La Yunko, the controversial triumph of a Japanese girl on the Minas Flamenco Festival: “When I dance I don’t know where I’m from” | Culture | EUROtoday

Last Saturday, through the grand ultimate of the competitions of the International Festival of Cante de las Minas in La Unión (Murcia), one thing uncommon occurred. In reality, one thing by no means seen earlier than: a 48-year-old Japanese dancer, Junko Hagiwara, The YunkoEl Desplante gained, the primary prize for dance, similar to the Lámpara Minera for singing or the Bordón Minero for flamenco guitar. It had by no means occurred on this competitors – a very powerful on the earth in its flamenco competitors type – that somebody who was not Spanish had gained, and naturally, no Japanese man or girl, though that they had tried earlier than.

The jury's resolution was greeted with loud boos and shouts of fraud from a great a part of the followers who stuffed the outdated public market of La Unión, the venue of the competition. Social networks had been additionally fast to make their voice heard. Since Saturday they’ve been crammed with feedback during which a transparent prejudice could be seen, generally bordering on racism. They appear to say that if you’re not Andalusian, or no less than Spanish, it’s inconceivable to be flamenco and even much less to bop effectively, and on prime of that to have the nerve to win such an vital prize because the one from La Unión.

The subsequent morning, in a phone dialog with EL PAÍS whereas returning by automobile to Seville, the town the place she lives, La Yunko was pleasant, though additionally drained and nonetheless in shock. The evening of the award she had collapsed mentally and bodily within the dressing room. “I am blocked, I can't say anything, I don't know what to say. When I had to go up on stage to collect the award I couldn't climb the steps, I had no strength, I needed help, I was left without strength. And I'm still like this. I'm going to need a week to recover and be aware of what's happening,” she summed up.

―Was it additionally a shock for you?

—Yes. I by no means thought I may win, it appeared inconceivable. I got here to check out, reaching the semi-finals would have been lots. I believe this for 2 causes: first, as a result of I’m Japanese; and second, as a result of I’m very self-critical and I didn’t really feel snug on stage. I noticed that my colleagues who carried out earlier than danced very effectively.

—So you assume the individuals who stated the award was unfair are proper.

―Unfair, no. It's as much as the jury, they determined. But I didn't see myself able to successful.

―There will need to have been fairly a stir in Japan about your victory.

—I don't know what is going to occur there. Of course it may have a huge impact, however I don't know find out how to assess that. I do know that in Spain Japan is taken into account crucial for flamenco, however in actuality the followers are a minority.

—In reality, flamenco followers are additionally a minority in Spain.

—Yes, nevertheless it's not the identical. In Spain, flamenco is one thing deep-rooted, a pure factor, it's the land of flamenco. Japan, no.

Junko Hagiwara is not at all a really well-known artist on the earth of leisure, however that’s nearly regular on this competitors. Here the dancer Israel Galván gained regardless of being an unknown, the identical factor occurred with the singer Miguel Poveda. But she shouldn’t be a whole unknown in Andalusian flamenco both. She has lived in Seville since 2002 and there she has taken courses with such vital lecturers as José Galván (father of Pastora and Israel Galván), El Torombo, Carmen Ledesma and Milagros Mengíbar.

It wasn’t only a matter of some days of courses. They have been her lecturers, she has had an intense relationship with them. “For me,” she says, “they have been intense lessons, also in my life.” Is flamenco, as they are saying, a lifestyle? “Yes, yes, a way of life, that’s why I say that my training with them hasn’t been a matter of a few days of classes,” she solutions. Despite being pressed, La Yunko doesn’t title anybody among the many nice outdated artists.

The winner of La Unión additionally works as a dance instructor, and has carried out in golf equipment and in some theatres with the ballet of Yoko Kumatsubara, probably the most well-known of Japanese dancers and choreographers. Last 12 months she participated within the Guirijondo competition, within the Seville city of Palomares del Río, devoted to presenting international artists who need to be flamenco artists.

Does La Yunko really feel like a flamenco dancer or a Japanese girl who dances flamenco? Well, it's a curiosity. In 2015, her compatriot Yoko Tamura, skilled and accompanied by Cristina Hoyos, appeared on the La Unión competition. She didn't make it previous the semi-finals, however in an interview with EL PAÍS she stated: “I don't want to be a Japanese woman who dances: I want to be a flamenco dancer, just like that.” Does Junko Hagiwara need to be a flamenco dancer, similar to that? “When I dance, I don't know where I'm from, if I'm from Japan or from anywhere else, I just dance and that's it,” she says with nice conviction. “I feel like a flamenco dancer, just like that, I don't know if I'm better or worse, but a flamenco dancer.”

And she actually is. Despite the protests from the general public on the day of the award and the uproar on social media, additionally regardless of her self-critical modesty and the final shock. She danced as finest she may, the jury judged as objectively as doable. And she gained. La Yunko, flamenco dancer.