Jumping to a heavy rap music soundtrack, Taisuke Nonaka kicked out his legs and launched into a one-handed helicopterlike body spin that had the crowd and the judges whooping and waving their fists in appreciation.
His enthusiasm was irresistible, and it was enough to win him the break dance category in one of Japan's biggest street dance competitions, Dance Alive, held Sunday at Ryogoku Kokugikan in Tokyo.
"Irresistible" might sum up Japan's street dancing phenomenon itself. Over the last few years, the well-established genres of break, hip-hop and house dance, along with the newer styles of robotlike popping and locking, have enjoyed a surge in popularity as a generational change sees the once underground culture gain mainstream acceptance.