Wonderful sports day / athletic festival

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

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.
Keyboard playerSAKI
I’ve been playing the Electone since I was six, mainly performing Disney music, anime songs, and music from dramas and films. I post performance videos on YouTube and social media, and I also give concerts. Building on my Electone experience, I took up synthesizer and piano during my student years and performed at school-sponsored events. As a writer, I’ve covered not only music-related topics but a wide range of genres, so I hope to draw on my experience to deliver articles that make readers think, “I want to try that!” or “I want to listen to that!”

At school sports festivals, it’s not just the competitions—cheer battles and their performances are also major highlights.

Every year, the creative dances and joke-filled routines put on by elementary, middle, and high school students across the country are a joy to watch, and their full-body expressions can even be moving.

That said, some of you might be wondering what kind of performance to tackle this year.

In this article, we’ve put together a variety of ideas, including recommended dance tracks for performances and cheering at sports festivals.

You can go classic with a traditional school-uniformed cheering squad, or dance to trending songs—choose a performance that every member of your team can enjoy!

Ideas for Stunning Performances at Sports Festivals: Dance Song Compilation (21–30)

FANTASTIC BABYBIGBANG

FY2020 5-year-old class, daycare recital dance: FANTASTIC BABY (BIGBANG)

FANTASTIC BABYBIGBANG

BIGBANG’s iconic hit “FANTASTIC BABY,” which helped spark the K-POP boom in Japan.

Released in 2012, this track has gone hugely viral across social media platforms like X and TikTok, so its name recognition is outstanding! For the chorus, you can showcase the cool synchronized dance, and for the other parts, you might create your own choreography.

It’s perfect for teams that prefer a cool, stylish vibe over fiery cheering.

If your team has lots of K-POP fans, definitely consider this one!

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Student-discounted dance

[For Inversion/Practice] Student-Discounted Dance 50%・75%・100%

Student-discounted dance

If you want to energize your school sports festival with a pop-style dance, we recommend the “Gakuwatteru Dance.” This routine gained popularity as part of a SoftBank advertisement through many well-known YouTubers.

Since it was about six years ago, current students might not be familiar with it.

However, the dance is very catchy and easy to perform, making it perfect for a variety of students to showcase.

As shown in the linked video, if you practice from a slow tempo, anyone can learn it, so be sure to check it out.

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full-body tights

[Sports Festival] Boys’ Class Gag Dance

full-body tights

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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Mystical, Mysterious Adventure!Hiroki Takahashi

A male high school student dancing in a banana costume is way too funny!! “Dragon Ball / Cutie Honey”

Mystical, Mysterious Adventure! Hiroki Takahashi

Makafushigi Adventure, famous as the opening theme of Dragon Ball.

Even if you don’t know the title, many people will recognize it as soon as they hear the song.

This one is also great for dancing in costume as familiar characters like Son Goku, Bulma, and Master Roshi.

It could be fun to recreate iconic moments and battle scenes in the middle of the song, too! Since it’s a tune everyone knows, it’s easy to get the crowd fired up—so put on a cool performance that energizes the whole venue in time with the music.

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Age-age hoi-hoi

For the sports day cheer battle! A dance cheer showdown with Age-Age Hoi Hoi

Age-age hoi-hoi

A dance that anyone can do easily: Age Age Hoi Hoi.

While the choreography might feel uncool to middle and high school students, it’s highly recommended for elementary schoolers in terms of difficulty.

The best thing about this dance is its simple steps.

Even the so-called easy “box step” can feel hard for younger kids, but Age Age Hoi Hoi only moves forward and backward, so there’s no need to worry about footwork.

It also works as a warm-up, so it’s recommended as a performance for lower grades.

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Make you happyNiziU

https://www.tiktok.com/@shakachan.1915/video/6863373810939268354

With its bright, positive melody and upbeat rhythm, this song is perfect for energizing a school sports festival! The poppy, catchy chorus and the lively, cute “jump-rope dance” naturally bring smiles to those watching and make them want to join in.

Because this song conveys energy and fun to the fullest, it’ll lift the mood of your class even during practice! It’s great for expressing your class’s brightness and teamwork, adding extra charm to your performance—be sure to give it a try.

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ChangeONE OK ROCK

https://www.tiktok.com/@sakura__sakura31/video/7495649975771155719

This song’s rock sound, where strength coexists with a touch of poignancy, is perfect for anyone who wants to deliver a passionately emotional performance! True to its title, it carries a message of “change” and “challenging a new self,” which aligns perfectly with the image of a sports festival where you grow with your teammates and give it your all.

The chorus, with its exhilarating sense of speed, is ideal for staging that highlights dynamic movements and formations.

Plus, the contrasts between stillness and motion can create a dramatic arc in your performance.

If you want to craft an unforgettable sports festival, be sure to take inspiration from this!

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