Translation by Kennedy Taylor
Masayuki Suo is an award-winning filmmaker best known internationally for his acclaimed film “Shall We Dance?.” The movie follows Shohei Sugiyama, a successful but depressed salaryman who finds new meaning in life when he secretly takes up ballroom dance lessons. Both funny and heartfelt, the feature stars Koji Yakusho in a memorable role that stands out in his filmography. Tamiyo Kusakari, an experienced dancer, co-stars alongside Yakusho in her acting debut.
In conjunction with the 4K restoration and theatrical re-release of the original uncut version of “Shall We Dance?,” we speak with Masayuki Suo and Tamiyo Kusakari about the film, ballroom dancing, self-expression, and more.
With its renewed attention, what is it like reflecting on the film all these years later?
Masayuki Suo: I mean, in the first place, I never imagined my movie would ever get to be seen and enjoyed by people in America. And so here we are, 30 years later, with that film still existing. It’s just a wonderful surprise.
One of the endearing qualities of this film is the comedy. Was the overall atmosphere on set as playful as the movie’s humor?
Masayuki Suo: It was certainly a fun set. However, we were constantly under such a pressure of time. We were constantly fighting the schedule, so we ended up pulling all-night shoots. It’s just the memory of always being under the pressure of time.
That must have been hard, considering all the dance choreography. Was it also hard for you, Tamiyo?
Tamiyo Kusakari: Well, I was lucky that I was a dancer, used to performing in toe shoes. So, it was certainly a little bit of an ordeal to adapt to dancing in high heels, but I had three months of dance practice before the movie. I was in a position where it was tough, but I felt like, even though I wasn’t quite at the same standard as professional ballroom dancers, I was still dancing on a level that I felt was good.
Now, dance comes in so many unique forms. How did you decide to focus on ballroom dancing specifically?
Masayuki Suo: I realized that there are lots of ballroom dance classes in Japan, but I also realized I didn’t know a single person who danced. That spurred me to research a little further, and I saw in these dance classes Japanese people with a level of self-expression that I had never experienced before. They just looked so different from regular Japanese people, and that was the drive of my interest in it. Specifically, I saw Japanese people dancing Latin dances, and I just thought, “Wow! These aren’t regular Japanese folks. What’s going on here?”
What research did you do to ensure ballroom dance was respectfully depicted?
Masayuki Suo: I came to a place where I realized that people who are involved in ballroom dance are very keen to stress, too. It’s a sport, whereas, in wider Japanese society, ballroom dance is often seen as having some sexual connotations, like it’s almost something that is a little bit shameful. I came to a point where I realized that I wanted people who do ballroom dance to be able to be upstanding and proud. Be like, “No. It’s fantastic because it’s ballroom dance. It is what it is, and it’s wonderful in its own right.” I came from a position of respect. So, it was a big surprise to me when I realized that there were people who were hiding the fact that they were dancing.
That’s one of the great things about this film. It promotes the idea of self-expression.
Masayuki Suo: Which is something Japanese people are not very good at.
Tamiyo Kusakari: As a ballerina, there was a similar opinion that the understanding of ballet in Japanese society is also very superficial. When the project first came to me and I read the synopsis, I saw how fantastic these top dancers were in ballroom dance. I realized, “Oh, there’s a parallel somehow with the world of ballet and the world of ballroom dance.” Even though I hadn’t acted before, I came to think, “Oh yeah. This is a role that I could play.” So, I agreed to take the offer. As a ballet dancer, even if I was in the world of dance, I didn’t know much about ballroom dance, and I understood that “Wow. In general, in Japanese society, there is much less of an understanding of dance.”
It was also very enlightening for you.
Tamiyo Kusakari: Correct.
Tamiyo, you were already an experienced dancer, but as you just mentioned, this was your first acting role. Did your prior skills as a dancer help ease any initial concerns about approaching your role?
Tamiyo Kusakari: I understood I was being chosen because I was a dancer. However, whether I could act or not, I had no idea. I had been chosen by this director, so in a sense, that says, “Hey. It’s not my responsibility. It’s all on him.” In that sense, I didn’t feel any pressure. I certainly didn’t put myself under any pressure. I just approached the role. I embraced the role. It was quite easy.
You became the character.
Tamiyo Kusakari: One huge pillar of support was that I was actually convinced and confident that I was the dancer. So it all comes from the dance. I knew I could portray that aspect, and so the rest would come from that. Many aspects of the role were mapped onto my own personal experiences as a dancer. Some of the dialogue came directly from my internal reality. I was confident that there was nobody else who could bring to the role what I could bring.
I see. Well, you did a fantastic job in the movie.
Tamiyo Kusakari: It was a happy accident.
You played off your co-stars very well. In particular, you played off Koji Yakusho wonderfully as his character comes into his own in the world of ballroom dance.
Tamiyo Kusakari: Thank you.
How experienced were Koji Yakusho and Naoto Takenaka with dancing beforehand?
Masayuki Suo: They had no experience in dancing whatsoever. It was quite interesting to see how the two actors had two different approaches to dance itself. Yakusho took a very serious approach, where he began lessons to learn the basics and to bring himself into a position within ballroom dance. Takenaka wasn’t really interested in taking lessons, as his approach was to watch real top dancers and just impersonate them.
So Yakusho was literally living the part.
Masayuki Suo: One thing that really impressed me about Koji Yakusho as an extraordinarily gifted actor was the fact that he had taken so many lessons that he actually became really good at ballroom dancing. However, when we started filming, he had to be bad, and he was able to dial it back to a beginner level. It was very impressive. Then, the contrary, Naoto Takenaka, who couldn’t dance at all but could somehow look like he could dance really well.
That’s a testament to the talents of Yakusho and Takenaka as actors. Lastly, the passion for ballroom dancing promotes the idea of passion and self-expression without being held down by societal expectations. Do you hope more people who watch this film will embrace this message of personal expression and step beyond their comfort zone?
Masayuki Suo: Absolutely. Yes. The idea is to find something new in your life, confront it, and take on the challenge. Finding a mode of self-expression, something that Japanese people are notoriously bad at, is absolutely something I wish for people to embrace.
