Japan Exchange & Teaching Program Alumni Association

Come out, make new friends, and catch up with old ones. Everyone is welcome!

When: Thursday, May 17, 2012, 5:30-7:30 pm
Where: Make Westing Bar
1741 Telegraph Avenue, Oakland
between 18th St & 17th St
2 blocks from 19th Street BART
(510) 251-1400
http://makewesting.com
Contact: communications@jetaanc.org, communications(at)jetaanc(dot)org, 510-866-8817

JETAANC East Bay Happy Hours are held the third Thursday of every month, so mark your calendars!

**Please drink responsibly.**

JFLA Volunteer application form.pdf Download this file

Japan Foundation is one of the greatest supporters of U.S.-Japan exchange on the West Coast. Now they have a new volunteer program that gives JET alumni and friends a way to help out while adding some lines to your resume!

Do you like Japanese culture, language and arts? Do you want to gain experience working in an international environment? Then check out the exciting volunteer opportunities as part of The Japan Foundation Volunteer Team!

Volunteer work with our organization is basic and we will train you if necessary, so please join us!

Who can volunteer?
Anyone interested in Japan and its culture, arts and language is welcome to join our volunteer list! Conversational English is a basic requirement for most volunteer tasks and you must be 18 or older. Knowledge of Japanese is not necessary; however it will be beneficial.

What kind of work?

• Working with our public relations team
• Assisting with arts, cultural, and language events
• Assisting Japanese language instructors
• Helping organize books at our office
• Helping with translation and proofreading
• Basic office tasks such as assisting with mailings, photocopying, etc.

How Can I Apply?
1. Fill out the attached application or download it from http://www.jflalc.org/volunteer.html
2. Email your application to: volunteer@jflalc.org

We will put your information into our JFLA volunteer list. When we need volunteers, we will contact you by email based on your interest and availability!

For more information, please visit our website: http://www.jflalc.org/volunteer.html

Thank you and looking forward to working with you!

It is with great pleasure that we offer you discount tickets for the upcoming programs at the 9th Annual San Francisco International Arts Festival [www.sfiaf.org].  This year, the Festival will feature artists from 10 different countries including:

• Japan: Traditional Kyogen Theatre by Mansaku-no Kai, led by Japanese Living National Treasure, Mansaku Nomura, Thursday, May 10 & Friday, May 11, 7:00pm
  http://www.sfiaf.org/2012Festival/artists/Mansaku-no-Kai.html
• The Crazy Cloud Collection Butoh dance performance by Ko Murobushi & inkBoat, Saturday, May 12, 9:00pm
  http://www.sfiaf.org/2012Festival/artists/inkBoat.html

Your discount code is CTN12. This code will give you $4 per ticket discount for Mansaku-no Kai, and $5 off per ticket discount for all other programs taking place at San Francisco's Marines Memorial Theatre.

What is Kyogen?
As a long-time friend of Japanese society and culture, many of you must have attended traditional Kabuki, or even Noh theatre, but what about "Kyogen"?  Literally translated as "crazy words", Kyogen was originally a short and comical farce performed between serious Noh plays, but over the course of 600 years, it developed into a sophisticated comedy theater art form of its own.  With its mime-like "kata" (forms) and rhythm and language, it gives the feeling of the Medieval Samurai era, and for those of you who know contemporary Japanese language and some "jidaigeki" language, you'll have so much fun with their language patterns ending with "~ gozaru" or "~ja".   With stock characters like gullible master and clever servants, many Kyogen pieces are light and funny and very accessible.  At the same time, when performed by such masters as Mansaku-sensei, we are reminded that Kyogen is also a very sophisticated theater art that delves into the depth of human psyche.  In particular, the "Tsukimi-Zato (The Moon-Viewing Blind-Man)" is a Kyogen masterpiece rarely performed outside of Japan, brought this time to the Bay Area for an audience like you!

Rare Chance to See Kyogen from Japan!
For the San Francisco performances, we are importing precious "matsubame" wooden backdrop and "shosadai" wooden floor from Tokyo to recreate the authentic stage for Noh and Kyogen.  If you attend "Mansaku-no Kai" in Tokyo, the ticket price starts at 7,000JPY (appx $90!).  However, for the local audience, we are keeping the ticket price low (between $20-$50) and for the JET program alumni and friends, offering the $4 discount with the discount code.  For non-Japanese speaking audience members, we will provide subtitles as well, so, please bring all your friends and family members who may be less familiar with Japan and Japanese culture.

Besides the two Japanese programs, we also highly recommend Raices Profundas (profound roots) from Cuba, which is the opening program for this year's Festival.  As some of you may know, bringing artists from Cuba is nothing like doing so from Japan, and few presenters in the field dare the risk to do so.  However, SFIAF is doing it.  As we write, we got a report that the first group of the Cuban artists are now at the airport in Havana and getting ready to fly over to SFO via Miami, so it IS HAPPENING!
http://www.sfiaf.org/2012Festival/artists/Raices-Profundas.html

This year also, SFIAF has a gallery/lounge/bar space at 540 Sutter Street, just a block across from the Marines' Memorial Theatre, where artists and audience members get together spontaneously for "Kampai"s and conversations! 

So, please join us with this year's celebration of arts from around the world!

Matsuri de-gozaru!

To take advantage of this discount offer: Enter in the promotional code box "CTN12" where indicated on the ticket order page online or ask for the code by phone (415-771-6900) or at the box office window. Please note that $2 handling fee will still apply per ticket unless you go to the Marine's Memorial Box Office (609 Sutter Street) and purchase the ticket onsite. The discount code applies only for advance purchases and cannot be used in combination with other discounts. You must enter the promotional code BEFORE you complete the transaction. If you have any questions please call the box office at 415-771-6900.

Best regards,
Kyoko Yoshida
Executive Director
U.S./Japan Cultural Trade Network, Inc. (CTN)
Phone: 415.867.7080
kyoko@usjapanctn.net
www.usjapanctn.net