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Koji Yakusho as Sugiyama faces his instructor Mai Kishikawa (Tamiyo Kusakari) during a lesson in Shall We Dance? (1996), directed by Masayuki Suō

1996 |Shall we ダンス?

Shall We Dance?

A film by Masayuki Suô
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About the film

Masayuki Suô’s Shall We Dance? is a charming and deeply human exploration of loneliness, self-discovery, and the quiet pursuit of happiness. The film follows Shohei Sugiyama, a successful but emotionally unfulfilled salaryman who becomes drawn to a dance studio and its enigmatic instructor Mai. What begins as a secret attempt to escape the routines of everyday life gradually becomes a journey toward confidence, connection, and personal transformation. Blending gentle comedy with heartfelt drama, Suô turns ballroom dancing into a graceful metaphor for communication, intimacy, and the courage to embrace change. Beloved for its warmth and sincerity, Shall We Dance? remains a modern Japanese classic and a moving celebration of ordinary people finding unexpected joy.
Director
Masayuki Suô
Cast
Kôji Yakusho
Tamiyo Kusakari
Naoto Takenaka
Eri Watanabe

Booking Inquiries

Shall We Dance? (1996) poster — 30th anniversary 4K restoration, a film by Masayuki Suo

Film stills

Tamiyo Kusakari as Mai Kishikawa, in a red dress and beaded necklace before a competition, in Shall We Dance? (1996)
Three amateur dancers stand wide-eyed in the dance-studio lounge in Shall We Dance? (1996)
Three men talk over beers in a Tokyo izakaya in Shall We Dance? (1996)
Koji Yakusho as Shohei Sugiyama hesitates with his briefcase at the door of a dance school in Shall We Dance? (1996)
A couple moves through an elegant ballroom figure in the practice room in Shall We Dance? (1996)
Dancers and friends react with joy and tears at a ballroom competition in Shall We Dance? (1996)
A couple performs on the competition floor before an applauding crowd in Shall We Dance? (1996)
A young instructor leads an older student across the dance-school floor in Shall We Dance? (1996)
Koji Yakusho as Shohei Sugiyama holds the ballroom frame with his teacher Mai Kishikawa (Tamiyo Kusakari) during practice in Shall We Dance? (1996)
Students gather in the trophy-lined dance studio in Shall We Dance? (1996)
Couples practising steps on a crowded Tokyo dance-class floor in Shall We Dance? (1996)
Koji Yakusho as Sugiyama faces his instructor Mai Kishikawa (Tamiyo Kusakari) during a lesson in Shall We Dance? (1996)
Tamiyo Kusakari as Mai Kishikawa stands pensively at a window in soft evening light in Shall We Dance? (1996)
A young instructor watches a student practise with a partner in Shall We Dance? (1996)
Koji Yakusho as Sugiyama rests his head against the train door at night in Shall We Dance? (1996)