to attend Angel Nishinaka’s Celebration of Life which will be held at Centenary United Methodist Church on Saturday, March 8, 2025 at 2:30pm. Centenary is located at 300 S. Central Avenue in Downtown Los Angeles (Little Tokyo / Skidrow-kyo). Please feel free to share this invite with others. The planned program will include Taiko, Ondo Dancing, singing, etc. a spectacle designed to keep everyone entertained and in great spirits.

Angel’s wish was to have a Mardi Gras-themed Celebration of Life in which no one wore formal black funeral attire, but rather the Mardi Gras colors of purple, green, or gold. The family has since added “Angel red” and Japanese hapi coats. Or just come in anything you feel comfortable, it’s going to be a PARTY not a funeral… This is a COMMUNITY EVENT and everyone is invited to share in SPIRIT CULTURE COMMUNITY as we celebrate the life of Angel Nishinaka, the “matriarch” of the Nishinaka / Itomura family…

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04/5/2025 - OC Japan Fair 2025 "Cherry Blossom"

Tasting, shopping and learning about Japanese culture. Demonstrations, performances, games, etc.

Ryujin Taiko and LTDC Ondo Workshop TBD at Nakamise stage. Ondo Demonstration TBD on Main stage

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7/5/2025 - Anime Expo 2025 Ondo Workshop

Anime Expo 2025 at the Los Angeles Convention Center - opening ceremony, Ondo Workshop, closing ceremony. Time TBD

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7/22, 7/24, 7/29, 7/31- Nisei Week Parade / Ondo Practice. 8/5 - Street Ondo Practice

Parade Dances and Street Dancing Practice

July 22 (Tues) & July 24 (Thurs) - practicing only the two parade dances

July 29 (Tues) & July 31 (Thurs) - practicing parade dances the first half and street ondo the second half

August 5 (Tues) - practicing the street ondo for the public dancers (this practice is optional for the dance groups)

6:30pm - 9:00pm

6:30-7:30 - ondo practice

7:30-7:45 - break

7:45-9:00 - ondo practice

Japanese American Cultural & Community Center (JACCC)

244 San Pedro St,

Los Angeles, CA 90012

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canceled Boyle Heights Community Partners

4th Annual Nikkei Celebration in Boyle Heights - Parade and public ondo. Saturday August 2, 2025 4pm to 10pm. Event location in front of the Boyle Heights historic Japanese restaurant Otomisan located at 2506 1/2 East First Street, LA Ca 90033

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8/10/2025 Nisei Week Grand Parade

2025 Nisei Week Grand Parade 4pm to 6pm - 1st and 2nd Street in Little Tokyo DTLA

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8/17/2025 Nisei Week Closing Ceremony and Street Ondo

2025 Nisei Week Closing Ceremony and Street Ondo - 1st Street in Little Tokyo DTLA. - Live entertainment, and public ondo. 4pm to 8pm. The public is invited to Nisei Week’s finale, the Japanese tradition of dancing in the street with live entertainment, to close out the festival on August 17, beginning at 4 p.m..

This will be followed by the Ondo and Closing Ceremony. Everyone is welcome to join Japanese dancing in the street, led by the 2025 Nisei Week Choreographer Bando Hidesomi.

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8/23/2025 - OCO (Orange County Optimist) Natsu Matsuri @ Tanaka Farms

2025 Orange County Optimist (OCO) Natsu Matsuri at Tanaka Farms in Irvine California. Enjoy a lineup starting with OCO Kibou Taiko, entertainment, martial arts demo, games, lots of great food, a beer garden, ondo dancing lead by LTDC featuring Ryujin Taiko, and (drum roll, please)…a Parade!

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9/25/2025 - Worthy Of Love & Little Tokyo Business Association Children's Birthday Party

6 pm at the Terasaki Budokan in Little Tokyo DTLA the Little Tokyo Business Association will host the Worthy Of Love children with a Birthday Party Celebration for "unhoused" children and their families. 300+ children and their families are expected to attend this event.

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10/18/2025 - OC Japan Fair 2025

2025 OC Japan Fair at the OC Fair & Event Center, Costa Mesa CA.

OC STAGE and NAKAMISE STAGE on 10/18(sat).

OC STAGE schedule 12:30pm-1pm.
NAKAMISE STAGE schedule TBD

OC Japan Fair Saturday October 18th @ 12:30 on the OC STAGE "A CHANCE to DANCE" - Little Tokyo Dance Club featuring Ryujin Taiko will open the day's events with ONDO (Japanese Festival Folk Dancing) that the audience is encouraged to participate in... Then Sazan Yosakoi, new to the OC Japan Fair line up. What's an OC Japan Fair without a "tuna cutting show" ??? Unfortunately LTDC is going to have to miss the tuna cutting fun because of yet another chance to dance Ondo on the Nakamise Stage (located at the venue entrance) at 1:30 pm. Actually LTDC's scheduled stage time is "TBD" but hoping we can make it back to the OC Stage to support our (and EVERYONE's) friend Stephanie Yanez and her always SPECTACULAR performance. After Stephanie is another new entry, an "anime sing-along dance party." This is a great "Ondo hijacking" opportunity for Ondo dancers, (LOL) who knows how to take any event and make it into an ONDO EVENT... Please share with family and friends.

