TraPara

Trapara

(This article is a loose interpretation of the Japanese Wikipedia article of Trapara)
Trapara (Also called Torapara, based off of Japanese phonetics トラパラ) is a Parapara style that goes to the beat of trance music. In a broad sense, it's in the same realm of Parapara, but there are some differences due to the construction of songs, often being considered entirely separate from Parapara and Techpara.

History

The exact date of origin is unknown, but it was around 2003 that some clubs started dancing with Parapara-like choreography to trance songs. In 2004, some clubs distributed practice choreography videos and featured it in gal magazines such as Ranzuki. In 2005, the CD series "SUPER BEST TRANCE" by Avex released and defined the means of choreographing and how to dance to trance songs. Later, people would cite the birth place of Trapara as club CODE in Shinjuku, Kabukicho.

Choreography

It's similar to Parapara in that there's a generally decided routine most people know, but the types, complexity, and style of Trapara is much more limited than Parapara. Therefore, it's a lot easier to learn or Manepara at club events.

Example

• Turn your palms back and spread your hands forward with the feeling of 'welcoming' (Similar to the Egg pose)
• Align the fingertips of both hands in front of your chest and then spread them out in the shape of a banzai ("Fire")
• Crossing your hands back in forth from each other in front of your face
• Make a heart symbol with both hands in front of your chest and moving it
• One hand on the forehead and the other hand diagonally backwards and leaning forward
• Stretch both hands straight forward to the left (with your palms together), and move your left hand as if you were pulling a bow and arrow with your right hand. ("Baby")
• Move the palm from top to bottom while fluttering (once left and right)

Features

• In Parapara, there are usual leg movements. But in Trapara, there is often only upper body movement.
• Often, only the parts with a clear melody, the chorus parts, and the build ups are choreographed. In this respect, it's in contrast to Parapara's full song choreography.
• If a song that already has a Parapara/Techpara routine but is arranged in a trance, the choreography often changes. For this reason, even if you remember the choreography of Parapara, it may not work as a Trapara routine as it is.
• Even for the same song, the choreography that is popular in each club may be slightly different. This tendency is remarkable when the clubs are far apart from each other. For example, even within the same Tokyo area, there is a slight difference between Roppongi and Shibuya, but there are many cases where there is a large difference between Nagoya and Osaka.
• Even if there are people who dance with a choreography different from their own, they rarely change their choreography accordingly, and it is common for each person to enjoy themselves in the way they remember.

In addition, only common songs are on commercially available DVDs. Because of this, if you want to be comfortable on the otachidai, you need to attend clubs and learn from the people around you. This makes learning and standardizing choreography difficult.

Choreographed Songs

Among trance songs, there are many songs with a clear melody made by Dutch epic trance artists (especially songs with vocals) that became popular in Japan after 2000, and then made by Japanese DJs. This is because the notes are choreographed according to the movements and beats of the notes in the main melody. It may also be choreographed in house and hyper techno songs as well, but the latter is generally called Techpara and is distinguished from Trapara. On the other hand, Japanese music also has songs arranged in a trance style, but since it is unlikely to be played at a club, there is no choreography.

Common Songs

These are songs that are commercially available on DVDs Videos from FARMIX were on their website, but are now unavailable due to shutting down.

