What is para para dance?

Para Para (Japanese: パラパラ, or Para-Para, ParaPara) is a Japanese dance form that originated in the second half of the 20th century and was popularized in the late 20th century. This dance is characterized by predominantly hand movements, with little lower body movement beyond simple footwork. Because of its similarity to the traditional Japanese folk dance Bundo Dancing, it has been called "Heisei's Bundo Dancing" because it is considered to be a modern version of Bundo Dancing, and its music is mainly techno and Eurobeat.

History

The origin of Para Para's steps is a matter of debate, with the strongest theory being that it originated with the Takenoko Clan, a popular group performance in the late 1970s; however, it wasn't until the late 1990s that the dance was popularized outside of Japan (especially in the Asia-Pacific region). The origin of the name Para Para is also unclear, with two common theories:

from the vocal "Para Para" sound in the intro to a dance song, and

from the name given to the waving of the hands.