101 🕺 The Future of Dance as a National Sport: Four Keys to Expanding Its Popularity to Middle-Aged and Senior Citizens and Lessons Learned from Other Industries
The following is written in German. ✨ Introduction: Tailwinds for Dance and the Great Wall to "Mainstream Status" Let me start with a question. Plainly put, is "dance" currently a "national major sport" in Japan, like baseball or soccer? Many might answer, "Not yet." However, strong "tailwinds" are currently blowing for the dance world: Olympic Adoption: "Breaking" was adopted as an official event for the 2024 Paris Olympics, drastically raising global recognition. Penetration into Education: Dance became mandatory in junior high school classes starting in 2012, expanding the base among the younger generation. However, a major challenge, a "great wall," remains before dance can achieve major sport status. The issue I, MITSURU, focus on most is the "lack of spread among the elderly." The image of "dance = for the youth" is strong, and penetration among the middle-aged and senior demographics is...