Shall We Dansu?

film by Suo [1996]

Also known as: “Shall We Dance?”

Written by

The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last updated

July 15, 2026

Quick Summary

Shall We Dansu? is a 1996 Japanese comedy film directed by Masayuki Suo. The movie tells the story of a middle-aged businessman who feels his life has become monotonous. To escape his routine, he secretly begins taking ballroom dance classes at night.1

The film was a significant box-office success in Japan and is credited with helping to revitalize the Japanese film industry. It also played a role in changing public perception of ballroom dancing in Japan, a country where public displays of affection were uncommon. Shall We Dansu? was well-received at the Cannes film festival and became Suo's breakthrough hit in the United States in 1997. The screenplay was later adapted into a 2004 American remake titled Shall We Dance?.1

Summary created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

2 Britannica Sources

Ask Britannica AI about this topic

Britannica doesn't have a full article on this topic, so we've curated a list of our relevant coverage.

Suo Masayuki
…major success, the 1996 comedy Shall We Dansu? (Shall We Dance?), is about a disillusioned middle-aged businessman who finds escape from his tedious routine by surreptitiously taking ballroom dance classes at night. The film was a box-office hit in Japan and helped to revive the long-stagnant Japanese motion picture industry.…
Read More
…major success, the 1996 comedy Shall We Dansu? (Shall We Dance?), is about a disillusioned middle-aged businessman who finds escape from his tedious routine by surreptitiously taking ballroom dance classes at night. The film was a box-office hit in Japan and helped to revive the long-stagnant Japanese motion picture industry.…
Read More