Song Name	Artist	Source of Choreography
ADDICTED TO LOVE (DIGI-TIZIO MIX)	DIGIMIND	club complex CODE TRAPARA BEST CHAPTER #2
愛の東京コール (OVERHEAD CHAMPION REMIX)	TOKYO CALL PROJECT feat. Kwenji Hayashida	SUPER BEST TRANCE VI
ARE YOU WAKE UP? (LIVE VERSION)	YINLING OF JOYTOY vs. TAKESHI KONGOCHI	SUPER TRANCE VI
ASS UP! (DJ TEN REMIX)	BARACUDA	THE TRAPARA / SUPER BEST TRANCE VI
AXEL F THEME （OVERHEAD CHAMPION REMIX）	JUMPY FROGS	FARMIX
BEAT!	OVERHEAD CHAMPION	SUPER BEST TRANCE IV
BIG BAD LOVE (CASCADA REMIX)	SPRING BREAK	SUPER BEST TRANCE IV / THE TRAPARA
BAD BOY	CASCADA	club complex CODE TRAPARA BEST CHAPTER #1
BIBLE	WATER BLADER	club complex CODE TRAPARA BEST ROUND 1
BODY 2 BODY	DJ KAOS	THE TRAPARA
CAN I GET A WITNESS	ROB MAYTH	club complex CODE TRAPARA BEST CHAPTER #2
CAN'T UNDO THIS!! 2006	SHAM-POO feat. YINLING OF JOYTOY	THE TRAPARA
CARLITO	SPAGHETTINI	club complex CODE TRAPARA BEST ROUND 1
CHOCOLATE (CHOCO CHOCO) (OVERHEAD CHAMPION REMIX)	SOUL CONTROL	SUPER BEST TRANCE VI
CLOSE MY EYES	ASTROLINE	俄然パラパラ学園～入学編～ / SUPER BEST TRANCE IV
DISCO BEAT （DJ e-kawa's PARADISE MIX）	SHOT	FARMIX
DRAGOSTEI DIN TEI (OVERHEAD CHAMPION REMIX)	O-ZONE	俄然パラパラ学園～入学編～ / SUPER BEST TRANCE IV
EVERYTIME WE TOUCH	CASCADA	club complex CODE TRAPARA BEST ROUND 1
GET UP!!	DJ YOSHINORI	club complex CODE TRAPARA BEST CHAPTER #2
HEAVEN IS A PLACE ON EARTH (PASCAL MIX)	SODA CLUB feat.HANNAH ALETHEA	SUPER BEST TRANCE IV
HEY THE PUMPIN' HORSE	GANEZA	club complex CODE TRAPARA BEST ROUND 1
HOLD YOUR HANDS UP HIGH	MEGARA VS. DJ LEE	SUPER BEST TRANCE VI
HOPPY	STEALTH	club complex CODE TRAPARA BEST ROUND 1 ]
I WANNA DANCE (OVERHEAD CHAMPION REMIX)	DOMINO	SUPER BEST TRANCE VI
I WANNA DANCE WITH SOMEBODY	FLIP & FILL	SUPER BEST TRANCE IV
INDEPENDENCE (MIKE NERO MIX)	DJ ENDO.CH	club complex CODE TRAPARA BEST CHAPTER #1
IT'S KILLING ME	DJ TOXIC	club complex CODE TRAPARA BEST CHAPTER #2
LAST ECSTACY	ORIENTAL SPACE	FARMIX
LONELY	DEEP SPIRIT	club complex CODE TRAPARA BEST CHAPTER #2
LOVE & JOY (LOVE S MIX)	PROJECT Y'S FEAT. 田中みゆき	club complex CODE TRAPARA BEST CHAPTER #1
MERMAID (4 SKIPS VS. SHOHEI MATSUMOTO REMIX)	TSUKASA	SUPER BEST TRANCE VI
METHANE HYDRATE	CLIONE	club complex CODE TRAPARA BEST ROUND 1
MONSTER (PROJECT Y'S SM MIX)	DJ YOSHINORI	club complex CODE TRAPARA BEST CHAPTER #1
MOONLIGHT SHADOW (EXTENDED VERSION)	GROOVE COVERAGE	SUPER BEST TRANCE IV
MOSKAU (DIGIMIND MIX)	KHUBILAI KHAN	club complex CODE TRAPARA BEST CHAPTER #1
MR.VAIN RECALL（Recall Mix）	CULTURE BEAT	FARMIX
OHHH! NO!	SHAM-POO	THE TRAPARA
PERFECT GAME	OVERHEAD CHAMPION	SUPER BEST TRANCE IV
PIECE OF HEAVEN	AKIRA	club complex CODE TRAPARA BEST CHAPTER #2
PITCH!	OVERHEAD CHAMPION	SUPER BEST TRANCE IV
READY TO GO (STAGEDIVERZ MIX)	STAGEDIVERZ	SUPER BEST TRANCE IV
SCORPION (CRITICAL SYSTEM MIX)	ORIENTAL SPACE	サンモニ
SHAM-POO	SHAM-POO	THE TRAPARA
SHINING STAR	OLE VAN DANSK	club complex CODE TRAPARA BEST ROUND 1
SOUND OF MY DREAMS	EAST ROKERZ	club complex CODE TRAPARA BEST CHAPTER #2
S.P.A.M.	THE HOSUE NEGRO	FARMIX
SPREAD YOUR WINGS	system F	SUPER BEST TRANCE IV
SUNDAY (OVERHEAD CHAMPION REMIX)	NUAGE	SUPER BEST TRANCE IV
SUNSHINE 2006 (SHOHEI MATSUMOTO REMIX)	SEAN & KIM	SUPER BEST TRANCE VI
TAKE IT		FARMIX
TAKE OFF	STIMULATOR	THE TRAPARA
THE PARTY （DJ SCHWEDE EXTENDED MIX）	DJ SCHWEDE	FARMIX
TOKYO, GO! (SHAM-POO REMIX)	JOHN ROBINSON	THE TRAPARA
WHAT'S UP	Alexis Hart	FARMIX
YESTERDAY (DJ KOUSUKE REMIX)	CHERRY	SUPER BEST TRANCE IV
そこにあるかもしれない	尼崎まゆみ	FARMIX

