[For Festival Beginners] What is Skadan?

Last updated:2024/8/4

[For Festival Beginners] What is Skadan?

Festival-loving girlMizuki Imae
I got totally hooked on BUMP OF CHICKEN after my best friend introduced them to me in junior high, and that’s when I woke up to music. In high school, a senior led me into the world of melodic hardcore, and I fell for it completely. Heavily influenced by the boyfriend I was dating back then, I’ve been a huge fan of 10-FEET from then until now. After graduating from my days as a hairstylist—spent staring down wigs every day—I now work staff for studios, live houses, and wedding sound, spending my days hunting for new bands. Despite being out at festivals and shows all year round, I’m still a hopeless kid who can’t even do a two-step.

At festivals and live shows, there are mysterious, unfamiliar terms, aren’t there?

two-step、mosh...and then, “Skadan.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” was what I thought at first, too.

This time, I’ll be explaining “Sukadan.”

What is skadan?

https://youtu.

be/56l2RZP_BkA?t=20s

There are a lot of people in this video taking steps as if they’re running, aren’t there?

This is “Skadan.”

“Sukadan” is an abbreviation of “Sukadance.”

What kind of music do you skank to?

https://www.

youtube.

com/watch?v=UXkiuAObej4

https://www.

youtube.

com/watch?v=3MtcGmFgXdE

https://www.

youtube.

com/watch?v=hX1ECEyGGq8

Since it's called a 'skadan,' as expected,ska bandI often see it in live streams.

In addition to ska core and ska punk,Melodic hardcore punk、punk rockThere are many bands that play hardcore and ska punk.

Among them, the songs where “skadan” occurs are mostly ska-style tracks, and skadan happens during the ska rhythm that goes “cha, cha…”.

How to dance Skadan

https://www.

youtube.

com/watch?v=6PyrmL2s_Tc

First, please watch this video.

In addition to this video, let me highlight a few key points.

While staying low, repeatedly move your feet from back to front—alternating left and right.

The key is to imagine that you’re running in place while staying low.

Swinging your arms opposite to your legs works perfectly.

Once you get used to it, speeding it up looks cool.

Above all, dancing like you’re having fun is the most important thing!

Etiquette when doing sukadan

[For Festival Beginners] What is Skadan?

Unlike diving or moshing, skanking carries a relatively low risk of injury.

But just like the two-step, if you take up too much space, you'll bump into the person next to you.

Another thing we need to be careful about is the person behind us.

Since the skadan involves stepping in a running-like posture, you may find yourself gradually moving backward before you realize it.

In other words, I end up bumping into or stepping on the person behind me!

When I went to a live show the other day, the people in front were skanking and gradually moved back, and they bumped into me.

In such cases, of course, you should quickly apologize by saying “I’m sorry.”

They usually forgive me.

The worst thing is giving off the attitude that since you’re in this area, it’s only natural to bump into people or get injured.

Then you’ll end up being someone with bad manners.

Lastly

The songs that feature skanking are all very fun music.

I’d be happy if this can help those who want to dance their hearts out at live shows but don’t know how, as well as people who didn’t even know about ska dancing!