Differences among groups that dance (J-Pop/K-Pop)
I'll try to summary because, I don't feel like re-typing everything again (damn it was long XD) Categories I divide the artists is a first: A. JAPANESE IDOLS
1. Orthodox Idols
2. Modern Idols:
Dance Units
Big/Middle Units
Vocal & Dance Units ala AVEX/CALESS/VF
Performance Groups
3. Johnny's
Basic Johnny's
More elaborated Dance/Acrobatic Groups
Roller Skater Groups
4. Theatre Troupes
B. NON-IDOLS
Vocal & Dance Units
Performance Groups
C. HALLYUU IDOLS
Vocal & Dance Units
More elaborated Dance Units
Well, that's the way I classified those. Why? You'll ask, because they're not the same.
If you take category A, you'll hardly find difficult dance routines in there and basic moves that doesn't necessarily come from any dance discipline. You want an example for A, Palette would be that.
Modern idols can be considered Orthodox, but they are Modern because purists consider they don't follow up with the Golden Age settled standars, yet they can't fully deny they're idols because they also are under the idols Golden rules, such as the Renai Kinshi Jourei.
in B you find sub-categories because you can't just compare groups whom main focus is Dance music and their dance routines (ºC-ute, Juice=Juice, Up Up Girls, 3m) to groups that aren't mainly dance units but dance once in a while. However both types are different from Vocal & Dance units because on those, you find the focus is put equally on both, so dance routines are important but so are the vocals. In order to accomplish that, the groups are usually formed with dancers and vocalists, if the dancers cannot sing, they're not forced to sing, yet they differ from Performance units where the focus is put mainly on the Performance of the dance routines and because:
In Performance groups the level of dancing required is different. Performers are more required of harder/more difficult dance steps because the main purpose is to elaborate flashy and spectacular dance routines, as well as to highlight the dance, and they need to be able to Freestyle as well as coordinate all their dance steps.
Chotokkyuu would be one Performance Idol group. SPEED, SweetS, TGS, Prizmmy, DREAM5, FOLDER/FOLDER5 or the 7nin Dream would be a Vocal & Dance idol unit, so are Fairies. Mostly, the kids that make into these groups have learnt dancing at special academies, they first got the talent, then polished it, then got recruited and kept polishing. But they don't undergo the type of training hallyuu idols go. They don't go concept by concept as the group already has a main one, and they do their songs in order to be able to showcase their stage presence and perform the dance routines as neat as possible, but they don't go to the extent of being extra-coordinated because they need to do it by the book. I think is one of the keys between J-Pop dancers (idols or not) and Hallyuu idols. As well said by some people, even ex-hallyuu idols, the K-Pop ones are not required to have their own individual stage presence because their purpose is to serve to the concept chosen. So they need to be perfect on their moves rather than express themselves through those.
Then you'd have recyled idols like 7cm that went under training to become one.
As for the big/mid groups that don't necessarily put the focus on dancing, we'd have Morning Musume or s/mileage. They do harder dance routines at times, but it's not as much as a main concept as it is for ºC-ute or Up Up Girls. Sometimes their routines will require harder steps for a more visual effect (and a neat coordination), sometimes not. Their routines don't always have steps that include jumps, elaborated poses, arms moves, quick steps, and such.
Johnny's, they're all trained to dance. They get basic dance lessons, mostly jazz. However, they don't require to be extra-talented. Your average basic JE group will be able to perform from simple to more smooth and elaborated routines (be it jazz, be it including New Style elements, etc.), but the main purpose is to match the song and highlight the group as a whole. The thing is, in most of the groups, there's always the high-skilled well-trained member (Ohno, would be one, Koichi another) that is able to showcase its own individual natural talent on solo performances, as well as usually outsand on group ones. Johnny's that get more dance training, they do it on their own account. So no, they're not like your average K-Pop idol, not even like the Academy-trained J-Pop idol or non-idol (Avex, CALESS, Okinawa's school).
More elaborated dance groups means that these focus on dancing and they also do acrobatic moves such as impressive coordinated back-flips and other group-pyramid-sort of moves. V6 and A.B.C.-Z's are two fine examples of that, they require their members to work extra hard to do their routines as perfect as possible, however, they also distance themselves from what a Hallyuu idol does. The purpose to be perfect is for them to look coordinated and not break their necks while doing flips and such. Yet, they are not only allowed but required to showcase their individual talent. Members like Okada had it really hard to match their colleagues back in the day, since dancing is not his speciality and he had to dance along natural dancers such as Morita Go or Sakamoto Masayuki (whom also is a well-trained dancer in so many classic disciplines, even tap-dancing) or those who got the basics mastered like Nagano or Inohara. You could say these groups need to work their dancing as much as a performance group, however, since they're idols, they cannot train the same way those do, because their schedules not always allow them to even learn the routines together. A.B.C.-Z's are also a theatre unit, so their dancing is as important as their stage presence and their performing skills on a song.