Others

Songs that have known choreography in clubs but are otherwise not visually documented.

Song Name	Artist
21st Century Digital Girl (Overhead Champion Remix)	Groove Coverage
3D (love Again)	Dj Joker Project Nasca
All out of Love	The Foundation feat. Natalie Rossi
And She Said (Overhead Champion Remix)	Lucas Prata
Another Night (Dj TORA+R-SEQ)	Morgana
Arigato (Original Mix)	Aya
A-Round (Dj Hibiki & Ken-Bow Mix)	Delaction
Baby, I Love You	Dj ET-Q
Bad Boy (Club Mix)	Cascada
Be the One	Overhead Champion
Black or White (Original Mix)	HEAVENS WiRE
Blue Sunshine	Nish
Body 2 Body (Shohei Matsumoto Remix)	Dj Kaos
Can't Undo This!! 2006	Sham-Poo feat. Yinling Of Joytoy
Craft Back	Sonic-R
Crazy 4 Love (Dj Kaya Remix)	Dr. Dj Cerla vs Jo Smith
D.O.U.B.T!!! ～愛の駆引きはダ☆ウ☆ト～(Original Club Mix)	4Skips Vs. Floorbreaker
Dead Or Alive (Original Mix)	HEAVENS WiRE
Distance〜In Your Love〜	Daito
Elevator (Up & Down)　(Rico Bass vs. Sasha Van Holt Mix)	Space Jockeys
Eternity	Overhead Champion
Every Time	Caribbean
Everybody (Klubbingman Remix)	Rocco
Everytime We Touch (Delaction Remix)	Cascada
Flashback (Original Club Mix)	Alphazone
Fly Away feat Jax	t-xign
Free Radical (Dj Ken-Bow Mix)	Delaction
God (Original Mix)	Dj Kaya
Grand Shake (Naska's World Radio Mix)	Dj Joker Project Nasca
Harder?!	Pedro Del Mar
Hardstyle Disco	Yoji Biomehanika
Heaven	Dj Sammy
Herz an Herz(Club Mix)	RE-Vival
Holylance (Crystal Mix)	Dj Yoshinori
I Can't Stop Raving (Original Mix)	Adrima
In My Heart (4 Skips vs. Dj ET-Q Remix)	TSUKASA
Independence	Dj Enzo.Ch
Inspiration (Remo-con vs. Toshio Ueki Remix)	Strike
K.O (Fighting Spirits Mix)	Dj U☆HEY?
Kiss (Airscape Remix)	Vengaboys
La Bomba	Eddy Wata
Layla (Original Club Mix)	Dj U☆HEY? Vs. Dj MINAGAWA
Let Me Go feat. Jax (Floor Edit)	t-xign
Let Me Love You	Hanna
Listen to Your Heart	D.H.T feat. Edmee
Livin' on a Prayer	Cyber X feat. Sean
Look @ the Heaven	Yoji Biomehanika
Love Sunshine	Arpeggio
Mermaid (Delaction Remix)	TSUKASA
Merry Christmas(戦場のメリークリスマス) Mr.Lawrence (Heart of Asia)	Watergate
Methane Hydrate	Clione
Move Your Love (Sham-Poo Remix)	Sean & Kim
Ohhh! No!	Sham-Poo
One More Time (4 Skips vs. Floorbreaker Club Mix)	Daft Punk (Cover:Yinling Of Joytoy)
Out of Border (Red zone Mix)	MSG
Poison	Groove Coverage
Right Here	S.T.F. Presents Dj You
Rockin' (Original Club Mix)	Alphazone
Run to Me(Trank Extended)	Al.Ben
Sagittarius (Original Mix)	Nish
Sham-Poo	Sham-Poo
Show Me Love	Indien
So Yesterday	Hilary Duff
Sound of My Dreams (Decibel Edit)	East Rockerz
Stars are Blind (Overhead Champion Remix)	Paris Hilton - London Hotel
Stay (Airscape Mix)	Wendy Phillips
Sunrise (Rob Mayth Remix)	Angel City feat. Lara McAllen
Survivor (Alphazone Remix)	Dj U☆HEY? Vs. Dj Minagawa
Touch Me (Overhead Champion Remix)	Gunther feat. Samantha Fox
The Anthem (HEAVENS WiRE Mix)	T・R・C
The Load (S.T.F Remix)	T.A.K.E
The Music is Movin' (Delaction Remix)	Fargetta
The Sign	Sven-R-G vs. Bass-T
The Summer is Calling (Extended Mix)	Aquagen
Tokyo	Dj Kaya feat. Keen & Steven a.Haynes
Tubthumping (Everybody Handz Up in Japan Mix)	Hi-End Attack
Wait For You (Overhead Champion Remix)	Wait For You
When I'm With You	Zane+Foster feat. Dany
You Fill Me Up (Dj Ten Remix)	S.T.F. Feat. Keen

