mimēsis (English spelling) mimesis

...However, while Dengaku performed acrobatic tricks such as sword balls and a group of beautiful boys singing and dancing (this was the original art of Dengaku) ​​in the first half of the performance, followed by a Noh performance with "characters" and a "story = plot," Sarugaku performed Noh based on the dramatization of the fertility ritual called Okina Sarugaku. According to Orikuchi Shinobu, "Noh" is an abbreviation of "attitude" and originally meant "imitation," so in that sense, "Noh" refers to the part of stage performance based on imitation, that is, the part that Aristotle would have described as mimesis, and if the show-like part like Dengaku's original art is called "pure play," then "Noh" meant "substitute play." This dichotomy actually existed in ancient Greece, where the dithyrambs, already mentioned, were hymns to Dionysus performed in a circular dance with an orchestra (in other genres the chorus was performed in a square), and did not wear masks or costumes, nor did they play any roles, so in this respect they were contrasted with tragedy, satyr play, and comedy, which were all forms of substitute theatre.

*Some of the terminology explanations that mention "mimēsis" are listed below.

Source | Heibonsha World Encyclopedia 2nd Edition | Information

…しかし田楽は上演の前半で刀玉（とうぎよく）などの曲芸や美少年の集団歌舞を演じ(これが田楽の元芸である)，次いで〈登場人物〉と〈物語＝筋〉のある能を演じたのに対し，猿楽は翁猿楽という豊穣祭祀の演劇化を元芸として能を演じていた。折口信夫によれば〈能〉は〈態〉の略字であり，本来〈物まね〉を意味していたから，その意味では，〈能〉とは舞台上演の物まねに基づく部分，つまりアリストテレスならミメーシスmimēsisと説く部分を指すのであって，田楽元芸のようにショー的な部分を〈純粋演戯〉と呼ぶなら，それに対して〈代行型演戯〉を意味していた。　このような二分法は，実は古代ギリシアにも存在したので，すでに触れたディテュランボスは，ディオニュソスへの讃歌をオルケストラにおいて円形に舞われる舞歌によって表すものであり(他のジャンルではコロスは四角に展開した)，仮面も衣装もつけず，役を演ずるのでもなかったから，この点で，代行型演戯である悲劇，サテュロス劇，喜劇とは対比されていた。…

※「mimēsis」について言及している用語解説の一部を掲載しています。

出典｜株式会社平凡社世界大百科事典 第２版について | 情報