- You spend all day saying funny Japanese phrases like "Sashi Mawashi," "Kakeru," and "Yoro yoro to."
- Bad habits start to fall away as new Noh habits form: my smoking was cut in half and my alcohol intake must have dropped by five or six percent.
- You can make bad puns with impunity: "There's no business like Noh business" "Shite there and sing!" "Noh theater is good theater", etc.
- Any one can do it with some form a proficiency. You can be a boy or a girl or tall or small or fat or thin... It really doesn't matter! Like, I was good at singing! You just sort of open your mouth and do it!
- Impress your friends! To my surprise, not many people have heard of Noh, (and even fewer are in the Noh.) But in training,you gains tons of arcane knowledge that will have your friends badgering you for more information. "So when do people Noh?" "What is the purpose of the fan?" "Are the pine trees real?" And on and on and ON!!
- Two words: Sit shitseami.
- Meet fascinating people. All sorts of folks want to Noh. In my training group were actors, dancers, a filmmaker, academics, three Japanese women, musicians and a playwright. My sensei (pronounced "Sen-say," it means "teacher") Rick Emmet has traveled the world doing performance and has a batch of translations out. He bought in Akira Matsui, a professional Noh Master (which means Matsui started when he was ten!) This man was so amazing to watch and learn from, if I didn't have a boyfriend and a career, I would be on a plane to Japan right now!
- Understanding "Jo Ha Kiu" will change your life.
- You always get to do a recital. Which means you dress up in kimono, obie, and hakama and shake your bad Noh thang in front of an audience! (A collection of very patient friends and relatives.)
- Where else can you dance the roles of a warrior ghost, a noble lady, an angel and a drunk elf all in the same afternoon?
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