Shall We Dance - Prologue

[Jean W. Williams]

Japanese contestants have participated in the international ballroom dance
competition scene since the 1960's.  During the time I was resident in
Tokyo (1988 - 1995) there was evidence,in the way of specialty shops
catering to ballroom dancers' needs (costumes, shoes, etc.), TV programs,
etc. that it was a fairly well-established phenomenon.  So I don't know
how Suo is defining "recent".

I think the previous boom in ballroom was in the Taisho era when there
were taxi dancers and the moga (modan gyaru).

BTW, flamenco is also wildly popular among certain Japanese -- I mean
actually dancing it, not just watching.  So when in the movie it is said
that the character played by Takenaka is "A Latin kinda guy", I had to
laugh.  There are apparently more of those in Japan than meets the eye!

Just recently here in NYC at LaMaMa there was a performance by las
Flamencas Orientales.  Yup.  All Japanese.  But only one guy.  Maybe the
other "Latin guys" all had to be at work back in the kaisha.

I think that's part of the reason I like this movie on one level.  It
pleases me enormously to imagine that underneath the dozy facade of
every navy blue salaryman on the crowded train there lurks a cha cha just
dying to be set free.

Jean Williams
Dept. of Performance Studies
Tisch School of the Arts
New York University
jqw3827 at is2.nyu.edu