And yes, JE are the only known company that has had two debuted roller skater groups. I think it's not necessary to say why, despite the 3/4 formula, Kis.My.Ft-2 are different from any other JE group. As for Theatre troupes, you have units like D-Boys, they require dance training, or the Takarazuka Revue. D-Boys and other male troupes have launched groups sometimes, so their dance style usually comes from what they've got from theatre. However, that doesn't mean they cannot be bad-ass dancers such as Miyano Mamoru, whom can do moves from New Style, Street Dance as well as Jazz.
Then, you could say AKB48 and its sister units are both #2-b and #4. They do have their Theatre routines, with different types of moves, from more simple to more elaborated, as well as their regular music releases dance routines, that are also variated. However, they don't do too many harder steps, since what they seek is the visual effect and a way to showcase their individualities as a whole. UZA would be a complicated routines, then NMB48 has even some small acrobatics like the one performed at Junjou U-19. The fact most of the times their routines require more poses than dance steps doesn't mean they don't do harder routines. However, is not their main purpose to do difficult dances. We've arrived to Non-Idols. They're not differents from idols on categories 2-c and 2-d. We could say BRIGHT is in the category B-1 so would be JANEL (disbanded), since they also danced, althougth within' the years, their routines simplified, they were trained as dancers too and were able to execute difficoult Jazz steps, New Style (Hip-Hop) steps and Street Dance steps.
B-1 and B-2 usually undergo the same type of learning at an Academy the basics of dance, polish their skills, extend their knowledge on different disciplines. However, for B-2, you can see that they are completely dedicated to that. Performance groups don't train their dances, they train to dance. They dedicate their whole work time to be fit to be able to dance and to learn, polish and perform the dance routines they do.
The main difference between Performers from groups like EXILE, Sandaime J Soul Brothers, GENERATIONS, E-GIRLS (and the individual groups minus Dream), SQUAREHOOD (already disbanded), Rhythmic (disbanded too), Da iCE or BRIDGET is that they are not simple members of a group but full-professional dancers whom are the focus of the group, they have natural talent for starters and they don't undergo the training of an idol to be able to perform certain steps or routines because what they do is to make of dance their major, they become the dance, they create the dance when they're required to, and even when other type of dancers in groups (mainly idols, vocal & dance non-idol units) do have the skills and train hard, what they do is not just train a routine till they fall from fatigue with the purpose to offer a perfect stage. Performance groups don't care about perfection the most, because their main purpose is to entertain with their natural talent. Perfection to them is equal to Expression through their own trained skills, not looking all perfectly suited to the concept and coordinated. It's a different way to go for the mainstream. Is not better or worse, but it's different. Idols (J-Pop and K-Pop) train for each song or concept, they will be asked for a certain ammount of perfection on their coordinated moves or not. K-Pop idols are less allowed to showcase their individualities, for J-Pop ones is important their personalities get through their dance moves too, while for Performance groups is about expression and the full show. It starts with the fact the creational process is important, the members (as said with Chotokkyuu) must be able to freestyle of their own (not freestyle of a previously elaborated routine/shown dance steps) and despite you'll find people like this in idol groups (Momoka from Fairies, Kahi from AS, mostly 2PM members), idols serve to a major cause that supress that free-will on the stage. Performance group don't. Vocal & Dance units (non-idols) are also caged on the elaborated routines they've done. Have a moment or two on concerts to showcase their individualities, but not necessarily during a song.
Even when the vocals are also important for Performance groups, the ballance is not there. Vocalists not always go coordinated with the group, sometimes they don't even follow dance steps. Music and lyrics are important, but when they're on the stage, the ability of a performer to attract the viewers is a must. Idol and non-idol groups, be it vocal & dance or just basic dancing groups, they cannot have that much focus on the expression of the performance (the dancers) over the overall routine.
