Wandance (2025) s01e03 Episode Script

Audition

1
03 AUDITION
AFTERBEA
Basically, the hip-hop,
R & B, and funk that we dance to
has a strong accent on the even beats.
Two, four, six, and eight.
It sounds like this.
Do-tsu-ka, do-tsu-ka.
DO-TSU-KA
So, in dance, we gotta use
strong movements on the even beats.
-[music beat plays]
-Do-tsu-ka! Do-tsu-ka!
-[Kabo] Wow…
-[dancers] Wow.
[On] It matches the groove of funk
and gives it a hip-hop feel.
Beginners might find this a bit hard
to get used to.
The reason is that at first,
most Japanese people tend to dance
thinking of the first and third beats.
Basically, that comes
from Japanese pop songs.
It's because anime songs and J-pop songs
tend to emphasize the first beat.
So first…
THE AFTERBEAT GROOVE
We practice getting used to the afterbeat.
["Show Me" playing]
Imagine there's a wall here
that you can't see,
and hit it on the afterbeat.
-Hit it!
-[smacking effect plays]
Draw back… Wait for it…
Wait for it…
-Hit it!
-[smacking effect plays]
By the way,
this is practice for a super important
technique called a "hit."
Okay, let's give it a go.
WANDANCE
-[student 1] I don't get it.
-[student 2] I like doing it this way.
[Kabo] People who don't stutter
speak really fast.
-[Hoto] Yeah, will you cheer me on?
-[Kabo] When I join in,
-the tempo gets messed up.
-[Hoto] Please, you gotta!
-[student 3] Hey, Kabo.
-Yeah?
How come your RAIN profile picture
is a seahorse?
Be…
[student 3] Be?
B-Because I like seahorses.
Oh.
What a boring reason.
What? Wow! A seahorse!
It's wrapped around his finger.
So cute! Is that at an aquarium?
[Kabo] I often get asked
what stuttering feels like.
[student 3] I've never looked at them…
-[Kabo] To me…
-[student 4] So cute.
…it's a little like
trying to speak while drowning.
-[Hoto] Does it look cute like me?
-Your breathing rhythm gets messed up.
I want to be like a seahorse.
And learn to live underwater.
THE DAY OF THE AUDITION
Let me demonstrate first.
["Kujira" playing]
[Kabo] This is the song
we're going to dance to.
She's amazing, right?
On's dancing is so cool.
[whispering] Is she really improvising?
[dancer] She's been dancing
for more than ten years.
She can do so many different styles.
From hip-hop to popping, locking…
And waacking.
[On] So you'll dance for about this long.
-[dancers applauding] Wow!
-[grunts]
I think some of you noticed,
but just then,
I was mostly doing the crab dance.
-[dancers] Seriously? Wow.
-Huh? No way.
"THE CRAB"
MOVE SIDEWAYS LIKE A CRAB
[On] Even just with crab side-steps,
you can dance like this
by changing the way you groove
or varying the speed and intensity.
To summarize,
when I say I want to see improvisation,
it doesn't need to be like,
"That's insane!
I've never seen moves like that!"
That's not what we're after.
I wanna see if
you're really feeling the music.
[dancers murmuring] The music?
For example, just before you dance
in front of people like this,
I know from my own experience
because I did it for the first time too.
You stand in front of everyone,
and suddenly,
you have everyone's attention,
have cameras pointing at you,
and then the music starts playing.
You gotta dance,
and you're totally freaking out!
Your head is full of stuff like this…
"What step should I do next again?"
"How do I connect
to the next move from here?"
"Oh, I also wanna do
that move I practiced."
"Wait, isn't this pose lame?"
"Does my face look weird?"
You only focus on your body
and get really flustered.
-[dancers] Yeah.
-[On] If you do that…
-[whimpers]
-…what happens?
You end up rushing.
-[dancer 1] Yeah.
-[dancer 2] Totally.
[On] That's why I want everyone
to be able to dance
while really listening to the music.
There are a few ways to stop yourself
from rushing your moves.
One way is to properly be aware of
the "and" count.
It's not…
[in English] "…one, two, three, four…"
[in Japanese] …but… [in English]
"…one and two and three and four and…"
[in Japanese] The other way
is to have a fearless mindset
when dancing in front of others.
[Kabo] Mindset…
When I say "a fearless mindset,"
I don't mean just recklessly going for it.
Um, I'm not sure how to explain this part,
but I'd describe it as having
a fearless mindset, while staying calm.
You've probably all experienced
this feeling at some point, right?
