Dancing with the Sansei

As it has done for more than a decade, the Orange County Sansei Singles held a dance on Aug. 6 at the Elks Lodge in Gardena as a benefit for the Nisei Week Japanese Festival. The proceeds donated to the Nisei Week Foundation during the festival’s closing ceremony on Aug. 21.

Live dance music, a mix of oldies and recent hits, was provided by Kokoro, featuring vocalists Jennifer Cella, Lauren Kinkade and Steven Santiago.

OCSS board members were introduced. From left: Stan Masumoto, Lorraine Dohzen, Laraine Miyata, Arlene Ito, Cheryl Idemoto, Peggy Tom and Larry Haramoto. Miyata and Tom were co-organizers of the event.

Members of the 2015 Nisei Week Court sold raffle tickets. From right: Queen Sara Hutter,Miss Tomodachi Karen Mizoguchi, Princess Tamara Teragawa, Princess Kelsey Kwong and Princess Camryn Sugita.

From left: 2016 Nisei Week Foundation President David Teragawa, Larry Haramoto of OCSS and Nisei Week board member Helen Ota.

Attendees alternated between social dancing and line dancing.

Photos by J.K. YAMAMOTO/Rafu Shimpo