That is mostly what settles Dream appart from its sisters and brothers at LDH. For starters, they were modeled as a Vocal & Dance unit after Mai Matsumuro graduated and Shizuka, Risa, Ami, Aya, Sayaka & Erie entered. They were more the type of a 7cm (ex.SDN48 members) or even a JANEL (non-idol). Paradise Go!!Go!! and CASSIS despite of being called EXILE's sister units (in CASSIS case more LDH group than sister-unit), they weren't exactly a Performance group and more vocal & dance unit. These groups are composed of singers and dancers, which means not all the members have the same natural dance skills, and most of the times, with this aspect they are the closest to nowadays hallyuu idols that have made of dance routines with key-steps a must. However, all these groups had the same elaborated dance steps, and their routines were made to shine as much as their music. But no, freestyling or making of the individual dance expression a main focus wasn't there. Althought they were good with their routines both as DRM and as Dream on Hands Up era, you can still see some members are more skilled for dance while others are for singing, yet the purpose was for all them to sing. They seek for the same overall Vocal & dance units do, because they're one and an exception inside E-Girls. Going further into Performance groups, the style they choose for their main concepts usually influences the type of dance discipline steps they use:
The romantic feel of Sandaime J Soul Brothers makes them seek for more contemporary dance based moves than hip-hop ones, although the popping is always there. While GENERATIONS go more for b-boy moves and EXILE are a mixture of b-boying and Street Dance moves. Then you can see Happiness are more Hip-Hop/Underground dance clubs generated moves based while Flower are more classic dance-based. SQUAREHOOD were a mainly Hip-Hop/Street Dance-based group with some b-boy moves, so are Da iCE. Non-LDH female disbanded group Rhythmic were more for smooth-classic/contemporary dance moves than anything else. And if we get to Hallyuu idols, the difference with them all it's been said already.
Hallyuu idols are mostly trained by their companies in several disciplines all at once. Of course, dancing is important nowadays, but that doesn't mean they are dancers. The same way I wouldn't say Morning Musume members are dancers compared to ºC-ute members, despite they do have songs where they dance. In Hallyuu groups, some of them are dancers. Soloits, some are natural dancers like Rain too (and he had an important role into making of dancing a thing, same as JYP or Se7en or BoA). But even when they aren't, they're mostly required to train their dance moves to the extent of exhaustion, and that is why they will be always able to execute those. But depending on the focus they put, you'll find flawless performances or really awkward ones. Like some Playboyz fellow highlighted into me, back in the day of After School's Flashback's performances, the dance level lowered to the point they seemed a different group that under Kahi's command. That is due to the fact not all of them are natural-born dancers and if they don't polish their skills to the limit and stay focused on performances, the moves won't look neat. Is the same for J-idols. The difference is J-idols are also required to make their personalities shine, so when members like Aiba (Arashi) mess up, it really doesn't matter that much, because the overall is still serving its purpose to entertain. When a Hallyuu idol messes up, he/she's probably ruining the whole effect and purpose of its routine. When a Performer messes up, you'll probably barely notice unless he/she falls flat on the floor. Not even if it's in the middle of an all-members-coordinated step.
Hallyuu Idol regular Vocal & Dance units work to impress with their routines that must always have a few key point steps that rather make people copy/learn them or leave them astonished by their flawlessness. However, even when they have hard steps, they don't train to dance. They train their dance. What do I mean with that? It's simple: Regular/more elaborated Hallyuu dance units (not J-Pop units, they don't work themselves that much at the end, only a few agencies do) are dedicated to make each one of their concepts perfect. The agency carefully selects the choreography or gets one made that matches the concept of each song and becomes able to captivate the audience. They go into their dance studios, learn the routine and then spend the rest of their days till come backs doing dance practices or practicing those moves they cannot master on their own (yes, you'll see groups like Fairies also doing that, but Hallyuu stars go to the limit of staying overnight to become perfect).
Performance groups just go with the fact that they start making the routine when the song's being decided/written/handled/recorded. Most of the times one or several members are the ones in charge of the routine, they usually attend the recording of the song to capture the feel and the meaning of the lyrics, then go and work on the steps they will make the whole group (or just the performers) execute. Then pass the knowledge onto the rest of the group. Then it comes the part to decide solos (dance solos) and each member must be able to make one of its own and match the rest while expressing istelf within' the meaning of the song seeking for aspecths of the rhythm that can be unconventional (and that is probably while most of the time you'd wonder why their steps don't go with the beat the way you would expect). Is for the show but it also must be for the song. And that is one part. Instead of going to the dance studio and dance the routine off as many as needed, they go to the gym and do fitness stuff because what they need the most is to be fit and healthy to perform their routines and freestyles, as well as entertain with that. They don't need to stay up till late at night to coordinate because their level allows them to match their dance quicker than your average, and they're professional enough to monitor their own performances and see which moves need to be polished and what may they be lacking (and yes, Kahi, was able to do that, which made them a really unique Hallyuu idol, now AS are with their instructor all the time).
