[floatr][/floatr]Mainichi: Geisha girls take to learning English to keep tradition alive
About 50 geisha girls have begun learning English conversation to help keep their tradition alive. A local organization determined to maintain and promote traditional entertainment performances is organizing English classes for geisha girls, both veterans and apprentices. Organizers hope that the geisha girls will talk to overseas tourists in English about their local traditions. English sentences used in the lessons include a question that the girls will probably have trouble answering even in Japanese. It reads, "Why do you have so much white powder on your face?" The girls have also been practicing saying, "I love dancing."