Ideas for standout performances and a roundup of dance songs for the sports festival

cheer dance

Fukui Commercial High School Cheerleading Team JETS Blue at the All Japan Cheer Dance Championship 2019 Finals

When people think of cheering, many probably picture cheer dance first.

It’s one of the familiar performance styles in Japan, and you often see it at events like Koshien these days.

However, many people think cheer dance involves lots of jumping and acrobatics and is difficult.

In fact, that’s a misconception.

The acrobatic routines most people imagine are cheerleading, which is also a competitive sport.

Cheer dance is simply a form of dance and doesn’t require special physical abilities.

That’s why it’s easy to take on even for school sports festivals.

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Ryo

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Flag dance

2016-10-09 34th Sports Festival, 2nd-year middle school dance: Shining Sun flag

Flag dancing is a staple performance at school sports festivals.

When many people perform together, it makes for a very impressive show.

All you need to prepare are matching flags.

The main moves involve spinning and waving the flags to the rhythm, so the choreography itself isn’t that difficult.

However, continuously waving the flag can get heavy and put a strain on you, so be sure to practice thoroughly to get used to it and don’t forget post-practice care! There are also instructional books and DVDs that explain the choreography in detail, so please use them as references when you try it for the first time.

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Hirakawa Masako (Bōkarisuto: Sakata Mizumako)

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chantAdo

ADO 'singing' USJ Halloween Horror Nights Zombie de Dance – Tried Dancing

The song “Show” is one of Ado’s tracks that gets the crowd going the most at her live shows.

The song itself is famous, but it’s the scenes from USJ’s Halloween event, Zombie de Dance, that instantly come to mind, right? Watching zombies in the daytime has its own charm, so using “Show” as the performance track is a great idea! There are plenty of dance tutorial videos for “Show” uploaded on various video sites, so even beginners can feel at ease.

Dressing up as a zombie is a fun option too! It’s a highly recommended track that will have rival teams itching to dance as well.

Running Man

2015 Sports Day Running Man

The step that became famous through Sandaime J Soul Brothers’ hit song “R.Y.U.S.E.I.,” the Running Man, is a move that looks like you’re running in place.

In the late 2010s, short videos showcasing this dance were trending on social media.

While the Running Man alone doesn’t make a complete dance, it’s an easy step to transition from into other moves, so it’s a good idea to include it as part of elementary school dance activities.

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Ryo

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Love Dance

Tried Dancing the Koi Dance at the High School Sports Festival

The hugely popular drama “We Married as a Job” (original title: Nigero wa Haji da ga Yaku ni Tatsu) aired in 2016.

Starring artist Gen Hoshino and Yui Aragaki, it later became the catalyst for the two to become a married couple.

One major factor behind the drama’s success was the “Koi Dance.” With its cute and catchy choreography, it gained nationwide popularity.

When choosing dances to perform at school sports festivals, it’s important to consider that everyone should be able to dance them.

From that perspective, the Koi Dance can be considered an excellent choice.

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Ryo

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A performance using umbrellas

@akikusa.hs

Akikusa Gakuen High SchoolSaitama PrefectureGirls' schoolPrivate high schoolSports Festivalgroup performance

♪ Original Song – [Official] Akikusa Gakuen High School – [Official] Akikusa Gakuen High School

Here’s an introduction to a performance piece that showcases a crisp, dynamic dance using umbrellas opened by the whole group.

Dancing with umbrellas mounted on sticks allows you to express height and add three-dimensional dynamism to the choreography.

Spinning the umbrellas also delights the audience visually.

If you plan to spin the umbrella with its tip on the ground, we recommend adding patterns to it beforehand.

With patterns, you can create a different visual effect when it spins like a top.

Using umbrellas that can open and close broadens your staging options and lets you present a wonderful performance in front of the audience.

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Nakajima Junko

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full-body tights

[Sports Festival] Boys’ Class Gag Dance

If you want to prioritize impact, I recommend these full-body suits.

All you’re doing is performing a dance while wearing them, but compared to standard costumes or gym uniforms, the single color makes a strong impression all by itself.

However, there’s one drawback… Since everyone wears the same suit, parents can’t tell which child is theirs (lol).

If you can overlook that downside, it can be a fantastic performance that really livens up the sports festival.

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Ryo

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