[gentle synthpop playing]
That's why today, just saying I'll judge
your improvisation feels a bit vague,
and it's difficult to get good
at something tricky right off the bat.
So instead, I'll be focusing on whether
you're rushing your moves or not.
As long as you listen properly
to the music while you dance,
even simple steps are fine!
The isolations we've practiced so far,
or the rhythm practice we've done.
-Just a few steps.
-[Kabo sighs]
[On] That's all you need
to dance improvisation comfortably.
ADVISOR MS. ISHIDA
Let's have two people come out
and dance in turn.
This format is actually used
in real backup dancer auditions too.
Use this practice for
when you aim to go pro.
Are there any students here
who want to go pro?
-[scoffs]
-[On] Okay.
Let's start with the third years.
First years, watch them as an example.
["Kujira" playing]
[On] Just like I thought,
the third years are smashing it.
They bring their own style,
and can catch the subtlety of the music.
-Okay. Next!
-[both pant]
Next.
Didn't my dance look awesome?
Just pay attention.
[music stops]
[On] The second years aren't
as used to dancing yet, I guess.
I spotted some rushing.
Oh, she can move a bit.
[dancer 1] The club president
mostly just talks about vague stuff
like music or mindset.
But dance is about precision of movement.
None of the other dancers get that.
[music resumes]
I'll show them how it's done.
Okay, next.
-[panting]
-[dancers applauding]
[music stops]
[On] Yep, next.
-[sighs] I was so nervous.
-[dancers applauding]
-That was a mess.
-[Kabo whimpering]
[dancer 2] I don't even remember
how I danced. That's gotta be bad.
[On] Next, it's Kabo
and our top contender, Hikari Wanda.
[humming] Hmm?
-[heart beating]
-[breathing heavily]
[gasps]
[gasps]
["Kujira" playing muffledly]
[Wanda chuckles]
[music playing clearly]
[dancer 3] She's so good, isn't she?
There's something so distinctive about it.
[dancer 4] Kabo's frozen to the spot.
If he doesn't do something,
it'll be over already.
[gasps]
Ah, I see.
When you look closely,
Wanda moves just slightly after the music.
Maybe that's how you do it.
[music playing loudly]
"Even simple steps are fine."
Just keep the downward body movement.
Step with just one foot.
Catch the subtle parts of the music
by using chest isolations.
The strong beat…
[gasps]
[Kabo] So this is what listening properly
to the music feels like.
The dance should follow the music,
not come before it.
It feels so different to dance like this.
Why didn't I notice this before?
Now I've realized, thanks to Wanda.
You don't have to move yourself.
The music moves you instead.
You don't have to think about anything.
Those two are super in sync, right?
I knew Wanda was good,
but Kabo is amazing too.
[On] Both of them are feeling the rhythm
in their core and moving with it.
But for a beginner to improvise this well…
[Hoto] Yo, Kabo.
H-Hey.
I saw you yesterday.
Huh?
Well, just a glance. I mean, it was kinda…
It looked fun.
Yeah.
D-D-Do you wanna come
and watch the contest?
For real? I'll come take a peek.
Hey! Morning, you two.
M-M-Morning.
Hey.
-Hotohara.
-Yeah?
Kabo and I are going to enter the contest.
Do you want to come and watch?
-Uh, you sure it's okay? I'm kinda…
-Huh?
[synthpop music playing on headphones]
Oh, Iori!
You've not been to the club in a while.
On?
Huh? What's up all of a sudden?
Was there a newcomer who could dance?
Well, actually, yes.
Everyone dances well, but there's one
who is something special.
And another who's kinda interesting…
Oh?
OPEN UNTIL 9 P.M.
[cheerful music playing]
Is this the usual one?
-[dancer 1] Oh, Kabo?
-[grunting]
I thought, "That guy looks tall!"
Hey! Are you alone?
It's the more experienced girls from
dance club and some of the first years.
-H-H-How's it going?
-What are you buying?
-Running errands?
-[dancer 2] How domestic!
[Kabo] There aren't many places to go
in the countryside.
Whenever you go out,
you run into someone you know.
TANGERINE JUICE
[dancer 1] Man, that audition
the other day really freaked me out.
When did you get so good?
Huh?
-Isn't it like cheating?
-Huh?
[chuckles]
It's probably because
I was practicing with Wanda.
But I probably shouldn't tell them that.
[dancer 2] Nah, it must be
because of basketball.
His basketball experience must help a lot!
Ah, makes sense.
