Kabuki: The people's dramatic art - Amanda Mattes

View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/kabuki-the-... The Japanese dance and theater art of kabuki, derived from the word kabuku, meaning "out of the ordinary," can be traced back to the streets of seventeenth-century Kyoto. Kabuki became a dramatic art for the common people, with its use of makeup and facial expressions rather than masks, as well as a playful take on current events. Amanda Mattes tracks the evolution of kabuki and its place in Japan's rich cultural heritage. Lesson by Amanda Mattes, animation by Tom Gran.