Songs that aren't trance but are frequented in trance events

Song Name	Artist
Can't Take My Eyes off You (君の瞳に恋してる)	Frankie Valli
Everlasting Love	GTS feat. Mink
Heavenly Star	元気ロケッツ
恋はgroovy×2	伊藤由奈
Let the Joy Rise (Thunderpuss Club Mix)	Abigail
[[LIFE (キマグレンの曲)	キマグレン
Lotta Love	m-flo
Meu Sonho	Kaleidoscopio
September	Earth Wind & Fire
Sweetest Day of May	Joe T. Vannelli Project feat. Harambee

Trapara & Clubs

There are many clubs that have platforms for people to perform, called otachidai, often to the listed songs above.

• In Shinjuku, "club complex CODE (closed on February 18, 2008)" Sunday Morning Report
• In the Roppongi area, "club Vanilla (closed on April 1, 2007)", "Nishiazabu alife", "studio FLOWER", "GARDEN (closed on September 2008)", "club XROSS (closed on June 13, 2009)
• In Shibuya, "CLUB ATOM", "club CAMELOT"
• In Osaka, Umeda's "SAZA*E (closed on January 1, 2008)", "ON AND ON", and in the Shinsaibashi area, "GRANDCAFE", "Club Joule", "PLATINUM (OSAKA)", "club N3"
• In Nagoya, "MAVERICK", "OZON", "PLATINUM (NAGOYA)"
• In Sapporo, "Sapporo a-life"

In clubs with many platforms set up, they often play music of many genres to generate revenue throughout the week outside of trance events as well as playing multiple genres with trance on the main stage. For this reason, there's a lot of social air around the otachidai etiquette and limited. With clubs with multiple rooms it's possible for dedicated trance space, but often have to be shared among regular club goers outside of Trapara enthusiasts.

This results in less men dancing Trapara than women because men aren't often allowed on the otachidai and you maybe a nescience to the people around you on the main floor. There is a strong tendency for men to get on the platforms but be pulled off due to using women as a selling point on the platforms, but can be accessible on weekday events that aren't as busy.

Merits & Demerits

As mentioned above, the background to the spread of Trapara is that the club used it to attract customers in 2005, major record labels pushed forward with the spread strategy. On the other hand, as of January 2007, it is also true that there are several clubs that banned Trapara. Both the merits and demerits of Trapara have been pointed out from each position related to the clubs.

Clubbers Position

Merit

• If you remember a certain number of choreography (if you have a repertoire), you can easily get excited even if you dance with people you meet for the first time at the club you went to for the first time.
• By dancing with the same choreography and teaching it, it becomes an opportunity for communication.
• You can request the DJ to enjoy the choreographed songs you have learned.
• It can satisfy the desire to stand out and look cool.

Demerit

• Since there are many movements in which both hands are swung around, it may cause trouble to other guests who are enjoying themselves, whether on the stand or on the floor.

DJ's Position

Merit

• You can easily liven up the floor by playing Trapara trance tracks continuously.

Demerit

• If you keep playing Trapara tracks, group psychology come into effect, but people otherwise could be alienated
• If you change genres after playing Trapara tracks, you could rick splitting the dancefloor

Organizer Position

Merit

• You can use the Trapara as a hook for attracting customers. For example, by distributing a choreography practice DVD created by DJs and organizers, increasing the number of otachidai, and in some cases requesting DJs to play more Trapara songs in a short period of time. You can increase the ability to attract customers.

