「着物ワークショップ」Kimono workshops in NYC

by Anji SALZ on Dec 04, 2017 0 comments

During and after the Fudangi exhibition I wrote about in my last post, I also scheduled my first time ever kimono related workshops and some photo shoots. (Because how often do you have the chance to capture the NYC skyline with kimono?)

ニューヨークにきてます！
前の記事で紹介したニューヨークにある「普段着物展示会」の前後にワークショップや着物の撮影もしてみました。
（着物姿をニューヨークで撮るならインパクトあるかなと思って・・笑）

Prior to my trip I asked my followers on social media what kind of workshop they would like to attend when I am in New York / what they need help with in regards of kimono.
And the majority voted for Styling & Kimono dressing as well as a few people wanted to learn how to do Nihongami.

So I set up two dates for those workshops and started preparing. Since I myself actually less confident than it usually appears (I hate to stand in front of a crowd/on stage where everyone looks at me – believe it or not) and I am always super scared of disappointing people and being a failure, the 3 weeks before the trip were nerve-wrecking for me. Haha. I could barely sleep or had nightmares in which my workshop was a total disaster or nobody showed up. But there was no turning back.

ニューヨークへ行く前にSNSのフォロワーと相談し、「もしワークショップをやるなら何を勉強したい？」との質問してみた。多くの方々はアンジーの着物スタイリングや着付けについて知りたくて、日本髪の結い方を教えて欲しいとの声もありましたので、その二つのトピックのワークショップを企画してみました。

ワークショップをやるのは初めてでとても怖くて不安いっぱいでした。実はあまり人の前に立つ自信がないのです・・　そしてお客様が誰も来なかったら、どうする？？期待外れだったら大変・・とのことは頭の中でずっと回ってて（笑）ワークショップ前は、よく寝れず、ワークショップがうまく行かない悪夢を何回もみて・・　バカみたい！

A few days after my arrival I had my first workshop:

Kimono styling & kitsuke (kimono dressing)

To my relief almost all slots were booked and everyone seemed to have so much fun!
Even I wasn’t nervous because everyone was so sweet and trusting and I tried to explain and help as much as I could.
When people told me they finally understood and could improve something they were puzzled about for a long time and that they were happy with what they learned I was really moved! What a rewarding feeling.

Towards the end my dear Nihongami and Kitsuke sensei Yoko Sawa also came by to say hello and she helped me to take care of the half group for obi dressing.
Everything went so smooth and we finished right on time. What a blessing!
(Neither-less to say that I slept like a rock that night ahaha. And I had super sore muscles from whooping my heavy kimono filled suitcase around the metro stairs.)

着物スタイリングと着付けワークショップ

ニューヨークで初めてのワークショップ・・　怖かったけど、結局ほとんど満員御礼（といっても6人ですけど　笑）で大変喜びです。定員6名というのもちょうど良かったと思います。
まだまだわたし自身が勉強中なので、分かりにくかったことも多いと思うけど、皆さんはとても親切にしてくれたり、ある意味、勉強なのにとても楽しい時間でした（笑）目の前のことに夢中になってたら、皆の前であまり恥ずかしいとかも忘れて、色々説明はできたと思います。２時間半はあっという間に終わった。
そして「あ、やっと分かった！」とか「ずっとここは悩んでたけど、これで綺麗に着れそう」などなどの暖かいコメントで本当に幸せで泣きそうになった。

帯結びに入ろうとしたとき、尊敬する着付けと日本髪先生澤葉子さんが特別ゲストとして遊びにきてくれて、三人の参加者に名古屋帯の結び方を教え、私は残り三人の着物ビギナーの方々に半幅の文庫結びを教えてみた。
澤さんが同じタイミングでニューヨークまできてて本当に嬉しかったです。

次の日はさすがにすごい筋肉痛（笑）ニューヨークのメトロや建物はエレベーター、エスカレータが少ないので重いスーツケースで様々な階段を上り下りしました。日本髪と着物姿でハルクみたいに・・こんな不思議な自分を見てみたかった（笑）

The Nihongami workshop

was scheduled for a week after and since it is quite a niche topic there weren’t as many participants (however looking back I am glad there weren’t more because I could take enough time to explain and help in detail.)

Since Yoko was still in the city and she is a Nihongami veteran I was glad that she was willing to help me with my workshop. She showed step by step how to do the (modernized version) traditional Japanese hairstyle and I translated and helped the girls in detail to repeat the steps on themselves.

Photographer Jun whom I met through a friend also stopped by to document everything in pictures. Thanks so much again Jun!!