Ramon Obusan, Philippine Folkdance, and Me: From the Perspective of a Japanese Dancer

I would not stop dancing till I wore off the skin of my feet. I would dance until all of us fall exhausted, contented and fulfilled. This is what I want to do. This is what I intend to do." - RAMON OBUSAN

"The engaging portrait of Obusan that Kanami's research drew is the outcome of a long process of learning the master's language, immersing herself in his world, experiencing the hardship and satisfaction of 'becoming Filipino' enough to be accepted into Obusan's 'family.'...

"I know of no other work that succeeds beautifully in weaving together a history of the development of Filipino folk dance over the twentieth century, an outsider's insider's account of one of the top two folk dance companies in the Philippines, and a sensitive, wide-ranging reflection on how a 'foreign' (in this case, Japanese) dancer learns to become Filipino in bodily movement and sensibility.

— From the Foreword by Reynaldo C. Ileto

Published in 2014 by Anvil Publishing, Inc.

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