I love dancing more than anyone else.
I want to lead the team and participate in the world championships, which has been my dream.

College of Performing and Visual Arts Third-year students
Song-Reading Department Executive
Graduate of Urawa Gakuin High School

Yumi Arai

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To immerse yourself in the dance, head to J. F. Oberlin University

I started classical ballet when I was three years old and continued until junior high school. I loved the gorgeous costumes and the fun of doing ballet with my friends. I was never particularly good at dancing, but I had a strong feeling that "I love dancing more than anyone else." When I see people dancing well, I strongly think, "I want to dance like that." I continue to dance now, and I feel that the source of my motivation is my desire to improve.

In high school, I was a member of the cheerleading club. Cheerleading, which requires powerful expression, demands different techniques than ballet. At first, I struggled to adapt, but I persevered and kept trying until I could do it. In addition to competitions, there were also various opportunities for interaction, such as cheering for the baseball team, and I was able to enjoy my three years of activities.

Seeking an environment where I could immerse myself in dance, I hoped to attend College of Performing and Visual Arts in J. F. Oberlin University. Students learn dance academically and can also dance in club activities. When I visited the university trial session, the friendly attitude of the seniors was also a deciding factor for my admission.

Having experienced a slump myself, I can now stand by my teammates.

J. F. Oberlin University The hallmark of the Song-Leading Club is that everyone acts in perfect sync. Since only experienced staff were in our executive cohort, I think it was easy to share the spirit of 'Aun'.

Our current challenge is to get the whole team in sync. Skill levels and motivation vary from year to year and from member to member, and there are some noticeable inconsistencies that we can't ignore. But if we don't communicate, it won't get across, so we try to communicate whenever we have something on our minds. We try doing stretches and warm-ups together before practice to understand and organize each other's feelings and thoughts before going into practice.

After entering university, I went through a period of slump. I chose the genre of "jazz," but I couldn't express my feelings through dance. There was a time when I couldn't think about the details, and even when my seniors pointed things out to me, I would just stay silent. Because of that experience, I want to be someone who can support my juniors when they are feeling anxious or down, as I have also experienced a slump.

I want everyone to feel the power of dancing together and the determination to achieve their goals.

Since entering school, our goal has remained unchanged: to become number one in Japan. If we achieve this goal, we can participate in the world championships held overseas. To do so, as you might expect, we must not neglect our daily practice and strive for perfect performances.

Through our performance, I hope everyone can feel the power of dancing together and the determination to achieve our goals. I want to deliver a performance without regrets, not just as a solo effort, but as a collective effort. As a leader, I want to lead everyone, and at the same time, I hope to use that momentum to raise my own level even further.

Interview date:
This was done in September 2023 for the "Obirin Sports" website.

I love dancing more than anyone else.I want to lead the team and participate in the world championships, which has been my dream.

Main content

To immerse yourself in the dance, head to J. F. Oberlin University

Having experienced a slump myself, I can now stand by my teammates.

I want everyone to feel the power of dancing together and the determination to achieve their goals.

Related content

I love dancing more than anyone else.
I want to lead the team and participate in the world championships, which has been my dream.