2024年の衣装のモチーフは「ウサギ」と「オオカミ」！3連覇目指す《とらっくよさこい（ちふれ）》【高知】

With only 5 days left until the Yosakoi Festival, this week we'll be featuring a series of teams to watch. Today, in our first installment, we're introducing "Torakku Yosakoi (Chifure)," last year's winner of the Yosakoi Grand Prize. "Torakku Yosakoi (Chifure)" aims for a third consecutive victory this year. Torakku Yosakoi is known for their unforgettable costumes and captivating formations. Last year's costumes featured lotus flowers on the front and flames and a Hannya mask on the back, creating a striking interplay of front and back and captivating formations that resonated deeply with the audience. On July 26th, the dancers gathered in a conference room in Kochi City. It was the day of this year's costume announcement. Dancer: "I've been really looking forward to this from the beginning, so I'm excited!" Dancer: "I hope our costumes will stand out more than any other team's." And this year's costumes...: "Here are this year's costumes!" This year's costume motifs are rabbits and wolves. "Yoisa hoisa" "Wait, wait, wait, wait" "Zoku zoku zoku zoku" "The foolish rabbit and the wolf" As a surprise for the dancers, it turns out that the motifs until this day were actually "foxes" and "raccoons"! 6/15 Practice Demo Audio: "The Fate of This World: Foxes and Raccoons!" Dancer: "I was really surprised because the costumes were completely different from the theme we were told beforehand." Dancer: "Just like this year's theme, 'Gokiraku Zokuzoku' (a continuous stream of joyful events), it gave me a real thrill." Yes, the theme for 2024 is "Gokiraku Zokuzoku" (a continuous stream of joyful events). It embodies the desire to give the audience a thrill. Costume designer Ayumi Fukushima: "It's a chase scenario, with the rabbit being chased and the wolf in the background doing the chasing." "The rabbit represents the goal, or rather, the team's goal, which is last year's Torayosa festival. The wolf chasing this year's Torayosa is the theme." In other words, the "rabbit" being chased is Torakku, the winner of the 2023 Grand Prize, and the wolf chasing it is this year's Torakku. Furthermore, there's this detail... "On the back, there's a rabbit's tail. It's not a mochi rice cake. It's a tail. Remember the eyes. The eyes are actually here." The first practice session in the costumes took place that day. Choreographer Norie Tokihisa was also giving enthusiastic instruction. Choreographer Norie Tokihisa's Instructions: "5, 6, 7 and 8. 3, 2. Too fast. Wait, wait a moment." "The head tilt in 'I only know that' wasn't enough." "Concentrate, concentrate, those in the back, concentrate." They aimed for a perfectly synchronized dance, paying attention to every detail, not just the direction and angle of the hands, but also the degree to which the necks were tilted. However… With 11 days until the performance, choreographer Norie Tokihisa delivered a shocking statement— Choreographer Norie Tokihisa: "We're going to change the choreography." "I think this is the first time we've made such a drastic change at the last minute." "The staff's desire to create a dance that fits the theme is incredibly strong." The dancers, though bewildered, desperately clung on. Dancer: "They give us detailed instructions about angles, so it's difficult to get it all right." "I'm anxious, and compared to previous years, it feels more tiring." "We won two consecutive championships last year, so there are high expectations from those around us, and I want to exceed those expectations." "Yoisa hoisa!" In 2024, one-third of the 150 dancers are participating in the team for the first time. First-time team member dancer: "It's fun. So much fun. It's difficult, and there are tough parts, but everyone gets it all right on the day of the performance. They're a little strict, but the practice is filled with love, and it's fun because they do it all to give us that moving experience." They had special feelings about 2024. Kohei Kawamura, Representative of Torakku Yosakoi (Chifure): "This year marks the 10th anniversary of Torakku Yosakoi. And of course, we've won the Yosakoi Grand Prize three years in a row, so while we aim for the top, our primary goal is the sense of unity between the audience and the dancers." "We want to give the audience a thrill." Wasshoi! "Torakku Yosakoi (Chifure), are you energetic?" "Yeah!" "Let's do three Wasshoi in a row!" "Wasshoi!" Our goal is the top! We'll paint the castle town in Torakku colors, carrying the passionate feelings of the dancers and staff. Tomorrow's Yosakoi series event is "Ten People, Ten Colors," a dance that captivates the audience with its blend of stillness and movement. And in 2024, Sansan TV will once again broadcast live coverage of the exciting Yosakoi dance performances from the Harimayabashi competition venue for both days of the festival. Our guests will be Wakako Shimazaki and Hiroshi Miyama. Please be sure to watch!