[Definitive Guide] Guaranteed Crowd-Pleasers! Party Acts and Gags Everyone Will Enjoy
In addition to enjoying food and drinks at New Year’s parties, year-end parties, and farewell parties, it’s also common to set aside time for entertainment.
If you’re asked to come up with the entertainment… it can be a real headache, right?
For those who absolutely want to get laughs and make it a fun time for everyone, I’d like to introduce some can’t-miss entertainment ideas!
Of course, “can’t-miss” doesn’t mean a guaranteed success, but try choosing based on the age range and makeup of the group.
We’ll also introduce classic games that get everyone excited regardless of age or gender.
Here’s hoping your gathering is fun and lively!
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Definitive Edition: Guaranteed Crowd-Pleasers! Party Acts and Skits That Everyone Will Love (21–30)
wotagei
We also recommend otagei—dancing your heart out while waving glow sticks in slightly dimmed lighting—as a great act to liven up year-end and New Year parties.
The image of “otagei is just for anime and idol nerds” is already outdated! Recently, short social media videos of people doing otagei to trending songs have become hugely popular, and attitudes toward otagei have changed a lot.
When you actually watch the footage, the arcs of light are so beautiful, dreamlike, and moving.
If you showcase a performance like that as entertainment, the audience will be captivated before they know it.
pantomime
A perfect idea for those looking for a standout, unconventional party performance! Pantomime is a form of storytelling performed solely through the actor’s gestures, without speaking any lines.
In today’s films and stage productions, dialogue, music, and sound effects are the norm—precisely why pantomime, stripped of all that, can feel so fresh and striking.
Let’s start by learning the classic “wall” routine, a staple of pantomime.
If you grasp a few tricks to make it look convincing—like keeping your wrists vertical—even beginners can give it a try!
papercutting
Here’s an introduction to “kamigiri,” a performance you can do with just paper and scissors.
This is truly a skill-based art, so it takes practice, but if you can perform it, it’s sure to make you stand out at any party.
Simply put, you present improvised paper-cut art while talking.
What you say is up to you, but it’s good to touch on the theme—what you’re expressing.
Watching hands move decisively without any preliminary sketch makes you excited, wondering what it will become.
Once you’ve chosen a theme, start by drawing a rough outline at first and practice so you can cut smoothly.
Earphone Loud Telephone Game
The more people who join, the more exciting it gets—the ‘Blasting Earphones Telephone Game’ is perfect for a welcome party because it really heats things up! Participants put on earphones, blast music at high volume, and get ready.
The first person passes the prompt to the person next to them, and that person, relying on lip movements and gestures, interprets it and passes it on to the next person, and so on.
If the final person’s answer matches the original prompt, it’s a success.
Watching the prompt morph as it’s passed along is hilarious, and the whole venue will be filled with laughter.
Limbo dance
Limbo dance originated on the island of Trinidad in the West Indies.
It’s a simple dance in which you pass under a horizontally held bar, yet it’s enjoyed all over the world.
As you go under the bar, you lean your upper body backward.
The lower the bar gets, the harder it is to keep your balance, and many people end up falling backward.
The great thing about this dance is that it’s a hit whether you succeed or fail.
For those who aren’t very flexible, it can be tough—you might bow out early and get the crowd going right from the start.
freestyle rap
If you’re looking for a cool party trick, how about some freestyle rap? The appeal of rap lies in its confident presence, word choice, and the satisfying feel of rhymes.
It might seem tough for beginners, but it’s actually a very free form, so for a party performance, it’s great to express your emotions in straightforward words.
A two-person rap battle is also recommended.
Play a beat as background music and use your words to attack your opponent—get the crowd fired up!
parody song
If you like singing or are good at it, why not perform a parody song at the party? Take a popular tune and sing it with original lyrics that incorporate your recent experiences or current events everyone knows.
If you’re short on ideas, check out popular parody videos for inspiration.
Also, instead of relying on just the singing, consider adding costumes or choreography.
Simply singing earnestly in a funny outfit can get laughs and help ease your nerves.
Ranking Battle
How about trying “Kakuzuke Check,” the TV program that’s become a New Year’s favorite, as entertainment for your welcome party? The rules are simple: participants choose between a luxury item and a cheap one using their sense of taste or smell, and they take on the challenge while blindfolded.
Prepare two rooms, A and B; have people enter the room that corresponds to their chosen answer, and once everyone has chosen, reveal the correct answers.
It’s a surefire way to get both participants and spectators excited.
Inviting the newcomers themselves to join in should also help deepen interaction.
flash mob dance
Flash mobs that bring unexpected emotion to proposals and parties are a tempting choice for entertainment.
Yamauchi from the comedy duo Kamaitachi pulled off a huge gag by attempting a flash mob all by himself at his partner Hamaie’s wedding.
We wouldn’t recommend it unless you’re very brave… Since it’s mainly dancing, it may require a longer practice period than other performances.
It’s reassuring if you have a few people with dance experience.
For company events, it might be fun to divide into teams—like a junior team and a veteran team—and perform that way!
Telepathy Gesture Game
It’s no exaggeration to say that gesture games have long been a pillar of Japanese variety shows, and they’re always a hit as party entertainment.
Here, instead of a typical communication-style gesture game, we’ll introduce a telepathy-style version that tests whether two people are on the same wavelength.
First, present a prompt.
If the two performers make the same gesture, it’s a correct answer.
For example, if the prompt is “baseball” and one person acts as a batter while the other acts as a pitcher, that’s a miss.
It’s even more fun if you set up a screen so they can’t see each other’s gestures!