Out of the Dust - a dance film short

Out of the Dust is told through ghosts of Manzanar Detention Camp who come to life through the poetry of Janice Mirikitani, the music of Miles Lassi and Paul Chihara, and the Japanese American folk dance “Ei Ja Nai Ka” (lit., “Ain’t it good?”) choreographed and music written by PJ Hirabayashi.  After the closing of the camps, who and what memories were left behind in the windy dust-laden desert of Manzanar?

Out of the Dust is a film dedicated to the memory of our friend and collaborator, Japanese American poet and child incarceree Janice Mirikitani.

***Due to recent flooding in the Ferst Center for the Arts lobby, the opening of NI DO TO and Out of the Dust has been delayed. We are working closely with our operations team to determine a new opening date, and will post updated information here as it is available. IKKAI will occur as scheduled on Sept. 16 at 4:30 and 8 p.m. ***

The film will be shown in the lobby of the Ferst Center of the Arts in conjunction with the NI DO TO installations. All are free and open to the public. Open Tuesday-Saturday, 12-6 p.m., from September 18 through October 27 (closed on 9/30 and 10/21 for home football games.)

Co-Created by Yayoi Kambara and Brian Staufenbiel 
Directed by Brian Staufenbiel
Choreography by Yayoi Kambara and Cast 
Sound Design and Original Music by Miles Lassi
Poetry written and read by Janice Mirikitani
Ei Ja Nai Ka Obon Dance Choreography by PJ Hirabayashi, Music and Lyrics written in collaboration with Yoko Fujimoto and Nobuko Miyamoto

Additional Music: 
Minidoka Tears composed by Paul Chihara, performed by Colin Jacobsen, Violin
Fue 7 composed and performed by Roy Hirabyashi 
Awa-no-Uta performed by PJ Hirabayashi, arrangement by Mariko Miho, PJ Hirabayashi
Nana-shi and Celebration from Kodama: Echoes of the Soul by San Jose Taiko

Cast / Dancers:
Erik Debono, Farmer (duet)
PJ Hirabayashi, Spirit Guide
Mimi Jacobsen, Lost Child
Yayoi Kambara, Woman with Comb
Momoe Luce Kambara-Coughlin, Child 
Kaia Makihara, Baseball Player
Maile Okamura, Seamstress
Lani Yamanaka, Farmer (duet)
Mark Yamanaka, Doctor

Creative Producer - Courtney Ozaki (Japanese Arts Network)
Costume Coordination - Maile Okamura 
Hair and Makeup Design - Jenny-King Turko
Costume Tailor - Annette Ribeiro 

Film Editor - Sam Clevenger 
Lead Camera Operator - Jeffrey Gass
Second Camera / Steadicam Operator - Jonathan Takenaka
Assistant Camera Operator / Focus Puller - Yoshiki Abe

Special thanks to Manzanar National Historic Preservation Site and Christine Holtslander, Alisa Lynch Broch, Roger Myoroku, and David Murakami.

Out of the Dust was filmed in conjunction with IKKAI means once: a transplanted pilgrimage which was commissioned by the Japanese American Citizens League San Jose Chapter and funded by the Hewlett Foundation, the New England Foundation for the Arts, the Kenneth Rainin Foundation, the Japanese American Citizens League Northern California Western Nevada Pacific District, the San Francisco Arts Commission, the Dancers’ Group’s CA$H Dance, the Fleishhacker Foundation, and the Zellerbach Family Foundation. 

Photos, videos, and illustrations courtesy of the artist, project collaborators, and Georgia Tech Arts.