*I won't spend more time screencapping making offs so here you've got sexy-ELLY one of the regular creatives at 3JSB* Why aren't Hallyuu idols like that? Because they are not required of that. They are required of different skills, such as be able to supress their individualities to serve the main concept of a song/group and make the overall shine. Their dance routines are usually carefully created to outsand and be attractive as well as impressive, whether they are a group that highlights their dance skills (2PM) or not (A-Pink). Groups like 'always coordinated' Super Junior (with outstanding Shindong, same as Kahi) or 'perfectly coordinated' Infinite usually have the perfect ammount of New Style/Street Dance/B-Boy steps or Jazzy steps/New Style moves/Cute Poses ballanced dose, their routines are not just simple, are harder, require a lot of focus and sacrifying your own style for the sake of the performance concept. It's visually attractive, it's catchy, and it instantly makes you want to learn the steps, the same way well-elaborated cute J-Pop idol routines do (for those whom like it), but for groups like EXILE, only professional or well challenging dancers would care to learn their routines, because those might look weird or less appealing to the general audience, but are harder and only attractive to natural-born dancers. Sometimes, more than mimick the routine, it actually challenges you to get your own input into the dance, because since each performer dances with its own particular style, you cannot just repeat what they do.
Only E-Girls on their regular title and album/single tracks (not the dance segments) have routines that are easy-going because the main purpose of that group is to hype up people, bring the spirits up. However, try to learn GomenoKiss dance steps if you dare. They still add too many variated, tricking step moves, than make the routines harder than it first looks. Still E-Girls take from idols (Hallyuu mostly and Vocal & Dance J-Pop units) the key-point dance moves that are the clue to get people trapped into watching the routine of the song. As you can see, even when they all go to the same sources to borrow moves or get inspiration, the types of dance units is more variated and complicated to understand than it seems. You wouldn't say at first that there's any difference between a group like Fairies one like Happiness and one like 9Muses, but once you start scratching and looking for the way their songs are decided, their routines are created and how they prepare to showcase those, you see they're not the same. Trying to just compare and say 'this group dances better' is silly, because, from a start each group serves to a different purpose and may require from more or less elaborated dance routines and steps. Sometimes you see groups that because they are made of idols (whom aren't necessarily natural-dancers) have members struggling to match their group mates. You see that in Johnny's, you see that in AKB (and it's interesting when a senbatsu gets slightly modified), you see that in Hallyuu idols, but you'll hardly see it in a Dance & Vocal unit like Fairies because they seek for their members to have dance skills or they know how to minimize the moves for those whom doesn't dance that well, and you'll see it less in Performance groups because, for starters, you won't make it into one if you don't have rough talent. The same way you won't make it as a Japanese idol if you don't have any sort of talent, be it being charmy or having great comic skills. Hallyuu idols are also required of having someone that can work the crowds and go to varieties, otherwise, the group has less possibilities to outsand. Regarding that fact, YG is one of the agencies that has got groups under its wing that broke the norm of not letting their own stage presence go through (mostly 2NE1, even more than Big Bang), because they do seek for their idols to grow also as artists, meaning they require from them to evolve as creators. Don't misunderstand it with having an individual talent such a playing an instrument or being an actor/actress. If you go and watch stages from them, you'll see how they not only perform their dance moves neatly, they also let their own self express through that. Is not fan-servicing, being/looking flawless like SNSD does, still performing their routines well-matched. What 2NE1 does is actually take on the stage and be their own characters, rather than get the concept of the song over anything else. And you can't say I'm biased because I haven't been a fan of them for years now, yet I still like SNSD over 2NE1.
Getting back to the J-Pop idol categories, comparing between what groups like H!P do (even those that aren't dance-based) and groups like AKB48 or Passpo/Predia do is also pointless. They don't go for the same routine-effects to start with, their dance routines don't usually come from the same sources/genres, and their music doesn't sound alike either. Saying one is harder than the other is also pointless. Any dance is hard to perform, even cute-orthodox-idol ones. Just try to do it all through and look as cute as they do and not become tired of having your body match the poses/steps. A dance can be easy to memorize, that's all, but the level of performance is in the dancer not the step itself. If it doesn't include acrobatics or b-boying, then you cannot say it's harder to do this or that. Some people can do a body-wave without even sweating, others hardly manage to move their spine as demanded, even when they'd practiced it. The more skilled the dancer, the more chances a unit has to make more elaborated steps and moves, but if the group style doesn't require that, then it's nonsensical to put it down just because their dance steps are easier. You wouldn't go around comparing a ballerina to a b-boy, that's the main purpose of this long essay I guess (yes the original one was longer, way longer).
