Ever since STARTO started creating YouTube channels for its artists, one of my favorite types of videos that have been posted are dance practice videos. I love being able to watch the whole choreography from a straight on perspective, so I can see all of the intricacies without any interruptions. It’s also the perfect way to listen to any of my favorite Junior songs over and over again.
With my recent deep dive into Bishonen, I thought it was wise to watch their dance practice videos to familiarize myself with their original songs. What I hadn’t expected was to find sixteen dance practice videos (two for their original song Cosmic Melody) posted to the Junior YouTube channel.
It was then that a (slightly) brilliant idea came to mind. What I set out to do was watch every single one of Bishonen‘s dance practices currently available on YouTube then decide what my top five were based on a combination of choreography, song, and re-watchability. After all, there were enough to make this kind of list possible.
But, before I dive into my top five, there is one other thing I have to add. All of these videos include subtitles with the lyrics translated into English by Bishonen fans! Thank you to the kind fans for their hard work!
5. Super Boys
Outside of this article, I will never admit that Super Boys was the first Bishonen song that I liked. But from the very first moment I heard those first few notes during a pandemic-era live stream, it got stuck in my head to the point that I now, affectionally, call it the “chicken teriyaki song”…even if they don’t mention chicken teriyaki a single time. Teriyaki, yes. Chicken teriyaki, no.
What I find so impressive about this dance is the use of the fans as props throughout the whole choreography. I am in no way a dancer, but the inclusion of any kind of prop seems difficult. To remember each and every hand movement, as well as having Taisho Iwasaki throw his fan over his head for Hikada Ukisho to catch, while making everything look effortless? It’s no small feat to achieve.
Despite my secret long affection for this song, the one thing that does take it down a bit is the bridge. Prior to Ryuga Sato and Naoki Fujii‘s rap, the lyrics are a bit of nonsensical English on top of a bit of running around that isn’t the most interesting to watch. The rest of the bridge as well as the final chorus bring the energy up for me, thankfully. The controlled chaos of the members putting their own flair into the choreography helps this video end on a massive high note. ESPECIALLY the final pose that is seen in the thumbnail. It makes me want to rewatch everything from the very beginning.
4. Compass
When I was constructing this list, I knew that I wanted to show off the versatility of Bishonen and their music while staying true to the type of music and dance practice videos that I enjoy watching. I had been debating between three slower songs to include on this list, but, ultimately, Compass won over the others to make it to the fourth place spot. But how?
If you were to look at a description on the page, there’s a lot going against Compass. The bulk of it’s hand and arm choreography is dedicated to sign language, and there are moments where Bishonen is standing there singing their hearts out while not doing much else. Visually, it shouldn’t have been something interesting to watch, and yet it is.
The formations and the transitions are beautiful. As the music slowly builds throughout the first chorus, each and every moment the group makes reminds me of the ticking of a clock. Each turn, each step, is so intricately precise yet there are moments of fluidity contrasting these perfectly timed steps. By the time the chorus hits and Bishonen are standing in a line signing their lyrics, it’s hard not to be fully invested in the beauty and the simplicity of this dance.
It’s for this reason that Compass holds such a near and dear place to my heart. It is, perhaps, the strongest vocal performance from the group while easily being able to tug on your heart strings. I am famously known for being hyper critical of ballads, but Compass is one ballad that I will go back and listen to over and over again.
3. LALA Love
LALA Love was one of those songs that I immediately adored from the first time that I heard it in one of Bishonen‘s non-dance centered YouTube videos. There’s something so sweet and endearing about singing about being young and in love. More than that, this song in particular makes me want to roll the windows down on my car and blast it on a warm summer day.
Though I will admit the choreography would not be something I typically go for. I tend not to like idol groups with a firm divide in “front vs back” mentalities, so the choreography being “singer and back up dancer” is something I don’t typically enjoy from idols groups. Perhaps it’s LALA Love‘s music influencing me, or the way that Bishonen throw themselves fully into their dancing, but I love the division here.
By breaking up the group into singers vs dancers, I can see the song becoming much easier to perform live this way. Whoever is singing their solo lines doesn’t have to worry about breath support or remembering what dance move comes next. They can pour their hearts out into their vocals before seamlessly blending into the choreography as someone new takes over the singing role.
It’s not to say the members dancing in the background are an afterthought. In several instances, they’re gliding across the background and performing with all of their might. It’s a careful balance to not steal too much of the attention from those singing while also remaining visually interesting for anyone watching them perform. LALA Love is truly a wonderful dance practice showing off another facet of Bishonen‘s skills.
