Cover dance

Cover dance (also known as dance cover) is the act of replicating a dance choreography, particularly from Japanese idol or Korean idol music acts and Vocaloid songs.[1] Cover dances may be uploaded onto video-sharing services like YouTube and TikTok in which dancers reenact the choreography of a song or music video or perform an original choreography for an existing song.[2]

History

Fans performing the "Hare Hare Yukai" dance at Anime Expo 2007.

Cover dances first gained popularity online in Japan in March 2007, with many people posting videos of themselves performing the choreography for "Hare Hare Yukai" (colloquially referred to as the "Haruhi dance"), the ending theme song to the 2006 anime adaptation of The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya.[3] This later grew to include cover dances of Berryz Kobo and other Japanese idol singers and groups.[3] Cover dance videos created through MikuMikuDance were also associated with the category.[4] It became established as a genre known as odottemita (踊ってみた, lit. "I tried dancing") on video-sharing websites, named after the search keyword on the video-sharing website Niconico.[4] People who performed cover dances were known as odorite (踊り手). Notable odorite who later became idols themselves include Kozue Aikawa [ja] from Danceroid and Dempagumi.inc,[5] Beckii Cruel,[6] and Keekihime.[7]

Impact

Cover dance videos on YouTube get tens of thousands of views,[2] with groups like Chocomint HK becoming viral sensations.[8][9]

A worldwide phenomenon,[1] Paris has become a hub for recording these videos, and has a K-pop dance academy.[10]

The K-POP Cover Dance Festival has been held annually since 2011.[11] The competition takes place worldwide with the final round in Seoul.[1][12]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c Billboard Korea Staff (2011-10-18). "A Look Inside the 'K-Pop Cover Dance' Trend". Billboard. Retrieved 2023-06-29. "K-Pop Cover Dance" is a term used to describe the imitation of K-Pop artist's dance choreography.
  2. ^ a b Hyun-su, Yim (July 27, 2022). "[Herald Interview] 'K-pop cover dance is democratizing dance education'". The Korea Herald. Herald Corporation. Archived from the original on 2023-06-03. Retrieved 2023-06-29.
  3. ^ a b "『ニコニコ動画』で定番ジャンルとなった"踊ってみた"動画！ 何故踊る？その心理を聞いてみた". Gadget News (in Japanese). 2010-01-23. Archived from the original on 2010-01-30. Retrieved 2023-07-13.
  4. ^ a b "決定版！絶対見るべきニコニコ動画2011【ダンス＆MMD編】" [Decisive version! Videos you should watch on Nico Nico Douga in 2011 (Dance and MikuMikuDance version)]. ASCII Media Works (in Japanese). 2011-12-28. Archived from the original on 2022-08-19. Retrieved 2023-07-13.
  5. ^ "「ニコニコ動画」からアイドルデビューした愛川こずえ 「ニコニコがなかったらたぶんニートになってた（笑）」" [Kozue Aikawa, an idol who debuted from Nico Nico Douga: "If it weren't for Niconico, I might've become a NEET (laughs)"]. Weekly Playboy (in Japanese). Shueisha. 2016-11-25. Archived from the original on 2023-07-14. Retrieved 2023-07-13.
  6. ^ ""可愛いにもほどがある!"英ネットアイドルのベッキー・クルーエルが初のテレビ出演!" ["She has so much cuteness!" British net idol Beckii Cruel makes her first television appearance!]. Oricon (in Japanese). 2010-01-05. Archived from the original on 2023-07-10. Retrieved 2023-07-10.
  7. ^ Hirota, Minoru (2013-04-25). "ニコ動が引きつけた才能"ケーキ姫☆優海"【ニコ動今昔物語】" [Keekihime, a talent drawn in by Nico Douga (A past and present tale on Nico Douga)]. Weekly ASCII (in Japanese). Kadokawa Future Publishing. Archived from the original on 2023-06-19. Retrieved 2023-06-18.
  8. ^ Ji-won, Park (2022-11-04). "Meet the women of cover dance crew Chocomint HK, whose 'K-pop in public' videos have gone viral". The Korea Times. Hong Kong. Archived from the original on 2023-06-29. Retrieved 2023-06-29.
  9. ^ Jiwon, Park (2022-11-01). "So good they could be Blackpink – meet the women of cover dance crew Chocomint HK, whose 'K-pop in public' videos have gone viral on YouTube". South China Morning Post. Archived from the original on 2023-06-29. Retrieved 2023-06-29.
  10. ^ Loeb McClain, Dylan (September 6, 2021). "A Mirrored Mecca for K-Pop Moves". New York Times. Paris. Archived from the original on 2023-06-29. Retrieved 2023-06-29.
  11. ^ Yeon-soo, Kwak (2022-10-16). "K-pop fans gather in Seoul to compete in finals of 2022 K-Pop Cover Dance Festival". The Korea Times. Archived from the original on 2023-06-29. Retrieved 2023-06-29. The KCDF, which began in 2011
  12. ^ Hicap, Jonathan (October 20, 2022). "Philippines wins at 2022 K-pop Cover Dance Festival in Seoul". Manila Bulletin. Archived from the original on 2023-06-29. Retrieved 2023-06-29.