パリ五輪の新種目ブレイキン「人と違うことはコンプレックスではなく魅力にできる」 岩永朝太郎さん　長崎

Breaking, a new sport gaining attention at the Paris Olympics opening in July, is the subject of this interview. We spoke with Asataro Iwanaga, who is working to spread the appeal of breakdancing, a dance originating in New York City. Breakdancing consists of four elements: "toprock" (standing steps), "footwork" (crouching with hands on the ground and performing footwork), "power moves" (rotating with various parts of the body), and "freezes" (stopping movements). Asataro Iwanaga (32), representative of UNO-NGSK: "Breakdancing is about combining these four elements however you like, 'however you like.' 'However you like' is the key point." Three years ago, Asataro Iwanaga opened UNO-NGSK, the first breakdancing-specialized dance studio in Nagasaki Prefecture, and teaches in Isahaya City and Nagasaki City. He also serves as a director and head of the breakdancing department of the Nagasaki Prefectural Dance Sports Federation, actively promoting breakdancing. Breakdancing is a competitive dance where dancers take turns improvising and performing dances to hip-hop music played by a DJ. Iwanaga has twice reached the "Top 8" in breakdancing battles held in Kyushu. However, what he values ​​more than winning or losing is "individuality." Iwanaga: "When it comes to dancing that puts a person's individuality and feelings into it, I feel that it's really good breakdancing, regardless of whether they're good or bad at it." "I'm not normal" - Days of worry Iwanaga was born and raised in Isahaya City. Both of his parents had cerebral palsy and were disabled and used wheelchairs, so he took it for granted from a young age to do household chores and take care of himself. Iwanaga: "I remember doing pretty much everything for myself." However, when he reached adolescence, he began to worry that "I'm not normal." Iwanaga: "I started playing basketball in junior high school. The laundry piled up quickly, and I couldn't keep up with the laundry... I would just wash it, thinking, 'I'll just wash it for now,' and then wear it while it was still damp, and it would smell bad. People around me would say things like, 'You smell,' or something like that. Those little things piled up, and I started to feel like I wasn't normal, and I lost my confidence. It was really hard to get out of that." She stopped going to school after the summer vacation of her first year of junior high. After that, thanks to her friends, she was gradually able to go to school again, but she still lacked confidence in herself. She encountered breakdancing in her second year of high school. It started when a friend invited her to try it. Iwanaga shares the appeal of breaking with children: "Right here (at Isahaya City Gymnasium), I relied on the light from a vending machine. My body was reflected in the glass of the entrance, so I danced while looking at my own body like this. Even though I wasn't very good, it was fun. Before I knew it, I had lost track of time." Miyazaki Koji, a classmate from elementary and junior high school. He is the friend who introduced Iwanaga to breaking. *The correct kanji for Miyazaki's "Saki" is "﨑" (with the "tatsu" radical). Miyazaki Koji: "He's a completely different person (from before he started breaking). As we honed our skills (in dancing), he became much brighter, and his community expanded quite a bit. He's taking the lead in the Nagasaki dance scene, so I'd like to help out in any way I can, however small." Iwanaga: "That's a great source of support for me, yes." On May 6th, less than three months before the Paris Olympics, a free breaking experience event was held in Omura City, Nagasaki Prefecture. Approximately 20 children and their guardians participated. Iwanaga: "Has anyone seen what breakdancing is like?" Participant child: "Yes!" Iwanaga: "Oh! That's great, great. I think it's the one where they spin around on their heads. Breakdancing actually has a variety of techniques, so I want everyone to see it first." Breaking, despite being an Olympic sport, is still often perceived as something difficult to get into. To make it easy to try, they have created a menu where parents and children can enjoyably experience the basic rhythms and movements. Child: "I enjoyed the spinning part." Father: "I'll have my child take (breaking) lessons after Golden Week." Child: "It looks fun." Iwanaga: "I want them to start dancing. Let's put aside the details for now. Breaking = breakdancing, just try it, and once you get a general idea of ​​what to look for, I think watching the Olympics will be more fun." With the Paris Olympics, which encourages acceptance of differences and individuality, approaching, interest seems to be growing, and the number of students at the dance studio, which was around 20 when it opened three years ago, has now increased to about 70. Iwanaga's Instruction: "That's it! Good! Yes, yes, yes, yes. Let's try that feeling again. Yes, yes, yes, yes!" Child: "Headspins, the ones where you spin on your head, ...