Party acts that hype up the crowd: Recommended entertainment and performances for banquets and drinking parties [2026]
Farewell and welcome parties at work, year-end and New Year gatherings, after-parties with friends, and class reunions.
There are quite a lot of banquets and drinking parties, aren’t there?
They’re basically fun, but there’s one time that troubles new hires, young employees, and juniors… yes, the “entertainment segment”!
People often say, “Do something!” or “Can’t you do something funny?” and you end up covering it with an awkward smile, right?
In this article, we’ll introduce lots of recommended ideas for when you can’t dodge party entertainment, including skits and performances everyone can do together.
Be sure to use it as a reference when you’re in a pinch!
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Party tricks that get everyone excited: Recommended performances and acts for banquets and drinking parties [2026] (41–50)
Blindfold Dance
Perform a dance while blindfolded! What makes this bit so funny is that even people who are good at dancing suddenly can’t dance or start moving awkwardly once they’re blindfolded.
You can use it to show off how cool your dancing is, or play it for laughs—either way, it’s a crowd-pleaser.
Dancing solo is great, but we also recommend trying it with multiple participants to a song with a famous choreography.
Choose a track where everyone knows the real dance, and give it a go!
LOVE MachineMorning Musume
Many people know Morning Musume’s “LOVE Machine.” Just swing your hands left and right to the beat or copy a few simple moves, and smiles will quickly spread.
The energetic dance makes people around you naturally want to sway along, instantly brightening the atmosphere.
If you call out to each other in time with the song, the sense of togetherness at the party will jump way up! It’s an easy, low-pressure dance, so even first-timers are fine.
People around you will get drawn in and start dancing too, and everyone will end up laughing together and having a blast!
toast speech
Let’s get everyone involved, lead a toast chant, and liven up the party! The hallmark of this style is that everyone repeats the leader’s words.
The content can be tailored to the occasion, but having people repeat the phrases helps unify everyone’s hearts and gets them in the mood to enjoy the event! The trick is to include lines that are just a little embarrassing to say out loud—that’s what makes it fun.
A toast chant is usually done at the beginning, but it can also be used mid-party as a quick performance to re-energize the room—highly recommended!
New-hire things people can relate to
Here’s a set of classic “new employee” bits I recommend for anyone looking for a quick, comedy-style gag.
You’ll really feel like you’ve entered the working world with your first taste of the commuter rush, get overwhelmed by quirky peers, and nearly have your spirit broken by the sheer amount you have to learn… It’s full of chuckle-worthy material that mixes joy and struggle.
Each bit is short, so it won’t be too hard to memorize.
Why not team up with your fellow newbies and perform them as sketch comedy? Senior employees who see your material might even give you advice—which could lead to some positive feedback.
pretend idol
A classic crowd-pleaser for company parties and the like: impersonating an idol! Whether you’re a man or a woman, put on a cute frilly costume and sing and dance—you’re guaranteed to be a hit! Flash a beaming smile you don’t usually show, throw in the occasional wink, and strike those heart-melting idol poses, and the room will erupt in laughter and applause.
Singing while dancing is trickier than it looks, but what matters is performing with confidence, not perfection.
Channel your inner idol and turn the venue into a fever-pitch live concert!
manzai (a traditional Japanese stand-up comedy duo performance)
If you want to do something together with a close colleague or friend, how about trying manzai (a double-act comedy routine)? Pick up timely topics, inside jokes from your company or friend group, or trending themes, and create a fun, talk-centric manzai! If you’re unsure how to start, it’s a good idea to watch real manzai on TV or video sites for reference.
You can learn a lot from various aspects like how to deliver the boke (funny lines), the timing of the tsukkomi (retorts), what the retorts contain, and body movements.
But don’t forget originality—put on a manzai performance that makes everyone smile!
balancing act
Let me introduce a balancing trick using a sheet of newspaper.
Cut the newspaper to about 5 cm wide and 40 cm long, then fold it in half so the width is halved, making a crease so it looks like a “<” shape.Place this folded strip on your nose with the open side facing up and try to balance it.It’ll probably be difficult at first, so I recommend practicing by balancing it on your palm.The key to success is to move in sync with the newspaper’s motion: if it tips forward, move forward; if it tips backward, move backward, and so on.