Demerit

• If the organizer accepts Trapara, the number of customers who gather for the purpose of Trapara will increase, and it will not be possible to attract a wide range of customers. For this reason, if the Trapara audience gets too concentrated, they'll cut events to broaden appeal.
• Since the club is basically subject to the Fudosan Law, they will be closed at 1 AM under the guidance of the administrative authorities. There was a time when clubs with trance were banned because customers started to enter around 11PM and started to attract a wide range of customers in a short time. This was pointed out around 2005-2007, when the spread of Trapara accelerated.

End of the Trapara Boom

Due to the closure of club complex CODE, AVEX stopping the release of trance CDs, the departure from trance was accelerated beyond expectations. Around 2011, the number of clubs holding trance events has decreased, but there are cases where they are held jointly with other genres like Eurobeat and Techno. Recently, with the decrease in the Trapara boom, Trapara has been accepted in most clubs around the world.

Media

Avex

SUPER BEST TRANCE II

At the beginning of the Trapara boom, guides on dancing was introduced in the CD booklet

SUPER BEST TRANCE III

A "How To Dance To Trance" guide was included as a CD-EXTRA file with gyaru model Aya Hoshi, though not specifying Trapara, it included elements of dance and some arm movements for lyrics

SUPER BEST TRANCE IV

The first of SUPER BEST TRANCE to release a full DVD of choreography with various gyaru models. However the CD was pulled due to the "Noma Neko Problem" where Avex was forced to pull production of all products featuring the flash animated cat from 2Chan community members for the song Dragostea Din Tei by O-Zone (Also known as Numa Numa), due to copyright reasons.

SUPER BEST TRANCE -THE BEST-

A "Best Of" 2 disc compilation where the first disc is entirely able to be danced Trapara to.

SUPER BEST TRANCE VI

6th entry into the series that shared Trapara choreography with more gyaru models. However these weren't intended to enable proper lessons but just creating promoting material for the SUPER BEST TRANCE series.

The Trapara

Official choreography DVD produced by Avex, compiling many of the songs from previous entries of SUPER BEST TRANCE as well as new songs.

club complex CODE

CODE Trapara Best series

Consisting of three entries to the series, Chapter #1, Chapter #2, and Round #1. The songs featured in these are songs owned and licensed by Exit Trance, and it's sublabel Decibel Entertainment. The most popular and well known choreography came from this series given CODE is considered the birth giver of Trapara.

FARM Records

Parazoku, Sunday Morning Party

DVDs released with the club group CODE choreography with songs owned and created by FARM records. club complex CODE had several record labels providing DJs music to play, however commercially releasing them had it's own licensing issues so while several record labels created DVDs, majority were choreographed by CODE.

Clubs

Very few independent releases of Trapara were made, majority of the choreography was shared among people at the clubs. However some are still documented.

MzA トラパラ教本Gの法則 Series

Series of two club DVDs by the event group MzA at Club Garden in Roppongi , Tokyo.

MEGA PARA

A single DVD produced by the event group MEGA PARA that threw many events through N3, On & On, and New Cellblock.

TV & Movie

Gyaru Sa (Gal Circle)

A TV drama about gals and their community, prominently featuring Trapara

Parazoku

A gal circle movie sharing the same name and songs of the CD and choreography DVD.

Magazines

Ranzuki

Ranzuki released two articles on Trapara in March and September 2004 issues.

Karaoke

Major karaoke companies have released a hand full of songs to be danced at karaoke bars

Song Names and Request Numbers

Song Name	DAM	JOYSOUND
エイベックス　トラパラメドレー（トランス編）	1133-14
ASS UP	3021-62	192058
BIG BAD LOVE	3021-31	164082
CLOSE MY EYES	3021-63
HEAVEN	3021-32
HEAVEN IS A PLACE ON EARTH	3021-64
HEAVENLY STAR	3106-99
Move Your Love	3021-30
SPREAD YOUR WINGS	3021-29
SUNSHINE 2006	3021-65
Everytime We Touch	1162-06
パラパラ基礎講座		192057
トラパラメドレー《パラパラ振り付き・Original》		192064
DRAGOSTEA DIN TEI（恋のマイアヒ）		192050
PERFECT GAME		192054
PITCH		192053
POISON		192028
TOKYO,GO!（SHAM-POO REMIX）		192055
YESTERDAY		192051
愛の東京コール（オバチャンリミックス）		161199
愛の東京コール《パラパラ振り付き・Original》		192059