Dance Earth Party (Japanese: ダンス・アース・パーティー, also stylized as DANCE EARTH PARTY or known by their acronym DEP) is a Japanese Dance-pop coed group created and managed by LDH since 2013. They are a dance-vocal unit which is part of Exile Üsa's philanthropic Dance Earth project and signed to the record label Rhythm Zone. The group's line-up consisted of different LDH artists for the first 2 years until a fixed set of 3 members got announced in 2015. This trio included Exile Üsa, Exile Tetsuya and Dream Shizuka, making this unit the bridge between Exile Tribe and E.G.family within LDH.

Dance Earth Party
Also known as
  • DANCE EARTH PARTY
  • DEP
  • ダンス・アース・パーティー
OriginJapan
GenresDance-pop, Alternative
Years active2013-2018
LabelsLDH, Rhythm Zone
Past members
  • Exile Üsa
  • Exile Tetsuya
  • Dream Shizuka
  • Crystal Kay
  • Exile Nesmith
  • Naoki Kobayashi
  • Mandy Sekiguchi
  • Dream Aya
  • Dream Ami
  • Dream Erie

The musical style of this group is heavily influenced by different cultures from around the world due to its connection to the Dance Earth project, which focuses on conveying happiness and bringing people together through music and dance.[1] This is also reflected in the choice of artists featured in their songs and locations their music videos are shot at.

History

edit

2013: Group formation and debut

edit

Dance Earth is a philanthropic entertainment project founded by Exile Üsa in 2008, to connect the world by dance.[2] Dance Earth Party was created in 2013 for this project, including vocalists and performers from various groups.

In 2013, the line-up consisted of Exile Üsa, Exile Tetsuya, Exile Nesmith and Crystal Kay. The group released their debut single "Inochi no Rhythm" on January 16 under the record label UNIVERSAL SIGMA. The song was used for the project DANCE EARTH ~Seimei no Kodo~ and it was the only single to be released under UNIVERSAL SIGMA.

2014: Record label and line-up change

edit

In 2014, the unit moved record labels from UNIVERSAL SIGMA to Rhythm Zone from Avex.

For the project Changes, the line-up consisted of Exile Üsa, Exile Tetsuya, Naoki Kobayashi, Mandy Sekiguchi and Dream members Shizuka, Aya, Ami and Erie.[3] The unit released the single "PEACE SUNSHINE" on April 16.

2015-2018: Fixed line-up, Dance Earth Festival, first album and hiatus

edit

In 2015, it was announced the unit would get a fixed line-up with members Üsa, Tetsuya and Shizuka. The first single of the new line-up and third single of the group in general "BEAUTIFUL NAME" was released on August 5, 2015, featuring The Skatalites and Ryuji Imaichi from Sandaime J Soul Brothers.[4][5] The group released their fourth single "DREAMERS' PARADISE" on November 25, 2015, featuring Rhymester's member Mummy-D.[6][7]

On August 3, 2016, Dance Earth Party released their fifth single "NEO ZIPANG ~UTAGE~" featuring banvox and Drum Tao.[8] On October 15, 2016, the group established and realized the DANCE EARTH FESTIVAL '16, at Chiba Makuhari Beach Park with various events including performances by artists inside and outside LDH and also including DEP. On the same day, the group released two digital singles "To The World" and "HEART OF A LION", previously only available for streaming on AWA. On December 2, 2016, the group announced their first album I, released on February 1, 2017.[9][10]

On May 13, 2017, it was announced that the DANCE EARTH FESTIVAL 2017 would be held in October 14 and 15, with Exile The Second as guests on the 15th.[11] A new song, "WAVE", was also announced. The song was released as a digital single on June 9, 2017.

The group released their 6th single "POPCORN" on August 30, 2017.

On March 14, 2018, the group released their 7th single "Anuenue".[12] The single include footage of the DANCE EARTH FESTIVAL 2017. On July 14, 15 and 16, the DANCE EARTH FESTIVAL 2018 ~SPLASH SUMMER~ was held.[13][14] On July 14, 2018, the group also released the single "HAPPiLA" in MUSIC CARD format and digitally on July 17. The song features Generations from Exile Tribe.

On December 4, 2018, it was announced that the group as a fixed unit ended its activities but the group can return and restart its activities in the future with a rotative line-up.[15]

Members

edit

Fixed members

edit
Name Position Years active within Group Date of Birth Other groups
Exile Üsa performer 2013 - 2018 February 2, 1977 (age 45) Exile
Exile Tetsuya performer 2013 - 2018 February 18, 1981 (age 41) Exile

Exile The Second

Dream Shizuka vocalist 2014 - 2018 March 6, 1988 (age 34) Dream (formerly)

E-girls (formerly)

Temporary members

edit
Name Position Years active within Group Date of Birth Other groups
Crystal Kay vocalist 2013 February 26, 1986 (age 36)
Exile Nesmith vocalist 2013 August 1, 1983 (age 39) Exile

