Happy Synthesizer Dance Tutorial

First tutoriaaal~

First of all, there are many many videos on youtube with this dance. Of course, some better than others, but the Japanese dancers will always look better doing it. And it’s easier to learn the dances from them, as they seem to have more precision in their moves. But before actually starting to learn a dance, since it’s probably not in your native language, you have to get accustomed to the lyrics, and to make sure you actually understand them, even get familiar with it up to the point when you memorize the lyrics. That’s a first step.

For this, here are the lyrics. I thought of pasting them in here at first, but since it seems to take too much space I’ll just link the source: http://www.animelyrics.com/doujin/vocaloid/happysynth.htm

Right now I’m looking for a video editor, but till I find a good one I’ll use what I have. Also I can’t say I’m completely accustomed to all the means internet provides, so till I find a better way I’ll just upload the short tutorial videos, since there are more for each tutorial, and I’ll post them here. I’m using this video because it seemed clear to me, and the moves were easy to distinguish.This video was originally posted on youtube by Treetopfan: http://www.youtube.com/user/Treetopfan

First of all, we’ll take each separate part of the dance. I split it in 5 main parts.

Part 1 – to get used to the rhythm

I know it is an easy part of the dance, mainly like the whole dance itself, but I, not having any kind of exercise in dancing till now, had troubles even here xD

To put it simple, follow the lyrics on the video – bow on the emphasized syllables and bend your knees on the other ones. If you listen carefully on the slowed down version of the song, the beats are quite clear.

This part, as well as the whole song, goes like this: 1 – 2 - 3 – 4. So, after you done leaning forward for the 6^th time (1 – 2 – 3 – 4 – 1 – 2 ), you do the spinning hands motion for 3 and 4. After that, you start again from 1, for the part without lyrics. From 1 to 3 you wave your hand from one side to another, raising the corresponding knee at the same time, and at 4 the hand goes in the same direction as 3 while the knee alternates. I bet it’s more obvious on the video itself than from this explanation, but it’s interesting even to see the math of the song.

Part 2 

This one is actually made of 4 parts/groups of moves (2 lines from the song for each group). If you want, you can learn the separately and join them together after you know them all:

-                           first part: first two lines, the weight shifting from one leg to another with the alternate hand to the shoulder, ending with the spinning;

-                           second part: next two lines that say “Everything seemed to shine so brightly/Those days are smiling clearly” – the moves fit the lyrics -> it’s a bright mood, you look back to the happy days: hand at your forehead, leg at a 45 degrees angle during the first two beats, then come back to the center for the next to beats to complete the cycle of 4. Do the same on the other side (slightly bounce on your feet to feel the (1,2) (3,4) beats, don’t be stiff); then the walking-like moves that form almost a  “+” shape with the sides at a 45 degrees angle – technically, the left leg stays in the middle while the right leg forms the “+”, when the right leg touches the ground, the left one goes up; 

-                           third part: first 4 beats are (1,2) (3,4) again: point up to the right side twice; then come back to the middle, keep your heels on the ground while your toes go left – right – left and then clap. Do the same for the left side;

-                           fourth part: do the cute bouncy move ^.^ it comes natural cause you only move in the opposite direction, as you turn around; moves last two beats, one leg touches the ground for each beat; at the end, hold your hands together at your shoulder level, then move your elbows to left – right, then spread your hands to the sides as you cross your legs and get ready to turn around;

Part 3 – the chorus – each paragraph is a group of moves 

-                      Keep your thumbs connected after you turn around. You’ll alternate your hands up and down fitting the lyrics – it’s pretty easy, just feel the beat; at “kimi no” when you move your left leg and your hands, move your hips on the beat just like you do with your hands.

-                      Now form a heart shape with your hands ^.^ and imitate the heartbeat motion with your heart-shaped hands, still keeping to the lyrics. While you do that, your legs go left – right (2 times for each side). The legs part confused me a bit, as I can’t seem to be able to do it as the dancer does, so I was happy to just move each leg to the side and then bring it back. (this lasts for 6 beats) Just like in the beginning, the last two beats from the second cycle of 4 are completed with the hands spinning move.

-                      The next move is simple, you only have to keep in mind that the knee move starts in the opposite direction of the hand (for the left side).

-                      After you’re done with that, next is the big circle with your hand – you first face left, then right. For the move when you step backwards, move your right hand first up, then down, while you keep the other to your chest – I’m explaining cause it confused me a bit. Once again, with no kind of exercise, even this pretty dance was hard for me at some parts.

-                      What follows is a sequence of pretty quick moves starting with the beat before “nanno torie mo nai” – one for each beat. You could try understanding how the moves go, then practice without music while you count to 8, as slow as you need, so you get used to it. The 7 – 8 beats fall on “hito-tsu” – that’s where you motion “one” with your hand. For the next cycle of 4, swing right – left – right – left, and then do the 3 moves when you step forward, ending with a clap to complete the cycle of 4 beats.

-                      Next is the cute bouncing move, that’s easy. After that, it’s like you’re trying to draw a square on your body – your hands go parallel, first horizontal – while you step to the side with your left leg - then vertical – step behind with your right one – it ends on “tsutaeruyo”, so the hand move is like you give something to the watchers.

Part 4 – I doubt it needs any explanation; the first three parts were actually the main ones, parts 4 and 5 are linkers

Part 5

This is difficult. I understood how it goes, but I can’t do the moving-to-the-side motion.

Mainly, you have to touch the corresponding leg with your hand, and after you did that for both sides, do the same but with opposite leg. Then step in front (1 - 2) and back (3 - 4) and then you do that move with your legs. It’s like…while you keep one heel from one leg and the toes from the other leg to the ground, you move the other heel and toes. Like the move the girls from SNSD do in their dance. Or like Yamada from HSJ does during the Making of MNSB.

And that’s pretty much it. Once you learn there 5 parts, put them together. It goes like this: 1 – 2 – 3 – 4 – 2 – 3 – 5 – 3 – 3 (beginning – stanza – chorus – linker1 – stanza – chorus – linker2 – chorus - chorus) Here's the mirrored version:

Tips:

·                    Always keep your back straight;

·                    As far as I noticed, during the dance, when you have nothing to do with one hand or both, you keep them on your hips – I guess that’s up to you if you do it, it just looks neat like that;

·                    Don’t be afraid to raise your legs or to move your arms; don’t be stiff;

·                    Energy is a plus;

·                    Once you get used to the dance, try your best to have fun while you do it, so you can smile at the same time. It gives a better look and a better experience for yourself;

·                    Don’t force yourself to dance exactly like some other dancer does. Do the moves in a way that it’s comfortable for you, but keep to the original dance and don’t be too dramatic (I’m saying this cause I saw a version of the dance today and the feeling it gave off definitely wasn’t pleasant, not because of the quality of the dance but because of the dancer’s gestures).

 Here is the Youtube tutorial:

After you’re done, if you want to check the moves with the video of the one who choreographed this – also if you want to see an amazing colab video – check this:

All this text might be confusing and boring to read, right? Well for the next tutorial I’ll try to come up with a simpler and better way to put things, but for now I hope at least the videos helped someone. If someone has any request of tutorial for a dance, I’d be glad to do that, since it doesn’t take me too long.

I’ll keep posting about the things I see on youtube, while I’ll be looking for a proper way to post the short videos here. Also, I’m using an inactivated version of AVS Video Editor, that’s why videos have that watermark, but I like that software and I thought it was worth coping with the watermark.

Have fun ^.^ I’d love to see if anyone tried this.