lost in your current like a priceless wine

This is another case of losing the photos until recently, but I was invited to the odori by the High Priestess of the Companions' Guild a few weeks back. The more formal events always throw me a little--kimono is traditional, yes, but not geisha trappings, because I'm not one. The closest I feel I can come is oiran, traditionally equally well trained, but in different ways, and with a vastly different goal. And even there, I feel as if my makeup must be alluding to, not directly indicative of.

I don't know if other people fret over these things. I do.



We were led to a small room with a low table and zaisu chairs, and were asked to please sit, offered tea or sake as we chose, and spoke a few moments with the perfomer as the servers brought in the first course.

[13:26] Toshiha とし葉 (toshiha.magic): "While you enjoy your appetizer, please allow me to perform."
[13:26] Toshiha Magic: : おおきにぃ　(Thank you)

Our geisha performer, Ms. Magic, I am leaving named, because she does formal geisha and kabuki performances professionally in SL. She's very good.

[13:26] Bxxxxxx Gxxx turns to watch the geiko
[13:26] Bxxx 1xxxx knocks at the door
[13:27] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr) smiles, picking up the chopsticks.
[13:27] Toshiha とし葉 (toshiha.magic) carefully walks to the stage and takes her place, preparing a dance fan.

She took the stage, and I still don't know if the recording we heard then was her, or was someone else? "Momiji no Hashi" means "bridge of autumn leaves", which was the song playing, so...

[13:28] Momiji no Hashi Singer: Near the bridge of maple leaves 紅葉の橋のたもとから

[13:28] Txxx Tx 统体 after pouring, passes Jx Dxxxo and Nxx Jxx their fresh tea with a bow of head

[13:28] Momiji no Hashi Singer: I rest a sleeve on the railing. 袖を垣根の言いずてに
[13:28] Momiji no Hashi Singer: For a moment, my ears hear a magpie ちょっと耳をばかささぎの
[13:29] Fxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: Hello, [Axxxx]!
[13:29] Bxxx 1xxx bows respectfully "Greetings."
[13:29] Momiji no Hashi Singer: Upon the frost a sudden clarity of light, 霜もいつしか白々と

[13:29] Dr. Dxxx Vxx Axxxx enjoys Toshiha's graceful movements.

[13:29] Momiji no Hashi Singer: It accumulates deeply, piling up 積もるほどなお深くなる
[13:30] Momiji no Hashi Singer: My dancing hands surround the snow 雪をめぐらす舞の手や
[13:30] Momiji no Hashi Singer: Yoi yoi yoi yoi yoi yasa. ヨイヨイ、ヨイヨイ、ヨイヤサー

She drew the eye, her slim figure moving through patterns made traditional hundreds of years ago, and, if you count that this was loosely part of Firefly RP, thousands of years back, with her delicately spinning fans.

[13:31] Bxxxxxx Gxxx: Hello [Axxxx]!
[13:31] Vxxxxx Lxxxx leans against the pillar, listening to the familiar song
[13:31] Bxxx 1xxx: How is every one?
[13:31] Zxxx Axxxxxxxx Sxxxxxxxxx knock at the door
[13:31] Fxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: Hello, [Zxxx]!
[13:31] Bxxxxxx Gxxx applauds!
[13:31] Dr. Dxxx Vxx Axxxx nods politely to Alice. "No complaints. Yourself?"
[13:31] Bxxxxxx Gxxx: Thank you!
[13:31] Zxxx Axxxxxxxx Sxxxxxxxxx: may i come in?
[13:31] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr) claps politely
[13:31] Fxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx claps for Toshiha.
[13:31] Fxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: That was lovely!

She dipped, she turned, she hid her face coyly one moment, and spun the fans out to reveal it the next.

[13:31] Dr. Dxxx Vxx Axxxx: Of course, feel free to join us, [Zxxx].
[13:32] Mxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx claps enthusiastically as she motions to [Zxxx] with a nod
[13:32] Zxxx Axxxxxxxx Sxxxxxxxxx smiles and remove his gettas at the entry taking a seat
[13:32] Toshiha とし葉 (toshiha.magic): "Oideyasu, [Nxx Jxx] niisan!"
[13:32] Toshiha とし葉 (toshiha.magic) bows politely.
[13:32] Bxxx 1xxx: up right and breathing which is a good thing in our day and age

Especially this year.

[13:32] Vxxxxx Lxxxx clears the table of the old incense plate and takes it into the kitchen for a good clean
[13:32] Toshiha とし葉 (toshiha.magic): "Ookini! I hope you were all able to enjoy the feel of the season in that song."
[13:33] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): Beautfully performed, and yes, very autumnal.
[13:33] Fxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: That was beautiful
[13:33] Fxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: i was actually hearing it from behind the door, it was very lovely Toshiha.
[13:33] Toshiha とし葉 (toshiha.magic): "Hei, today is the last day I could perform it for the year, so, I am pleased to dance it one more time." She smiles to [Nxx Jxx], too.

Apparently, the fall dance is the Gion Odori; there's a spring version as well, the Miyako Odori, performed every year.

[14:39] Toshiha とし葉 (toshiha.magic): ((This song, will be played like the first one, on "Sounds", ookini!))
[14:39] Txxx Tx 统体 after grasping a cloth to pick up the urn of bathing water, staggers, pausing ever few steps, panting, in hauling it's weighty volume

[14:40] Kimi ni Ougi Singer: The heart of the fan for you, a promise; 君に扇のナ 要の契り

This one was harder to figure out. Google Translate happily tells me it means either "Mysterious fan" or "Your fan mystery"; neither I think are accurate.

[14:40] Fxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx starts nibbling away happily at her cake.

[14:40] Kimi ni Ougi Singer: The snow's white background on the edge of the fan 雪の白地は扇の縁
[14:41] Beeflin Grut smiles radiantly at the poise of the dance
[14:41] Kimi ni Ougi Singer: The flower decorated fan in Hanjo's bedroom. 班女が閨の花扇
[14:41] Kimi ni Ougi Singer: That leopard lily hairpiece in your sleeve その桧扇のかざしの袖に
[14:41] Kimi ni Ougi Singer: Lightly, lightly ひらり ひらり
[14:42] Kimi ni Ougi Singer: The rich color of trees 木々の錦や
[14:42] Kimi ni Ougi Singer: are drawn in a picture with sakura-covered mountains 絵に画く山の桜花
[14:42] Kimi ni Ougi Singer: They fall, scattering, a soothing pleasure forever and ever 散らぬ嬉しさいつまでも
[14:43] Kimi ni Ougi Singer: A swirling of fans 扇車のくるり
[14:43] Kimi ni Ougi Singer: The ritual dance of ceremonial fans inviting prosperity 品よくまわれ末広かけて

[14:43] Fxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx watches Toshiha's graceful movements while pacing herself with her cake so it doesn't disappear too quickly.

[14:43] Kimi ni Ougi Singer: With open tines, for eight-thousand years. ひらく八千代の手なれ草

At which point, she bowed deeply, the performance complete. We were all stunned for a few moments, then...

[14:44] Bxxxxxx Gxxx has temporarily completely forgotten his cake
[14:44] Bxxxxxx Gxxx applauds!
[14:44] Vxxxxx Lxxxx shouts: beautiful tones up to the bathroom!!
[14:44] Fxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx applauds!!
[14:44] Fxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: wow!
[14:44] Kxxxxx Rxxxxxxx 金葉 applauds

Of course, SL being SL, couldn't have a dinner party break up without some technical glitch, but still, all in all, it was a brilliant performance, and I was honored and touched to be invited.