Netflix’s 10DANCE: A Deconstruction of Contact and Kinetic Desire

The forthcoming film adaptation of Inouesatoh’s manga “10DANCE,” directed by Keishi Otomo, features a cast led by Ryoma Takeuchi and Keita Machida. Portraying rival dancers attempting to master the 10-Dance discipline, the leads are supported by Shiori Doi and Anna Ishii as their respective dance partners. The screenplay, written by Otomo and Tomoko Yoshida, translates the source material into a live-action format that examines the mechanics of competitive ballroom dancing and the physical demands of partnership.

At the center of this narrative architecture are two men named Shinya. Shinya Suzuki is the reigning champion of Latin dance in Japan, characterized by polyrhythms and grounded weight. Opposite him stands Shinya Sugiki, the standard ballroom specialist who holds the second-rank position globally. The film’s premise—a temporary alliance to conquer the 10-Dance Competition, which necessitates mastery of both the five Latin and five Standard disciplines—serves as the framework for a technical study of its leads.

The film avoids bifurcating the professional from the personal. The dance serves as the primary mode of interaction, where shifts in weight and frame constitute the dialogue. Otomo applies a forensic attention to the ballroom floor, resulting in a film that emphasizes the corporeal. The editing eschews rapid montage techniques in favor of longer takes that display the actors’ technical performance and the mechanics of synchronization.

The Physics of the Frame: A Technical Dichotomy

The central conflict of “10DANCE” is derived from the incompatible physics of the worlds Suzuki and Sugiki inhabit. The film details the pedagogy of the ballroom, illustrating the difficulties of a dancer forced to abandon their native language of movement.

Shinya Sugiki’s domain is the International Standard style. This discipline—comprising the Waltz, Tango, Viennese Waltz, Foxtrot, and Quickstep—is predicated on the “closed hold.” In this configuration, the partners maintain a permanent point of contact, creating a single, unified rotational axis. The frame is architectural; elbows are elevated and the connection is maintained through the upper body. Sugiki’s technique is depicted as an extension of his controlled psychology. His “King Hold” functions as a technical posture that maintains distance within the partnership.

Conversely, Shinya Suzuki operates within the International Latin paradigm. This style—encompassing the Cha-Cha-Cha, Samba, Rumba, Paso Doble, and Jive—demands a different biomechanical approach. The frame is fluid; partners separate, rotate independently, and reconnect. Movement is generated from the isolation of the hips and ribcage, utilizing “Cuban motion.” Suzuki’s Latin background makes him reactive and grounded. The film contrasts these styles to highlight the technical deficits of each protagonist. Sugiki struggles with the “groundedness” required for the Latin Rumba, while Suzuki finds the rigid upper-body frame of the Standard Waltz restrictive.

The friction between these two styles drives the narrative. When Sugiki instructs Suzuki in the mechanics of the Waltz, the camera focuses on the tension in Suzuki’s trapezius as his body resists the static constraints of the Standard frame. Similarly, when Suzuki instructs Sugiki in Latin technique, the film explores the discomfort of a dancer accustomed to precision being asked to utilize looser, rhythmic movements. The pedagogical exchange functions as a negotiation of power where the roles of leader and follower are reassessed.

Character Psychology and the Performance of Self

Ryoma Takeuchi and Keita Machida deliver performances noted for their physical training. To prepare for the roles, the actors worked with dance professionals including Standard specialists Koichi Nishio and Ai Shimoda, and Latin experts Takashi Takagi and Kiyomi Takashima.

Takeuchi, inhabiting the role of Suzuki, utilizes his athletic background to inhabit the Latin dancer’s silhouette. His Suzuki is driven by a competitive nature. Takeuchi portrays the character’s frustration with the Standard style as both technical and psychological. He represents a figure who lacks the vocabulary to express himself within the confines of Sugiki’s discipline.

Keita Machida’s Sugiki is a study in precision. Machida adopts the posture and movement patterns associated with the “King of Blackpool” style. The role requires him to embody the arrogance of a champion while revealing the limitations of his rigidity. The film suggests that Sugiki’s adherence to the rules of Standard dance acts as a method of ordering his environment. His provocation of Suzuki—challenging him to the 10-Dance—is a calculated risk to break his own stagnation.

The supporting cast, featuring Shiori Doi and Anna Ishii as Aki Tajima and Fusako Yagami, provides context to the professional setting. These characters are depicted as elite athletes who understand the idiosyncrasies of their partners. Their observations articulate the changes in Suzuki and Sugiki’s dancing, reflecting the evolving partnership. The film notes that in professional ballroom, disrupting an established partnership carries significant professional risk.

The Director’s Gaze: Visual Semiotics of the Body

Keishi Otomo’s direction, with cinematography by Tatsunosuke Sasaki and lighting by Gaku Suzuki, defines the film’s visual strategy through a separation of palettes. The Latin dance sequences are lit in warm tones, reflecting the style’s association with “earth” and rhythm. The camera in these segments is mobile, tracking the energy of the dancers. In contrast, the Standard ballroom scenes use cooler lighting, emphasizing the “air” and gliding nature of the form. The camera here employs steady dolly shots to mimic the movement of the Waltz.

Otomo utilizes the camera to examine the male form. The lens focuses on specific muscle groups and physical details—the arch of a foot or the line of a back muscle. This visual approach integrates the physical effort into the storytelling, forcing the audience to adopt the perspective of the characters and view the rival as an aesthetic object.

The 10-Dance Challenge: A Test of Versatility

The film’s title refers to the 10-Dance Competition, a discipline portrayed as a test of versatility. 10-Dance competitors must master both the grounded Latin style and the rotational Standard style, requiring the cultivation of contradictory muscle memories. The film depicts the physical toll of switching between styles, such as the adjustment from the posture of a Rumba to the frame of a Quickstep.

The training sequences detail specific technical elements: the “heel leads” of the Foxtrot, the “lock steps” of the Cha-Cha, and the “rise and fall” of the Waltz. These details are presented as the components of the characters’ adaptation process.

The Aural Landscape and Costuming

The auditory landscape is composed by Masaru Yokoyama. The score mirrors the film’s duality: Standard sections utilize symphonic arrangements and 3/4 time signatures, while Latin segments employ percussion-driven rhythms and syncopation. Sound Recordist Takeshi Kawamata integrates foley sounds—such as the scrape of soles against the floor and rhythmic breathing—into the mix, emphasizing the physical labor of the dance.

Isao Tsuge’s costume design reinforces the visual storytelling. In the Standard sections, the matching tailcoats create a visual symmetry that removes markers of difference, presenting two bodies negotiating a shared center of gravity.

Release Date

“10DANCE” functions as a technical drama and a study of partnership. It examines the architecture of dance and the humanity of the performers. By deconstructing the binary roles of leader and follower, the film presents a partnership based on equality and technical adaptation.

The film will be available for streaming on Netflix from December 18.