The "A BETTER FUTURE TOGETHER Dance Project" brings together hopeful young performers under the guidance of pro NBA dancers. It is set in the basketball court at the Ikenoue Youth Exchange Center "Ikesei," developed jointly by Rakuten Group and Setagaya Ward, which is where the company's headquarters is located. As a follow-up to our previous coverage of the dance audition judged by professional NBA dancers, today we report on the rehearsal scenes of the 12 female dancers who passed the audition, as they prepare for their halftime show performance at the university basketball world championships "World University Basketball Series (WUBS) 2023 presented by Sun Chlorella,"

Reiko’s voice―the director of this project―rang out in the Tokyo Setagaya Ward rehearsal venue.

“You’re all doing great!” “More! Let’s make it even better!”

In front of her were the twelve dancers who passed the audition, rehearsing with tremendous energy to deliver their best performance at the WUBS halftime show at the Yoyogi National Gymnasium Second Hall.

The successful candidates are Aika, Ayaka, Ayane, Mayu, Mei, Nahoko, Sana, Sanae, Sheena, Yuki, Yuria, and Yuzuki. “The ‘A BETTER FUTURE TOGETHER Dance Crew’ is formed by dancers from different backgrounds, and it’s a group brimming with individuality,” says Reiko. The four dancers with NBA dance experience, Reiko, Manami, Anzu, and Mari, each choreographed one song for the dancers to perform. Each song is approximately 1.5 minutes long, and this dance crew of 12, armed with four songs of authentic performance learned from professional dancers, will put everything they have into bringing the crowd to their feet on the day of the performance.

Over the course of three full days of ensemble rehearsals, the twelve dancers drilled not only the choreography, but the overall flow and each individual’s precise movements into their heads and bodies. The exact angle when extending a hand, the rotation of the hip, the timing of jumps and crouches… sections that must be perfectly synchronized are repeated over and over again until everyone gets it. Perfecting choreography created by professional dancers is no easy task, and on top of that, each member also must prepare for a solo performance. Even during breaks built into the rehearsal time, dancers could be seen consulting with each other on parts they’re uncertain about, and offering each other advice. Each dancer, imagining herself performing on the big stage, proactively sharpens her skills.

“How did that performance feel?”

Every time they finished a run-through, Reiko asked everyone the same question. This was because she wanted each dancer to actively think about how to make their performance even better. “More than anything, I want the girls to enjoy dancing with members they might never get to dance with again in this once-in-a-lifetime group.” Reiko gave the dancers advice as a professional dancer, and changed the choreography and positions based on feedback to make the best performance. “I want each dancer to shine.” We felt her passion in her words and actions. The demanding rehearsal wrapped up with a full-out run-through of all four songs. To Reiko’s concluding question “Good job! How did that feel?”, all the members answered with smiles: “It was so fun!”

Each participating dancer has a vision of her own future. The invaluable experience of dancing to professional choreography and receiving direct mentorship will undoubtedly help the participants achieve their dreams, serving as a lifelong asset.

TEXT: Keisuke Honda