Wonderful sports day / athletic festival

[Dance Songs] Recommended for school sports days and athletic festivals! A curated selection of popular tracks that are fun to dance to

10 years as a kindergarten teacher / elementary school teacher / junior and senior high school teacher / childminderkepiko
Graduated from Kunitachi College of Music, Faculty of Music (now: Department of Music Culture and Education, Early Childhood Music Education major). In elementary school, my homeroom teacher was Jun Kusaba, a game researcher. After graduating from university, I worked as a kindergarten teacher for 10 years and as an after-school childcare instructor for 7 years, then took a position as a music teacher at an international school in Singapore. In addition to music education, I engaged in activities that introduced Japanese culture, traditional games, and recreational activities, working with many children. Later, through freelance writing, planning, and editing at Shogakukan, I met many delightful adults and experienced the joy of communicating and sharing. Drawing on the perspective cultivated in the field of education and my experience as an editor, I provide practical information with an emphasis on both input and output, mainly in areas related to music and children. My hobbies include instruments, singing, handicrafts, toys, drawing, traditional games, the outdoors, and books. My special skill is spinning-top tricks.
Accompanist / Piano Instructoryuri
Accompanist pianist × piano instructor × web writer. I began piano lessons at age four and, inspired by my piano teacher, decided to pursue music. I went on to specialized music programs in high school and university, where I discovered the appeal of accompanying instrumentalists and singers. Currently, alongside teaching piano, I work mainly in my home region of Aichi as an accompanist for flute, voice, choir, and more. Through lessons, my students often introduce me to trending songs, and my hobby is trying anything on the piano—Japanese and Western pop, commercial jingles, and beyond. Since 2021, I’ve also been active as a web writer, covering music and a variety of other genres.

Among the events at school sports days and athletic festivals, the dance performance draws especially high attention.

Because students, teachers, and parents all look forward to it, choosing the right music becomes a big deal.

If you use the same songs every year, both students and parents will get bored, and if the songs aren’t well-known, the crowd won’t get excited…

So, for sports day dances, we recommend buzzworthy tracks and songs popular among students.

In this article, we’ll introduce songs that are especially popular for sports day dance routines!

It’s packed with anime theme songs and hit tracks that students love.

[Dance Songs] Perfect for Sports Days and Athletic Festivals! A Curated Selection of Fun, Popular Tracks to Dance To (31–40)

CharacterRyokushokushakai

[Original Choreography] Character / Ryokuoushoku Shakai

CharacterRyokushokushakai

If you’re struggling to find a pop song the whole class can dance to, I highly recommend “Character.” Released in 2022 by the pop-rock band Ryokuoushoku Shakai—known for their strong musicianship and wide-ranging musical style—the track was featured in Morinaga’s “in Jelly” commercial.

Its catchy melody evokes soul and funk.

Even those who aren’t confident dancers will find it easy to move to, making it great for classes with many beginners.

Try dancing to this colorful, instrumentally rich pop tune!

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Goodbye DeclarationChinozo

Chinozo “Goodbye Declaration” feat. FloweR

Goodbye DeclarationChinozo

This is the first digital single by music producer Chinozo, who began working as a Vocaloid producer in 2018 and has since expanded his activities to include unit projects and game streaming.

The song went viral on TikTok thanks to a finger-dance trend using the track, and despite being his debut release, it reached number one in YouTube’s VOCALOID play counts.

With its quintessential Vocaloid-style rapid-fire melody, lighthearted groove, and the striking impact of the finger dance, it’s packed with hooks that make it perfect as background music for dance.

It’s a recommended number for school sports day dance routines—fun for both performers and viewers alike.

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Hoshino Takashi

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Joyfulikimonogakari

Ikimono-gakari Joyful 2015

Joyfulikimonogakari

Ikimono-gakari is a duo with signature songs spanning a wide range of musical styles, from ballads to pop tunes.

Their 15th single, Joyful, released as a double A-side with YELL, is an upbeat track written specifically for Ezaki Glico’s Pocky commercial.

The catchy and simple choreography—surely eye-catching in the ad—seems easy to adopt in elementary schools and kindergartens alike.

Since the creators focused on the sonic fun of the lyrics during production, it’s a superb pop tune that children can sing along to without worrying about the meaning.

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Hoshino Takashi

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KICK&SLIDESandaime Jē Sōru Burazāzu fromu Eguzairu Toraibu

[Sports Day Dance] 'KICK & SLIDE' / Sandaime J SOUL BROTHERS (Easy Choreography | Lower Elementary, Middle Elementary, Upper Elementary)

KICK&SLIDESandaime Jē Sōru Burazāzu fromu Eguzairu Toraibu

For those looking for a song with simple choreography that even beginners can dance to at a sports day, “KICK&SLIDE” is highly recommended.

Created in 2021 by the dance and vocal group Sandaime J SOUL BROTHERS, it was used as the theme song for an anime of the same title.

The track features a funky yet poppy electro-synth sound.

Among their songs, it stands out for its catchy arrangement and can be enjoyed by all ages.

Be sure to check out the sports day dance video choreographed by Naoki Kobayashi!

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FateOfisharu Higedan Dism

Official HIGE DANDism – Fate [Official Video]

FateOfisharu Higedan Dism

Speaking of Official HIGE DANDism, their hit song “Pretender” comes to mind, but “Shukumei” is also popular among students! It was chosen as the support song for the 2019 ABC Summer High School Baseball and as the theme for “Netto Koshien.” Many people may find encouragement in the lyrics, which affirm a wide range of feelings and all the time spent up to now.

There’s no official choreography, but you can find videos of original dances on free video-sharing sites, so feel free to use them as references for your moves.

It seems like a song that would really shine with flag dancing!

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[Dance Songs] Recommended for Sports Days and Athletic Festivals! A Curated Selection of Fun, Popular Tracks to Dance To (41–50)

Rat-tat-tatSandaime Jē Sōru Burazāzu fromu Eguzairu Toraibu

‘Rat-tat-tat’ Official Music Video / Sandaime J SOUL BROTHERS from EXILE TRIBE

Rat-tat-tatSandaime Jē Sōru Burazāzu fromu Eguzairu Toraibu

A dance number that became popular thanks to the MV featuring members in cosplay and the widely shared “Ratatata Dance” on TikTok! The usually cool Sandaime J SOUL BROTHERS leave a strong impression as they dance with comical moves! If you’ve seen their usual choreography, you might think, “Isn’t it hard?” but the moves for this song seem doable not only for junior high and high schoolers but even for elementary school kids.

There’s lots of repetition, so give it a try! The regular, jump-inducing rhythm naturally amps up the sports day atmosphere, too!

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Permission to DanceBTS

Choreography for BTS 'Permission To Dance' That Even Preschoolers and Elementary School Kids Can Dance

Permission to DanceBTS

BTS, the hip-hop group now drawing attention from music fans around the world.

Their 2021 release “Permission to Dance” is a bright, poppy, danceable track.

Its light, catchy sound—reminiscent of funk and pop—sticks with you.

Their technical dancing and vocals are also part of the appeal.

Dance to this colorful, catchy pop song and you’re sure to stand out at school sports festivals or athletic events! Try performing it as a class to feel united as one.

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