What is wotagei?
Wotagei (ヲタ芸) is derived from a combination of wota (ヲタ), which refers to an idol otaku, and gei (芸) , which refers to an art or practice. Thus wotagei is an idol otaku art form consisting of dancing actions performed at idol, J-Pop, and anime song concerts.
Cyalume dance is another way to refer to wotagei.
Wotagei and Cyalume dance is a form of dance utilizing chemical light stick known as cyalumes which are similar to conventional glow sticks found at raves or music festivals. Cyalume dance is characterized by coordinated choreography that involves spins and slashes with cyalumes, ultimately creating a wondrous, synchronized light show to the beat of J-idol or J-Pop music.
Why wotagei?
As a dance style that was specifically created to work well with Japanese music, it draws in people in the otaku sphere who would not otherwise be drawn to more traditional styles of performance or dance. Practitioners also perform wotagei for its flexibility - it can be performed either solo or in a group, and has infinite possibilities for movements that create flashy light trails. By far the most unique aspect is the origin of wotagei as a way for the audience to support a performer. The core of wotagei has always been a way to let your passion and energy for the music you choose or performer you support to shine through. Through each slash and arc of our lights, we not only channel this excitement, but also our mental discipline, desire to strive for perfection, and the emotions from our connections with other fellow uchishis and fans of Japanese music.
We do wotagei mainly as a way to express our love for Japanese music, whether that be anisong, game, idol, or any other genre.
