ABSTRACT
Geisha give two types of equally important performances. The private performances for which geisha are best known are called ozashiki, and they are held in teahouses and in elegant banquet halls. In addition to these small private performances, geisha also participate in large stage productions performed in theaters and open to the public. Geisha public stage performances are given annually and are of two main types. Several hanamachi create productions of entirely new material—newly composed and choreographed—and these are performed in the spring. In contrast to the annual stage performances which are created for them by their teachers, geisha stand on their own in the smaller nightly performances, relying upon their training from the day but relying equally upon personal innovation, creativity, and the ability to adapt and perform well in a variety of conditions.