2. KichiKichi Bang! Bang!
KichiKichi Bang! Bang! was a song that, in all honesty, surprised me. On my first listen to it, I was hesitant to keep going. I wasn’t too keen on the opening style for the backing track, the piano for some reason not my usual vibe, and I was worried that it wouldn’t be musically interesting to me. That quickly changed when this bumping beat slowly came in during the first verse, and I fully invested myself into watching the rest of this video.
Compared to other choreography on this list, the dance for this song isn’t particularly difficult. It’s quite easy and is the kind that fans could learn it to make their own videos dancing to it. There are even parts where a few members of Bishonen can’t keep up with how fast the hand movements are. That isn’t to say that it’s bad dancing or poor choreography! But if I was being highly critical over these points, KichiKichi Bang! Bang! wouldn’t have been placed as highly on my list.
At the same time, I don’t care that it isn’t the “perfect” dance practice video. KichiKichi Bang! Bang! is pure good vibes from start to finish. You can hear how much Bishonen enjoy performing this song from all of the hooting and hollering they do. It’s this absolute pure joy that becomes infectious the more you watch them, and you can’t help but smile as you watch them dance. What more could you want from your idols?
Besides, even with the simplicity of the dance, Bishonen still dance this song fabulously. They’re in sync every second and look as if they’ve been dancing together for twenty years. Not to mention there are moments throughout the video where you can feel their individual personalities come out as they groove to the beat.
KichiKichi Bang! Bang! is truly the type of song that, to me, takes Bishonen from this beautiful facade you might think they have and humanizes them. They become six boys who love to perform and adore their fans, but also ones who have flaws and rough edges and I love that. It’s difficult to explain how strangely powerful and wonderful this song is to me, but KichiKichi Bang! Bang! is one video that shouldn’t be missed for anyone interested in learning more about Bishonen.
1. Boom SHAKALAKA
To say that Boom SHAKALAKA is my favorite dance practice video from Bishonen would be a gross understatement. The first time I watched this video, I immediately called my ex-best friend halfway through and would only repeat the phrase, “I have to adopt them now,” over and over again until I regained part of my sanity. But what made me love this particular video so much?
Of course, I love the song. The style and beat of it are right up my alley in the type of music I like to listen to. From the first few notes of the backing track to the horns, there’s something so inherently catchy about it. Although it’s not the kind of song that immediately gets caught in my head and makes me want to sing along, the music and vocal prowess Bishonen exhibit are absolutely incredible.
But where Boom SHAKALAKA really shines is its choreography. The formations are tight and crisp, and the transitions from formation to formation are as smooth as butter. With such intricate choreography, it makes this dance in particular one that I want to watch over and over again. For example, in the second verse when Fujii takes over the center position, he swings his body back while each row behind him doesn’t bend as far back. It’s something I hadn’t caught until my third or fourth watch.
The use of falling is also particularly brilliant and is used in a way to create dynamic shapes and moments throughout the song. Whether it’s three members falling forward, catching themselves on their feet, allowing the other three members to step through and stand out, or all of the members falling backward to twist at the last moment to catch themselves to reveal Taisho singing his lines in the bridge, it creates stand out moments for the viewer. It’s these periods of time that make you want to pause and rewatch them over and over again.
I could truly write an essay about the perfection that is Boom SHAKALAKA, and I can only hope that I am lucky enough to watch it in person one day.
Of course this wouldn’t be a top five list without an honorary mention. While watching all of Bishonen’s dance practice videos, Flicky stood out to me as another stand out dance performance from them. The choreography, made by Snow Man’s Hikaru Iwamoto, is absolutely incredible. It’s the level of professionalism and intricacy that I’ve come to expect from Iwamoto, and Bishonen rose to the occasion to meet the skill needed to perform their senior’s choreography.
Unfortunately, what kept this song from being included in my top five was the chorus. The simplicity of it left me a little disappointed when I watched it the first time. I can understand why the choruses didn’t match the level of the verses, for the dancing in the verses is quite powerful and heavy. I think the chorus is the one weak point for my personal taste.
At the same time, I fully applaud Bishonen and Iwamoto for creating such a wonderful dance and video for fans to enjoy. I think Flicky perfectly shows Bishonen’s growth as dancers, and I can’t wait to see how their dancing continues to improve.
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