Roundtable interview with professional dancers who lead the street dance scene!

Kanagawa has a wonderful dance environment.

-The final competition was very exciting, with loud cheers after each performance. Please let us know your honest opinions.

[Daayoshi] I could feel that everyone was dancing with great enthusiasm. I could see that they had practiced with all their heart and soul...I was moved by this, and even as a judge, I felt happy. “I know, I know, this is what dance is like after all (laughs).

[Mikako Kano] Also, I felt jealous. In our time, there weren't many competitions like this, and there were only a limited number of opportunities for presentations.

[CRAZY SHIZUKA] That's certainly true. Speaking of contests at that time...I think it was "DANCE DELIGT"? That's why it was so valuable to have a place where I could show the results of my practice to an unspecified number of people. But now there are so many contests, so I think it's great.

[Daayoshi] Among them, the ``National High School Nihon Odori Street Dance Battle'' is amazing. After all, the tournament is being held with the support of Kanagawa Prefecture, and Governor Kuroiwa was also present today. I think this is an unprecedented contest.

[CRAZY SHIZUKA] I think it’s amazing!

[Mikako Kano] Yeah. Dancing is something where you hone your technique by yourself, but the environment is also important for growth. Kanagawa Prefecture has a lot to offer, and I found it attractive.

−From a professional perspective, have you ever felt anything about student dance?

[Da-yoshi] Everyone is doing great. Perhaps it's because he practices every day as part of his club activities and is working seriously toward the tournament, but his level is high.

[DJ HIROKING]. I feel like I have been practicing in a way that will allow me to produce solid results and grow as a dancer. That means having a teacher who can give you good advice and not be selfish. It's creating a smart environment.

In our era, we searched for performance through groping.

-It means that there is a better environment for students who want to learn dance. On the other hand, are there any things that are different or that you are concerned about compared to when you were around?

[DJ HIROKING] This might contradict what I said earlier, but if I had to force myself to say it, I would say it's too sophisticated. For example, there are many themes in dance, such as hip-hop, jazz-hip-hop, rocking, popping, breaking, etc., but when I watch the students dance, I feel like I "understood it from the beginning." . What I mean by that is that I dance knowing that ``this is what XX dance is, right?'' In other words, they already know each type of dance.

I think that's probably because it's easy to learn dance from a teacher or on YouTube, but for me, I think that's why I don't feel like I'm fumbling around. In our time, the environment for obtaining information was not very good, so no matter what we did, we had to try our hand at it. I was honing my techniques, thinking about things like, ``Let's try that,'' or ``I'll try that.'' And I believe that by repeating that process, we are where we are today. But times are different from those days, and I don't think that's a good or bad thing, but I do feel that sometimes an "adventure" is necessary. Even if it turns out to be a mistake, it will lead to growth, and there is a possibility that it will become a big personality later on. If you can say, "Wow, I've never seen a dance like this before" (lol), that's the best part, even if you become a professional.

[Da-yoshi] I agree with that too. It may be a bit extreme, but I think it's not too late to master kata and learn the techniques of your seniors, even after you become a professional. If you stand on the line, that's what's expected of you to the point where you don't like it. That's why I would like them to try their hand at dance, something that only students of that era can do.

[CRAZY SHIZUKA] That's right. I also think that having a "playful spirit" and trying out different things is extremely important.

What we want you to aim for is a dance that attracts people with just one count and is “just cool.”

-We would like to ask Mr. CanDoo, who served as today's special judging committee chair. What points did you focus on when choosing this award-winning team?

[CanDoo] Of course, I focused on what everyone was talking about earlier. It's not about something we've seen somewhere before, but whether it's a performance that we have thought out ourselves.

Another thing we focused on was whether or not it was in a state of disrepair. As expected, it was noticeable that some teams were straining their shoulders too much in their desire to demonstrate the results of their training. But that's only natural because it shows that they're serious about dancing. During this process, I focused on teams that felt like the dance and music were integrated, rather than ``dancing to capture the sound of the music.'' Even if this isn't part of the judging process, it's also the focus of the dance I'm looking for, and the dancers who have influenced me so far have an amazing sense of unity with the music. So it's a comprehensive strength. Although elements such as the sharpness of the dance and the balance of the team's movements as a whole are important, we selected them based on whether they were able to produce a ``more natural performance.''

-Finally, please give a message to the students who will lead the next generation of dance.

[CRAZY SHIZUKA] I would like you to aim for dance without boundaries. For example, I think there are a lot of young people these days who are making distinctions in their music choices and performances, like saying a contest is a contest and a freestyle is a freestyle. It may be difficult not to differentiate between the two, but I want people to maintain a neutral mindset and enjoy dancing purely.

[Mikako Kano] I want you to dance a dance that you can only do now. I would like to see more dances that are rough-hewn, but energetic, and full of young energy. It is important to hone your technique, but the feeling of wanting to dance at that moment is something that only exists at that moment, so I hope each of you will give a performance that is full of your thoughts, ``This is what our dance is like!'' I would like you to create it. I'm really looking forward to the 4th Street Battle!

[Daayoshi] As long as you are a dancer, I would like you to value your ``choice of music'' as well. Dancers use the power of music to present their own performances. In other words, music is the life of performance. So, before you say you chose this song because you're good at it, what kind of song is it? It is important to choose a theme based on the background of the song and the content of the lyrics. This will give more depth to the dance.

[DJ HIROKING] I want you to cherish the emotion that comes from deep within your heart forever. For example, he doesn't show it to anyone, but he plays his favorite songs and dances like crazy. I think that's where a unique personality that is unique to that person emerges, and I think people are moved by that. Dance like no one is watching!

[CanDoo] With such a good environment, I would like to see more and more dancers who can ``excite the audience just by standing there''. And I would like young children to aim for that as well. It's great to be told that you're good at dancing, but it's a little different than that; it's just cool. When the music starts and the dancer moves for one count, you can't help but hear cheers from those around you. To aim for that, of course regular practice is essential, but I think it's important to look at your own dancing and explore the dances that only you can do.