I want to dance at the school sports festival! Soran Bushi music and choreography
When it comes to powerful performances at school sports days, the Soran Bushi dance surely comes to mind.
Some schools present it every year as a tradition.
In this article, we’ll introduce versions of Soran Bushi suitable for sports day.
In addition to classics like Nanchū Soran and Yosakoi Soran, we’ll also feature choreography that even preschool and kindergarten children can dance, as well as dances that incorporate the feel of Soran Bushi.
There are also choreography videos with difficulty levels set by age, so feel free to use them as a reference.
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I want to dance at the sports festival! Soran Bushi songs and choreography (1–10)
[Soran-bushi/Nanchu Soran] Choreography demo with a simple explanation
![[Soran-bushi/Nanchu Soran] Choreography demo with a simple explanation](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/cx8AcBvFzFY/sddefault.jpg)
This is the choreography for “Nanchū Sōran” introduced by Dr.
Morimori, a prominent Sōran Bushi researcher and trainer who has uploaded numerous Sōran Bushi videos! While keeping the classic moves like hauling and pulling the nets, the choreography has been crafted to feel very powerful.
Some parts are quite fast, but I think junior high and high school students can dance it without any problem.
If you want to perform a cool Sōran Bushi, why not practice it and give it a try?
Upper elementary (inverted)
This is the Soran Bushi dance for upper elementary students, performed by Shun Kutsuoka! Since it’s for the upper grades, it starts from a stance where you lower your hips to about knee level.
The choreography features powerful arm movements, and precise footwork becomes important as well.
In addition to the classic net-pulling motion, there are sequences where you repeat the same movement to the left and right in order, so be sure to confirm carefully from practice which side you start on to avoid mistakes in the performance.
Your legs and arms will probably be tired toward the end, but make sure to hit the final pose with a sharp, steady stop to finish cool!
Traditional Soran
Seichō Sōran is said to be the most traditional among the various Sōran-bushi.
That’s because it is sung in Yoichi and Shakotan in Hokkaido, where the Sōran-bushi originated.
Compared to Nanchū Sōran or Yosakoi Sōran, its tempo is slower and it gives a stronger, more forceful impression.
Since it began as a work song sung by fishermen, the students here perform it while waving large fishing flags.
The taiko drumming also resounds solidly, adding to the impact.
I Want to Dance at the Sports Day! Soran Bushi Music and Choreography (11–20)
TAKIO Soran Bushi
“TAKIO Soran Bushi” is an earlier song than “Nanchuu Soran,” sung by Takio Ito.
Many older people may have danced the Soran Bushi to this recording.
Ito’s powerful vocals and the rock-style arrangement make the Soran Bushi even more exciting.
The choreography is basically the same, but during the instrument solo sections the movements become a bit lighter and more relaxed.
You can treat that as a brief rest, or it might be interesting to insert some original choreography there.
Yocchore
“Yocchore” is a Tosa dialect phrase meaning “move aside and keep to the edge.” This routine, popular at school sports festivals, mixes Kochi’s Yosakoi dance with the Soran Bushi, which is said to have originated in Hokkaido.
The music incorporates modern rhythms, so along with traditional Japanese movements that emphasize a deep, grounded stance, it also includes hip-hop and rock elements—making it fun and easy even for young children to dance.
Holding naruko clappers adds sharpness to the movements and boosts the kids’ excitement, so it’s highly recommended!
Super easy: practice for kindergarteners
This is the classic “Nanchu Soran” danced at sports festivals, but since it’s designed for kindergarteners, the choreography is very easy to perform.
In the Soran Bushi, you usually lower your hips to about knee height in the initial stance, but that posture is quite difficult for small children.
This choreography starts by changing that, allowing them to dance with only a slight bend in the knees.
It’s arranged so it’s not overloaded yet doesn’t make the movements too small—gentle for kids and perfect for times when you want them to first discover how fun the Soran Bushi can be.
Warabi-za Soran
Soran Bushi that even small children can dance to while having fun.
This version adds a modern rhythm to the traditional Hokkaido folk song Soran Bushi.
There are no particularly complex moves; the charm lies in the friendly choreography that you can remember after watching it once.
Also, the up-tempo, rock-style music—perfect for a school sports day—naturally gets the audience clapping along.
It would be great to dance joyfully to the rhythm while also keeping in mind the bold, heroic motions of the fishermen!