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Wonderful entertainment/performances

Hidden talent acts to showcase at school: ideas to liven up the event

What would you do if someone said, “Show us a special talent!” at a school event? Since it’s a great opportunity, you’d want to perform a hidden talent that everyone will remember, right? School events are the perfect chance to show a different side of yourself! But when it comes down to it, many people might find themselves wondering, “What should I do?” In this article, we’ve gathered plenty of ideas for hidden talents that you can easily perform in the classroom or gym.

We’ll introduce a wide range—from things that can look amazing with a bit of practice to performances you can try with your classmates.

You’re sure to find the perfect hidden talent for you!

Hidden talent acts to showcase at school: Ideas to liven up events (31–40)

Recommended for koma lovers! Tightrope-walking tricks

[Two-Panel] Explanation! Tightrope Walking – Spintop Lectures
Recommended for koma lovers! Tightrope-walking tricks

If you’re good at spinning tops, how about showing off a slightly more advanced trick called “tightrope walking”? In this trick, the top travels along a string that you hold taut with both hands.

Before attempting it, you first need to learn a move called “Swallow Return.” Swallow Return is a trick where you throw a top with its string wound and catch it spinning on your palm.

Once the top is on your palm, hook both ends of the string around your index fingers.

Raise the hand without the top slightly; when the top’s spindle touches the string, lower the raised hand and guide the top along—if it keeps moving, you’ve nailed the trick! Practice well and give it a try.

Challenge the bamboo dance

Why not try the bamboo dance, performed with long bamboo poles? Originally a traditional dance from places like the Philippines, it’s also well known in Japan as a children’s activity.

The operators open and close four bamboo poles to a waltz-like three-beat rhythm, while the dancers step deftly to avoid getting caught by the poles.

Because coordination between operators and dancers is crucial, it’s a great hidden talent to showcase with close friends or classmates.

Start practicing with two poles, and once you’ve got the rhythm down, increase the number.

Having multiple dancers raises the difficulty, but it also makes the performance more dynamic and impressive.

Ensemble of plastic bottle shakers

[Plastic Bottles] Ensemble with Homemade Instruments: “Little Brown Jug.” Let’s all have fun together using plastic-bottle shakers! Flower Beat Akiko Yamamoto Toshiya Gomi Sho Hatsukano Yuki Hasegawa Masato Kobayashi
Ensemble of plastic bottle shakers

Let’s try performing with handmade instruments made from plastic bottles! The sound will change depending on the thickness and shape of the bottle and what you put inside, so try making a few while experimenting.

Once your instruments are ready, start tapping out rhythms to a song right away! The pitch will likely vary depending on the instrument, so think about the order in which you play them.

I think choosing a simple melody works well, but if you boldly pick a popular song that everyone loves, it might get the crowd even more excited.

Lifting Play Song

Shō Fukuda’s Juggling Play Song “Ghost Town”
Lifting Play Song

“Lifting Play Song” is a playful song where you do keep-ups while singing.

It was born from an idea introduced in Hirotaka Nakagawa’s radio show “Visible Radio!” in the popular segment “Everyone’s Hidden Talents.” This song is a play song that lets you move your body to the music and have fun lightly using your feet and body as if you’re doing keep-ups together.

How about actually trying some keep-ups with this song? You can enjoy it with friends, too.

Be sure to try it as a performance at school!

Double Dutch with two ropes

Double Dutch, which uses two ropes, has a different kind of dynamism from regular jump rope and really gets everyone excited! The turners swing each rope from the left and right, and the jumper goes in between, jumps, exits, and can even add tricks.

When entering, keep the rhythm as if you’re reaching to catch the rope, and step into the center between the ropes.

Jump lightly, just like with regular long-rope jumping.

When exiting, if you’ve jumped an odd number of times, exit diagonally opposite from where you entered; if you’ve jumped an even number of times, exit on the same side you entered.

Practice well while being careful not to get injured, and show off your skills!

Hidden talent acts to perform at school. Ideas to liven up events (41–50)

Unicycle master!

Aim to become a unicycle master (Kawane Elementary School)
Unicycle master!

A unicycle is more challenging than a bicycle because it doesn’t have handlebars.

That’s exactly why people who can ride one look so impressive! It’s also a perfect idea to show off as a hidden talent.

The key to riding a unicycle is to focus on moving forward from your navel.

Start by simply pedaling straight, then gradually try turning and taking curves.

Performing solo is great, but forming a team with a few people and presenting a dance-like routine to music is also highly recommended! Give it a try!

A classroom-relatable skit

[Relatable] Tried Doing All the Classic Classroom Moments from PE, Japanese, Math, Music, and More! [Short Skit]
A classroom-relatable skit

There are certain things at school that make everyone go, “So true!” right? Like the crushing sleepiness after school lunch or after swimming class, or the way the person whose attendance number matches the date always gets called on… How about putting on a short skit that showcases those school ‘relatable moments’? It’s a great idea to include not only things every elementary school student has probably experienced, but also quirks unique to your own school.

Doing impressions of distinctive teachers could be fun, too! Since the skit is built around shared experiences, it’s sure to get natural laughs from the audience.