- www.ltdanceclub.org

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11/07 - 09/2025 - Anime Expo Chibi 2025

Anime Expo Chibi at the Ontario Convention Center

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TBA

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Yuubi - Elegance and Grace of Nihon Buyo

Message from Bandō Hidesomi

Dear friends and supporters, As we are getting closer to the holiday season, I hope you are doing well. As the Wa no Kai and I go forward with planning the recital, I would like to share the meaning behind the 30th Anniversary recital. My heart ”Kokoro” To me, the 30th Anniversary Recital is more than a milestone. The theme for me is “Ongaeshi”. “恩返し”. It is a Japanese word meaning “to give back with gratitude”. It is my heart of gratitude, to each and every one of you who have touched my life in some way. To each and everyone one of you who I have had the privilege and opportunity to cross paths with. All of you have helped me to persevere by supporting me and giving me hope. Giving me the extra push of encouragement. Giving me the extra smile of warmth and kindness. As I celebrate my 30th Anniversary, this is the beginning and hope for my next journey in Nihon Buyo. But before I start my journey, I would like to take the time to show my gratitude to everyone who has supported me throughout the years. The 30th Anniversary recital is my way of saying “Arigatogozaimashita “ to everyone. Future generations As I have mentioned in my prior sentence, the 30th Anniversary is the beginning of my new goal. My goal is to set a foundation for the future generations. To connect them to the artists in Japan so if and when they have the opportunity, they will have supporters who could help them achieve their goals. Also to have the artists from Japan nurture the artists in the US to bring more understanding and harmony, creating a cultural bridge throughout all artists between the US and Japan. Hidden Legacy Hidden Legacy is a documentary by Ms. Shirley Muramoto. The documentary shares the traditional Japanese cultures that persevered and gave hope to the Japanese Americans in camp. Nihon Buyo along with other activities gave joy to all those who were watching. Even if it was for that moment, they were able to forget the environment and circumstances that surrounded them. They had so little but made it into so much. They made the stage props, costumes, small props, almost everything from what they could find from their daily life. I found out that some were able to get special permission to retrieve necessary things from their house to continue sharing Nihon Buyo. After seeing the documentary and listening to the interviews, it inspired me to do more. It has motivated me to strive higher with a bigger purpose. I am blessed with so much. I need to at least try. I won’t know until I try. I have attached the link to Hidden Legacy. https://youtu.be/HDqKDexQRSg?si=bfilR9WqYH8oKrUP The Aratani Theater Why the Aratani Theater? The Aratani Theatre was built to promote and present the Japanese Culture. Aratani theater is the only theater in LA that has a Shosadai(the wooden platform made for Kabuki and Nihon Buyo) and Hanamichi(a runway in Kabuki theater that extends from stage right to the back of the theater). Many teachers who taught Japanese traditional cultures, community leaders and corporations who supported the Japanese culture contributed to the development of the Aratani Theater. My Oshishosan (teacher) had most of her recitals here. As we are in a different era, we had to go through many changes. There are less and less Nihon Buyo Recitals at the Aratani Theater… I want to bring it back to the Aratani Theater. Not just for myself, but for all the teachers and mentors in different fields I have looked up to. It is a very special theater… There is so much more in my heart that moves me to continue what I do, but words cannot express it all. I hope you could continue to help me and support me in keeping this beautiful art preserved and continued for the future generations to come. Thank you for taking the time to read this letter. Please take care and may the coming of spring bring much joy, happiness and peace to you. With deep gratitude, Bandō Hidesomi

Open Letter to ALL

Dear friends and supporters,Hello. I hope you are doing well!
Thank you for all your time and dedication at the Nisei Week Festival! It was so much fun and it was truly a joy to see you at the practices, parade and/or closing ceremony!

I have asked Wesley to help me spread the word to you regarding a recital I will be having next year on January 18, 2026 at the Aratani Theatre. It is presented by Wa no Kai.
We will be having 12 guests from Japan working on stage production, make up, wig, costume and onstage assistant.
My teacher in Japan will be an honorary guest dancing an opening piece for us.
Amongst the students who are performing are 4 students who have received their stage name from the headmaster if the Bando School.

I have attached a letter of what this recital means to me along with a vision I have for the future. I hope you could take the time to read it!

Also attached is a flyer and a link to JACCC, the Wa no Kai website and Bandō Hidesomi website.

I hope you could come and see us!

Thank you Wesley for supporting us!

Please do not hesitate to contact me for any questions or concerns.

With a grateful heart,
Bandō Hidesomi