Mari has been performing in the U.S. as a dancer for the NBA team the Golden State Warriors since October 2022. We interviewed her on the basketball court of the Ikenoue Youth Exchange Center "Ikesei," which got a renovation thanks to a partnership between the Rakuten Group and the Warriors.

We’re all used to seeing dancers on the sidelines at major sporting events. This is especially true for NBA and NFL games, and forJapanese dancers, performing in the U.S., where cheerleading was born, carries an unique prestige. We asked Mari, one of a small number of Japanese women to pass the NBA team dancer audition, what kind of feelings she had as she aimed for America.

“One of the reasons I started wanting to perform in the U.S. was because I participated in a cheerleading competition there when I was in university. The performances by the American teams that I witnessed there were truly brilliant. I think experiencing the authentic cheer spirit in the home of cheerleading is what motivated me to try new things.”

In the NBA, 82 games are played over the course of seven months beginning in October, with half of those being home games. As a member of the Warriors dancers, Mari performed at Chase Center, the Warriors’ home arena in San Francisco, from October 2022 until April 2023. Even now during the off-season, she continues to participate in community events. Although she felt insecure living in a foreign country for the first time, the fact that she was living on what she loves doing most became her anchor.

“In America you can’t get to practice or game venues without a car, so I got my first driver’s license in the U.S. Up until then, I’d never even lived alone before! Surprisingly, though, I can’t remember a time when I thought, ‘Oh, this is tough.’ It must be because the joy of being able to live doing something I loved was so much stronger.”

NBA dance contracts last for just a single season. Mari must pass another audition to continue performing on the coveted stage. Yet Mari’s expression and words are very relaxed, and there’s no hint of anxiety. That’s because she has her sights set on another goal, now that she has fulfilled one dream.

“My mentor Yagishita-san, who’s been a dancer for both NBA and NFL teams, always told me, ‘Beyond one dream lies the next dream.’ I’m at the point where I’m truly experiencing the weight of those words. Because I was able to dance for the Warriors, I now have the confidence to keep going further up. I’ve met so many wonderful people who’ve changed my life, and now I want to give back through dance, through whatever form it takes.”

The word “cheer” means to encourage, and Mari will continue giving energy to those around her through dance, exactly as the word implies. Rakuten has teamed up with Setagaya Ward―which has declared itself a “Child and Childcare Supporter City” to create a city where children can grow vibrantly, and is also where Rakuten’s headquarters is located―to advance the “ABFT (A Better Future Together) Dance Crew” project, utilizing the Ikesei basketball court to give future athletes and dancers inspiration and hope in various ways. Stay tuned for exciting events like a dance audition with a NBA dancer as a judge, and more lessons and performances!

INTERVIEW & TEXT: Keisuke Honda
PHOTO: Masashi Ura