NakaNaka is a celebration of music, art and dance performances inspired by contemporary and traditional Japanese culture. The series takes place in the decidedly East Village venue of DROM, a space where the musics of the Middle East, Africa, Europe, Asia and the Americas delightfully collide. The phrase “nakanaka” is a prefix- implying “extraordinarily…” or “particularly…” something. “Nakanaka OMOSHIROI” for example, can be translated as “especially interesting” or simply “very fun”. This open-ended and whimsical title aptly describes this monthly exploration of Japan’s ever evolving culture and it’s ubiquitous presence in the world beyond.

With Yoko Fujimoto, Eri Yamamoto and Yoshikazu Fujimoto

PAST EVENTS include performances by:

• members of the iconic Japanese drumming group KODO
• taiko artists such as Tetsuro Naito, and On Ensemble
• jazz musicians Eri Yamamoto, Ned Rothenberg, Haruko Nara, Miles Okazaki, Harris Eisenstadt, Yoshiaki Masuo
• classical guitarist Soichi Muraji
• koto player Yumi Kurosawa
• shakuhachi player James Schlefer
• Okinawan ultra-pop band Happy Fun Smile
• filmmaker Kenji Williams’ Bella Gaia
• a photography slide show set to live music featuring the works of Kunie Sugiura, Mayumi Terada, Masayuki Yoshinaga, Asako Narahashi, Satomi Shirai, James Whitlow Delano, Q Sakamaki, Takahiro Kaneyama, Mayumi Lake, Pamela Matsuda-Dunn, Akiko Nishimura, and George Hirose
• such collaborators as Deep Singh (tabla), Tamango (tap dance), Sanble (featuring Belinda Becker, Sheila Anozier, Swiss Kriss, Junior Gabu Wedderburn, Fabio Mergera)

Some past NakaNaka event designs by Tomoyo Hiroishi:

and Kim Meijer