Allnighters
As some of you read the last #BREAKinJAPAN you might have noticed that japanese people work a little longer and a little more than we (europeans) are used to. Depending on the work you do, you have a different workschedule. People working in a office are done around 20pm. If you do so called “Arubaito” work might start in the afternoon and you are done working before around midnight. “Arubaito” can be best translated with part-time job, I guess.
The weiges are not as high as a “normal” office job, but it is easier to get days off, which is very convenient for a lot of dancers.
With all the different workschedules it is difficult to meet up for a crewtraining. The solution to this are these allnighters. These kind of practice are held once or twice a week. If an important battle like UK champs prelims or BOTY prelims are coming up, it becomes three times a week.
I had the opportunity to witness a crewpractice in Tokyo. Bgirl Erie (Keep it Real crew) took me to the crewpractice of Foundnation on a thursday night.
The crew hires a dance studio somewhere in the city.(Big cities like Tokyo and Osaka have dozens of dansschools. Startup dance is very very popular in Japan)
Around midnight everyone slowly gathers at the studio. Every one practices for him/herself the first 2 hours, sometimes in small cyphers, sometimes just completely isolated in your own bubble. After, they practice routines or shows or create new routines/shows.
I do not recall what the last 2 hours happens, since I could not keep my eyes open. I just fell asleep sitting…so if you have a chance to practice in Japan – let me know!
At 5 o’clock the practice is finished. The first trains starts driving and everyone returns home to get some hours of sleep, before it’s “another day at the office”
next #BREAKinJAPAN In Japan breaking is still real streetdance
