Basic Study in Ma Timing in Gagaku: Between the Dancer and the Ryuteki Player in Bugaku Dance "Ryo-Ou"

Accurate, yet delicate, timing is required in Japan´s traditional performing arts, which include gagaku, the ancient court dance and music. This study is an empirical attempt at understanding the ma timing by analyzing the relationship between the dancer and the player of the ryuteki (dragon flute), an ancient musical instrument used for ceremonial court performances. We conducted experiments under five different conditions to compare how the performers timed their ma: 1. Dancing without musical accompaniment, 2. Dancing to the recorded ryuteki music, 3. The dancer and musician standing back to back, 4. The dancer and musician looking in the same direction, and 5. The dancer and musician facing each other. The results showed that the subjective ma timing perceived by the dancer was not always the same as the exact, physically-measured time.