Dansu jidai = ダンス時代 (The Dance Times)

Dansu jidai = ダンス時代 (The Dance Times)

Places of Publication: Amagasaki Shi, Japan & Osaka, Japan
Language: Japanese
Date of Publication: 1932-1939, 1947-1949
Introduction by: Stella Li

Dansu jidai [The Dance Times], established in October 1932 in Amagasaki, is one of the oldest Japanese dance periodicals devoted to social dance in the Kansai region. After a nine-year hiatus due to the war, the journal, now based in Osaka, resumed publication in July 1947 in pamphlet form, with each issue ranging between 8 to 16 pages. The RIPM Jazz collection contains four postwar issues: no. 54 (July 1947), no. 55 (August 1947), no. 57 (December 1947), and no. 60 (August 1948). The journal does not appear to continue after February 1949.

The journal provides news reports, commentary, and educational materials related to social dance activities and culture in the Kansai region. Dance music is discussed within this context. A distinctive feature of the journal is its sustained attention to the policies and politics of social dance. It served as a discursive platform for various stakeholders in the Osaka dance scene to voice their opinions, including government authorities, leaders of professional groups, and business owners. For example, the cover article of the first postwar issue (no. 54) addresses the shutdown of special entertainment industry and its impact on the regulations of cabarets, dance halls, and dance studios. A roundtable discussion in issue no. 57 debates on the prohibition of food and drink in dance venues and its broader sociopolitical implications.

The journal’s editor, Shimomura Mioko 下村澪子, was a journalist active in both dance press and general newspapers. Compared to other dance journals of the time, Dansu jidai presents a notably literary tone and demonstrates sensitivity to a broader spectrum of cultural issues beyond dance. Shinomura’s vision is articulated in her first postwar editorial, in which she writes: “Through this magazine, we aim to present the perspectives of general dance enthusiasts, professionals, and authorities, hoping, even in a small way, to contribute to the path forward for a democratic Japan.” In February 1950, Shinomura became involved in the newly established journal Jōka [Purification], which investigates topics such as crime prevention, infectious disease control, unemployment measures, and youth education.

This RIPM Index was produced from copies of the journal held by the Gordon W. Prange Collection at the University of Maryland, College Park.