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HANAKENGO AND SHOSHINZ: COMEDY AND DANCE AT TOKYO DECANDANCE.

Hanakengo para para dance and comedy troupe from Japan, performing at Tokyo Decadance

How can I begin to describe Hanakengo? They’re white, and lumpy, and have turds on their heads, and bounce about in a coked-up dance.

And did I mention that they’re wicked awesome? The Japanese duo (made up of female Hana and male Kengo) recently performed at the Montreal Fringe Festival… and utterly baffled the French-Canadians. Hanakengo’s moves are an interplanetary spin on para para, avantgarde, and childish glee. No wonder they often headline at Tokyo Decadance, the club night that draws in many Goth Lolis.

Shoshinz, Japanese maid comedy duo, performing song and dance.As if these two aren’t bizarre enough on their own… Hanakengo has acquired partners in crime, two clown-faced meidos known as Shoshinz. (The photo above made me spit out my drink – can you imagine coming across these four sipping cappuccinos? ) According to their MySpace, “Shoshinz” is anglicized Japanese for “shy, timid people” – “but Shoshinz are maids who are subservient to nothing and no-one.” Their exaggerated song/dance/stage antics are cheeky and quite original.

Surrealist comedy – a genre that tickles me to no end. I leave you with Hanakengo’s hilarious e-mail interview with the Montreal Mirror:

†Mirror: How would you describe a Hanakengo performance?
†Hanakengo: PoPPooooo!!!! Perrapome kemuni po!!! Hanakengo take you into a somewere sometime!!!! That PIYO PIYO PIyoYO!!!! You see, Hanakengo enjoy living too much!!
†M: How do people react when they see Hanakengo perform?
†H: Someone happy, someone laughing, someone confused… But, lot of people say, I WANT PLAY WITH HANAKENGO!! Yes, let’s Hanakengo together!!! We want dance with you!! Chu chuchu!!
†M: Hanakengo has performed many places. What was the most interesting?
†H: We like street!! All kind of people can see us!!! We want show, irrespective of age or sex.
†M: Is Hanakengo a virus? Is the Hanakengo virus dangerous?
†H: Fu Fu fu fufufu POOOO!! …DANGEROUS!!!! Please watch!!!
†M: Do Hanakengo actually eat people’s brains? If so, when you eat a stupid person’s brain, are you still hungry afterwards?
†H: Stupid brain? WHOOOoooooooooPs!!!!! Yockey!!!! We search for sweeeeeeeeeet brain!!!!! †M: On your website, hanakengo.com, there are many photos of people with blue tongues. Why are their tongues blue?
†H: Dhehehehehe… they are Hanakengorian!!! Hanakengo have blue tongues!!! We hope Montreal people to be Hanakengolian!!!!

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  1. […] was quite the sight: walking along Yasakuni-doori with us eccentrics, in a borrowed Hana-Kengo […]