The twist and go-go of the 1950s and 1960s and the discos and clubs of the 1970s and 1980s were exclusively the preserve of young people, but this time, men and women of all ages are getting up on their feet and dancing. Thanks to this box-office hit, not only those of the protagonist's generation but also young people have taken to ballroom dancing, and the number of studios and competitors have dramatically increased. The film helped bring dance closer to the general public. Ballroom dance has become more prominent on television, too. Competitions are sometimes aired on TV, and one program follows the trials and tribulations of a band of comedians who have seriously taken up the activity.
Parents even enroll their children in ballroom dance classes now.
Ballet is also highly popular. Performances by Tetsuya Kumakawa, until recently a principal male dancer at Britain's Royal Ballet, have been attracting attention from far and wide. And major ballet companies are coming in droves to perform in Japan. Those touring the country in 1999 include the Paris Opera Ballet, Pina Bausch with the Wuppertal Dance Theatre, and the American Ballet Theater. Without going out for lessons, people can still enjoy dancing with computer games, available both in arcades and on game machines at home.