Charismatic Dancer Yui Hayashi Releases First Photo Book

Charismatic dancer Yui Hayashi releases her first photo book.

Questioner: You’re renowned as one of Japan’s top dancers, yet I hear you originally aimed to become a nursery school teacher.

Yui Hayashi: I have many relatives, so I often had opportunities to interact with their children. Also, I had been doing children’s dance purely for fun since fourth grade. Then, in my second year of high school, a teacher from Tokyo came to Nagoya for a workshop. That was when I was first truly shocked by the high level of the Tokyo teachers.
When I happened to be in Tokyo, I tried a dance lesson and felt both “shock” and “joy.” That feeling overpowered my desire to become a nursery school teacher. From then on, I went to Tokyo and shifted gears from nursery school teacher to dancer. Before that, I only had lessons once a week, but after deciding to become a dancer, my days changed to attending lessons after school ended.

Questioner: Why did you decide to become a dancer?
Hayashi: My father was in a band during high school, so I grew up in a house where music played constantly, and I loved it. Also, I took piano lessons in elementary school, which I think helped develop my sense of pitch.
My first experience as a dancer was performing as a backup dancer at a live show. Dancing while seeing the audience’s faces live was incredibly fun, and I became hooked. I think my experience dancing in elementary school performances influenced this too. Performing at recitals, seeing the audience’s faces, and seeing them enjoy it – that was really enjoyable.

Questioner: What did you do after moving to Tokyo?
Hayashi: After coming to Tokyo, I went to the studio every day to practice dance. But I didn’t get work right away after moving. It was a cycle of working part-time jobs, taking lessons, and then working part-time again. I was really driven to go to that studio and improve my skills, so for the first year or two, it was a daily routine of working part-time and taking lessons.

Questioner: How did the audience react?
Hayashi: The purest joy was when people said things like, “It’s amazing you can keep smiling like that the whole time.” Seeing the audience clap while I was having fun myself made me think, “Ah, I’m so glad I dance.” Beyond that, being able to be part of the precious time people come to see us is the real thrill of performing entertainment. Knowing I could become part of the audience’s memories made me dance happily.

Questioner: Why did you choose “PALLETE” as the title for your photo book?
Hayashi: Just like a palette holds many colors, I wanted to show different sides of myself: the bright and energetic me, the more mature me trying something new for the first time, and also the relaxed, unfiltered me just chilling in my own room. I feel like I was able to present all these different shades of myself.

Questioner: This is your first photo book, right?
Hayashi: Since it was my first, I was nervous. I trained frequently to build my body, wanting to be praised as “cool.” Before heading to Guam for the shoot, I went to the gym every day. I restricted my diet and lived quite stoically—I think I worked harder than ever before…
The shoot period was 4 nights and 5 days in Guam. I had almost no private time. Starting around 6 AM, I’d get my makeup done, travel, change outfits, and focus entirely on the shoot.
My physique combines muscles from my dance background with newly built ones. Personally, I feel I’m showing both the body I worked hard to create and my raw, unseen side through these photos, so I really hope people enjoy them… The outfits impressed the Kodansha staff, who remarked, “We’ve never seen a photobook with this many different outfits.”

Questioner: Finally, could you share a message for your fans?
Hayashi: Seeing the actual book today made it truly real to me that this photobook exists. Being approached by Kodansha itself is an honor. Since I was given such a precious opportunity, I decided to give my absolute all to this shoot. I hope many people will pick it up, and I’d be thrilled if it becomes a special book for readers.