[Kabo] I wonder…
I'll just go with that.
It definitely felt a bit like…
I had a fearless mindset
while staying calm at the same time.
-Because I was alone with Wanda.
-[dancer 1] Right!
I wonder if I'll be able to pull that off
during the actual performance.
-Hey, I wish I had done basketball too.
-U-U-Um…
[dancers] Oh?
Do you remember the last c-c-contest?
Yep, for sure. The tournament prelims.
There aren't many people
in the countryside with dance experience.
They used to say On was basically
a one-person team.
Th-Th-The view when you're dancing…
What's it actually like
when you're on stage?
Uh…
-I don't really remember.
-Huh?
I get it. It goes by so fast.
The thing I remember isn't even
my own dancing.
It was On's solo.
Sh-She was that g-g-good?
You saw her, right? At the club showcase?
A-Actually, I wasn't watching carefully.
Oh, really?
Well, it was before you started dancing.
I've got a video.
["Off The Shade Room" playing]
ICHIRIN
[dancer 2] So? Epic, right?
[dancer 1] It's like On said.
When she became a third year
and the new first years joined…
On said…
This year, we're going to smash it.
[dancer 1] She may not look like the type,
but it's like she's been holding
a fire inside her for the last two years.
[intriguing music playing]
When the club president
danced seriously on stage,
even I could tell it was
on a totally different level.
"This year, we're going to smash it."
Is that true?
I wonder where the club president
got her sense of dance?
This feeling of being totally absorbed
in the music.
Wait.
Hang on…
Wanda's not here.
It feels like time is dragging.
Maybe she thought we were just
practicing together until the audition…
Or maybe she has plans with someone else.
Or she totally forgot…
Or…
I-I…
Th-Th-The reason I'm speaking like this…
I don't mind.
Maybe she doesn't mind
because she's just not that interested.
[groans]
So it was just my imagination
that things were going well.
[quirky, romantic music playing]
Even if I wanted to get in touch,
I've only got her phone number.
I hate making phone calls.
If I had her RAIN info…
WHERE ARE YOU?
READ - NEARLY THERE
…I could message her.
Oh, actually, I can just text
her phone number, right? I'll do that.
TO DAY IS NOT WEDNESDAY
-[phone buzzing]
-[gasps, grunts]
INCOMING CALL: HIKARI WANDA
I-It's Wanda. [gasps]
[stammering]
[Wanda] Hey, Kabo?
Sorry, I thought maybe
you might not be good with phone calls.
You don't need to say anything.
Just listen, okay?
My dad suddenly got sick.
I'm the only one at home, so I can't come
and train with you today.
I'm sorry for telling you so late.
[stammering] Are… Are…
Are you okay? Can I help somehow?
I'm good!
It's nothing serious, don't worry.
[quirky, romantic music playing]
Thank you, Kabo.
See you at the club.
[grunts, sighs]
[On] Okay, that's it for today!
[dancers] Thank you!
Right.
There are some announcements and things
to go over about the contest.
I'll send all the basic comms
through RAIN.
Is it okay if I invite you all now?
We can check the choreography
by sharing videos too.
[dancers] Yes!
-[Kabo] What's wrong with Wanda?
-[Wanda groaning]
I'm just signing up now. Hang on.
Signing up? You mean, you don't have RAIN?
No, I don't.
-Seriously?
-No way!
[Wanda] I used to have it,
but I don't like getting notifications.
I wanted to focus.
[Kabo] U-Um…
You can set it that way.
[Wanda] Huh? What?
Y-Y-You can turn off notifications.
Really?
[phone beeps]
[squeals]
[Kabo] The next issue is she won't even
see my messages.
-U-U-Um…
-Yeah?
[stammering] We should practice
the "hit" move.
Shall we do it now?
["Easy Breathing" playing]
I always end up out of sync
with the other dancers,
but On said it's fine.
You try too.
[smacking effect plays]
Oh. [gasps]
[smacking effect plays]
We're in sync!
[exhales sharply, inhales sharply]
Wanda, I want to ask you something.
Would you add me on RAIN
so I can message you sometimes?
Yeah, sure.
Then I won't leave you
hanging about again. Let's do it.
KABOKU KOTANI
[exclaims] Done! It's Kabo.
[chuckles]
We should've done this earlier.
Sorry.
[Kabo] I was just overthinking.
HEY!
[Wanda] That's so cute!
Is that a seahorse too?
[Kabo] She liked it.
Subtitle translation by: Daisy Savage
Previous EpisodeNext Episode