On August 1st, during the annual Tokyo Dome match of the Rakuten Eagles, known as the Rakuten Super Baseball Game, the rock band Sambomaster performed their song "Dekikkonai wo Yaranakucha" live.In accordance with that, the dance team "SOCIAL WORKEEERZ" showcased their live performance.In the context of a professional baseball game, what message did they want to convey to the attendees?I had a conversation with the members of Sambomaster and DAIKI of SOCIAL WORKEEERZ just before their performance, probing their inner thoughts and feelings.

――In Rakuten Super Baseball Game, artists from different genres will collaborate to perform.Do you have any tricks or things you are conscious of in terms of production?

Yasushi Kiuchi (Sambomaster) :”What I want to convey through this performance will surely be different for each individual. I believe it is important for each person to be able to express their feelings properly, so it’s crucial to coordinate in advance about what kind of choreography the dancers want to present and what kind of dance they want to show.”

DAIKI (SOCIAL WORKEEERZ) :”I’ve watched Sambomaster’s past live performances many times, and while thinking with the members about how best to dance, we’ve practiced it over and over again. I believe what’s important is to respect the person you’re collaborating with and to adapt in a way that results in a good performance for both parties,”.

Takashi Yamaguchi (Sambomaster) :”For me, I would be happy if you could dance freely without hesitation.On the contrary, we have a tendency to overdo things freely (laughs). If there’s anything you’d like me to do, please feel free to tell me.”

Yoichi Kondo (Sambomaster) :”Since it’s our song, you might feel hesitant, but we want everyone to dance without feeling too self-conscious. We will do it freely, and we want the dancers to dance freely as well.”

DAIKI (SOCIAL WORKEEERZ) :”In terms of creativity, live performances have their own unique intensity, so even in full rehearsals, we were using live recordings of Sanbomaster’s performances.You can practice in a way that’s closer to the actual performance, and it also creates a sense of tension.”I believe such ingenuity is indispensable,”.

Takashi Yamaguchi, a singer and guitarist.

Yoichi Kondo, the base and chorus.

Yasushi Kiuchi on drums and chorus.

――Yamaguchi, you are originally from Fukushima Prefecture, but what does the Tohoku-based Rakuten Eagles mean to you?

Takashi Yamaguchi (Sambomaster): “Of course, I was thrilled from the beginning when a professional Baseball team came to Tohoku for the first time.I always turn on the TV or check the results online, wondering, “I wonder if they are winning today.” Indeed, for people in Tohoku, it holds a special significance. Moreover, since all members of Sambomaster love baseball, it is truly a blessing to be able to perform at such an event.”

Yasushi Kiuchi (Sambomaster): “When we were forming our band, we had the name ‘400-win pitcher’ as a candidate. Kondo is such a big baseball fan that he can answer ‘He graduated from XX High School’ just by hearing a player’s name.”

Yoichi Kondo (Sambomaster): “We are overjoyed to be invited to a match at the sacred place, Tokyo Dome.”

DAIKI of SOCIAL WORKEEERZ.

――What message do you want to deliver to the visitors in this performance?

DAIKI (SOCIAL WORKEEERZ): “I myself played baseball from my boyhood until my first year of university, but I had to quit midway due to a chronic illness. This time it may be in the form of a dance, but still, I managed to make it to the much-desired place known as the Tokyo Dome. I want to convey to everyone that ‘ if you don’t give up, you will eventually reach your dreams.’ I believe that the lyrics of Sambomaster’s ‘Dekikkonai wo Yaranakucha’ truly convey such feelings. Therefore, I intend to dance my heart out to that song, riding on those emotions.”

――What words would you like to say to the members of SOCIAL WORKEEERZ?

DAIKI (SOCIAL WORKEEERZ): “I hope you take pride and gratitude in this experience. In fact, long before I received this story, the members and I talked about “Let’s dance at the Tokyo Dome someday”, and it was through our continued efforts that we were able to perform at this event. It is both a result of our efforts and thanks to the cooperation of those who have helped us. That’s why, I want you to have confidence in being able to perform at the Tokyo Dome, and I hope you never forget to always be grateful to the people around you.”

――The Rakuten Super Baseball Game is held under the slogan ‘Powered by Sports. Playing for All. A BETTER FUTURE TOGETHER’ .Can you tell me about the “good future” that you all envision?

DAIKI (SOCIAL WORKEEERZ): “I have a chronic illness, which has really limited what I want to do.Even so, I encountered dance, fell in love with it, and as a result of pursuing it, I was able to prepare such a wonderful stage.Even the things that seem impossible, if you tackle them with an open mind without giving up, you will eventually reach your dreams.”The ‘good future’ is one that  we can believe in.”

Yasushi Kiuchi (Sambomaster): “I have a family, especially children who I must protect, so I always hope for a world that is comfortable to live in when they grow up.I wonder if that’s what a “good future” looks like to me. I do not possess great power, but after starting a family, I began to consider what I could do for their future.”

Yoichi Kondo (Sambomaster): “Looking back, the first time I came to the Tokyo Dome was when I was in elementary school, to watch the City Confrontation Baseball. Back then, I never even dreamed that I would be performing here in the future, but I did feel a sort of longing.The view from the stage in today’s performance represents the “good future” I had been longing for since my elementary school days. To create wonderful days like today, we should continue to cherish each and every day?”

Takashi Yamaguchi (Sambomaster) “I believe that every individual has different things that make them shine, and that’s perfectly fine. Whether it’s music, sports, or studying.For me, it just happened to be rock and roll.The performance we are about to do at Tokyo Dome is an incredibly happy thing for us, but for me, listening to punk rock in the corner of a classroom during my student days was just as happy.There is no superiority or inferiority there.That’s why I hope for a future where we can find hope in various places.It could be a glamorous place like the Tokyo Dome, or a corner of a classroom, or even on the way home from school. It doesn’t matter. I believe that if there are many ‘sparkling moments’, a ‘good future’ will surely come.”

Their mutual respect for each other’s expressions and the way they discussed the direction of the performance until the last minute was impressive.

When the live performance began, a loud applause erupted from the entire stadium.There are also fans humming along to the lyrics of the song.Despite being a professional baseball game, the Tokyo Dome displayed an excitement as if it were a live concert venue.The performances showcased by members of Sanbomaster and SOCIAL WORKEEERZ must have certainly reached the hearts of the attendees.Even if it seems like an unattainable dream, if you devote yourself earnestly, you can seize an opportunity one day.Surely, a “good future” awaits ahead when you try to do what seems impossible.It was a live performance at the Rakuten Super Baseball Game where such feelings were expressed.

To the special stage on the grounds of Tokyo Dome.

Captivating the hearts of tens of thousands of spectators with just one song.

Members of SOCIAL WORKEEERZ, who were in charge of the choreography.

The three people are seen off with applause.A look of accomplishment!

Takashi Yamaguchi, who excited the crowd with his immediate performance after the first pitch.

With  Ginji Akaminai, the ambassador of Rakuten Eagles, who served as a catcher.

INTERVIEW&TEXT: Kodai Wada
PHOTO: Teppei Hori
EDIT: Yohsuke Watanabe (IN FOCUS)