Group Flow in Japanese Contemporary Dance

When talking about modern Japan, a lot of the culture has been influence by the West, particularly after World War II, with help from the U.S. after the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. This has culminated in many forms of Western arts being performed in Japanese culture. One art that still holds Ma as an integral part of its performance is Japanese contemporary dance. A recent study at Tohoku University studied the phenomenon of Ma in this type of dance, comparing Japanese contemporary dance to other types around the world. In this study, it was found that when groups are improvising, Ma acts as an important way for dancers to listen to one another, allowing them to be in sync. The study also points out that this togetherness makes the dancers feel more apart of the group, as a community, strengthening their chemistry together (Chiahuei et al., 2021). A more intricate form of improvisation, with a community to help guide them.