Exile The Second

Naoki Kobayashi performer 2014 November 10, 1984 (age 37) Exile

Sandaime J Soul Brothers

Mandy Sekiguchi performer 2014 January 25, 1991 (age 31) Exile

Generations from Exile Tribe

Honest Boyz

Dream Aya vocalist 2014 July 16, 1987 (age 35) Dream (formerly)

E-girls (formerly)

Dream Ami vocalist 2014 May 11, 1988 (age 34) Dream (formerly)

E-girls (formerly)

Dream Erie vocalist 2014 September 3, 1987 (age 35) Dream (formerly)

E-girls (formerly)

Discography

edit

Studio albums

edit
Title Album details Sales Certifications
I
  • Released: February 1, 2017
  • Label: Rhythm Zone
  • Formats: CD, CD/2DVD, CD/2Blu-ray
TBA TBA

Singles

edit
Title Details Sales Certifications
Inochi no Rhythm TBA TBA
PEACE SUNSHINE
  • Released: April 16, 2014
  • Label: Rhythm Zone
  • Formats: CD, CD/DVD
TBA TBA
BEAUTIFUL NAME
  • Released: August 5, 2015
  • Label: Rhythm Zone
  • Formats: CD, CD/DVD
TBA TBA
DREAMERS' PARADISE
  • Released: November 25, 2015
  • Label: Rhythm Zone
  • Formats: CD, CD/DVD
TBA TBA
NEO ZIPANG ~UTAGE~
  • Released: August 3, 2016
  • Label: Rhythm Zone
  • Formats: CD, CD/DVD
TBA TBA
POPCORN
  • Released: August 30, 2017
  • Label: Rhythm Zone
  • Formats: CD, CD/DVD
TBA TBA
Anuenue
  • Released: March 14, 2018
  • Label: Rhythm Zone
  • Formats: CD, CD/DVD, CD/3DVD, CD/3Blu-ray
TBA TBA

Digital singles

edit
Year Title Release date Sales Certifications
2016 To The World September 23 TBA TBA
HEART OF A LION October 5 TBA TBA
2017 WAVE June 9 TBA TBA
2018 HAPPiLA July 17 TBA TBA

References

edit
  1. ^ "DANCE EARTH PARTY". DANCE EARTH PARTY (in Japanese). Retrieved 2019-07-26.
  2. ^ "EXILE ÜSA | MANAGEMENT | LDH". www.ldh.co.jp. Retrieved 2021-09-24.
  3. ^ "関口メンディー、舞台メイクが「アジャ」そっくり 本人も苦笑い". ORICON NEWS. Retrieved 2019-08-30.
  4. ^ Inc, Natasha. "EXILE USAユニット新曲にTHE SKATALITES&三代目JSB今市が参加". 音楽ナタリー (in Japanese). Retrieved 2019-08-30. {{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  5. ^ Inc, Natasha. "DANCE EARTH PARTY&三代目JSB今市、新曲PVで子供たち200人とダンス". 音楽ナタリー (in Japanese). Retrieved 2019-08-30. {{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  6. ^ Inc, Natasha. "DANCE EARTH PARTY、カリフォルニアの楽園で踊るMV". 音楽ナタリー (in Japanese). Retrieved 2019-08-30. {{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  7. ^ Inc, Natasha. "DANCE EARTH PARTY×Mummy-D共演、顔合わせでテキーラ交わす". 音楽ナタリー (in Japanese). Retrieved 2019-08-30. {{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  8. ^ Inc, Natasha. "DANCE EARTH PARTY"宴"ソングにbanvox、山本寛斎ら協力". 音楽ナタリー (in Japanese). Retrieved 2019-08-30. {{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  9. ^ "DANCE EARTH PARTY". DANCE EARTH PARTY (in Japanese). Retrieved 2019-07-26.
  10. ^ Inc, Natasha. "DANCE EARTH PARTY初アルバムで表現するのは"世界の音楽の旅"". 音楽ナタリー (in Japanese). Retrieved 2019-08-30. {{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  11. ^ Inc, Natasha. "DANCE EARTH PARTY、10月のフェス開催に向けて新作でパワー解放(動画あり)". 音楽ナタリー (in Japanese). Retrieved 2019-08-30. {{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  12. ^ Inc, Natasha. "DEPがハワイの虹描く新作「Anuenue」、カップリングは米米カバー". 音楽ナタリー (in Japanese). Retrieved 2019-08-30. {{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  13. ^ "FANTASTICS、中尾翔太さん追悼ステージに涙雨「9人を感じてもらえるように...」". ORICON NEWS. Retrieved 2019-08-30.
  14. ^ Inc, Natasha. "「DANCE EARTH FESTIVAL」にライムス、在日ファンク、RAMPAGEら追加". 音楽ナタリー (in Japanese). Retrieved 2019-08-30. {{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  15. ^ Inc, Natasha. "DANCE EARTH PARTYが活動休止「一人ひとりが、それぞれの新たな旅へ」(コメントあり)". 音楽ナタリー (in Japanese). Retrieved 2019-08-30. {{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
edit

Official website