Dance Earth Party
{{Infobox musical artist
| name = Dance Earth Party
| alias = * DANCE EARTH PARTY
- DEP
- ダンス・アース・パーティー
| origin = Japan
| years_active = 2013-2018
| label = LDH, Rhythm Zone
| genre = Dance-pop, Alternative
| associated_acts = Exile, Dream
| past_members = * Exile Üsa
- Exile Tetsuya
- Dream Shizuka
- Crystal Kay
- Exile Nesmith
- Naoki Kobayashi
- Mandy Sekiguchi
- Dream Aya
- Dream Ami
- Dream Erie
}}
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.
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.{{Cite web|url=https://avex.jp/dep/profile/|title=DANCE EARTH PARTY|website=DANCE EARTH PARTY|language=ja|access-date=2019-07-26}} This is also reflected in the choice of artists featured in their songs and locations their music videos are shot at.
History
= 2013: Group formation and debut =
Dance Earth is a philanthropic entertainment project founded by Exile Üsa in 2008, to connect the world by dance.{{Cite web|title=EXILE ÜSA {{!}} MANAGEMENT {{!}} LDH|url=https://www.ldh.co.jp/eng/management/dep_usami_y/|access-date=2021-09-24|website=www.ldh.co.jp}} 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 =
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.{{Cite web|url=https://www.oricon.co.jp/news/2037079/full/|title=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|website=ORICON NEWS|access-date=2019-08-30}} The unit released the single "PEACE SUNSHINE" on April 16.
= 2015-2018: Fixed line-up, Dance Earth Festival, first album and hiatus =
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.{{Cite web|url=https://natalie.mu/music/news/151334|title=EXILE USAユニット新曲にTHE SKATALITES＆三代目JSB今市が参加|last=Inc|first=Natasha|website=音楽ナタリー|language=ja|access-date=2019-08-30}}{{Cite web|url=https://natalie.mu/music/news/153864|title=DANCE EARTH PARTY＆三代目JSB今市、新曲PVで子供たち200人とダンス|last=Inc|first=Natasha|website=音楽ナタリー|language=ja|access-date=2019-08-30}} The group released their fourth single "DREAMERS' PARADISE" on November 25, 2015, featuring Rhymester's member Mummy-D.{{Cite web|url=https://natalie.mu/music/news/164503|title=DANCE EARTH PARTY、カリフォルニアの楽園で踊るMV|last=Inc|first=Natasha|website=音楽ナタリー|language=ja|access-date=2019-08-30}}{{Cite web|url=https://natalie.mu/music/news/162271|title=DANCE EARTH PARTY×Mummy-D共演、顔合わせでテキーラ交わす|last=Inc|first=Natasha|website=音楽ナタリー|language=ja|access-date=2019-08-30}}
On August 3, 2016, Dance Earth Party released their fifth single "NEO ZIPANG ~UTAGE~" featuring banvox and Drum Tao.{{Cite web|url=https://natalie.mu/music/news/196929|title=DANCE EARTH PARTY"宴"ソングにbanvox、山本寛斎ら協力|last=Inc|first=Natasha|website=音楽ナタリー|language=ja|access-date=2019-08-30}} 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.{{Cite web|url=https://avex.jp/dep/discography/archive.php|title=DANCE EARTH PARTY|website=DANCE EARTH PARTY|language=ja|access-date=2019-07-26}}{{Cite web|url=https://natalie.mu/music/news/211956|title=DANCE EARTH PARTY初アルバムで表現するのは"世界の音楽の旅"|last=Inc|first=Natasha|website=音楽ナタリー|language=ja|access-date=2019-08-30}}
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.{{Cite web|url=https://natalie.mu/music/news/246741|title=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）|last=Inc|first=Natasha|website=音楽ナタリー|language=ja|access-date=2019-08-30}} 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".{{Cite web|url=https://natalie.mu/music/news/273590|title=DEPがハワイの虹描く新作「Anuenue」、カップリングは米米カバー|last=Inc|first=Natasha|website=音楽ナタリー|language=ja|access-date=2019-08-30}} 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.{{Cite web|url=https://www.oricon.co.jp/news/2115619/full/|title=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...」|website=ORICON NEWS|access-date=2019-08-30}}{{Cite web|url=https://natalie.mu/music/news/280542|title=「DANCE EARTH FESTIVAL」にライムス、在日ファンク、RAMPAGEら追加|last=Inc|first=Natasha|website=音楽ナタリー|language=ja|access-date=2019-08-30}} 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.{{Cite web|url=https://natalie.mu/music/news/310830|title=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）|last=Inc|first=Natasha|website=音楽ナタリー|language=ja|access-date=2019-08-30}}
Members
= Fixed members =
| class="wikitable"
|+ !Name !Position !Years active within Group !Date of Birth !Other groups |
| Exile Üsa
|performer |2013 - 2018 |February 2, 1977 (age 45) |
| Exile Tetsuya
|performer |2013 - 2018 |February 18, 1981 (age 41) |Exile |
| Dream Shizuka
|vocalist |2014 - 2018 |March 6, 1988 (age 34) |Dream (formerly) E-girls (formerly) |
= Temporary members =
| class="wikitable"
|+ !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 |
| Mandy Sekiguchi
|performer |2014 |January 25, 1991 (age 31) |Exile |
| 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
= Studio albums =
| class="wikitable"
|+ !Title !Album details !Sales !Certifications |
| I
|
|TBA |TBA |
= Singles =
| class="wikitable"
|+ !Title !Details !Sales !Certifications |
| Inochi no Rhythm
|
|TBA |TBA |
| PEACE SUNSHINE
|
|TBA |TBA |
| BEAUTIFUL NAME
|
|TBA |TBA |
| DREAMERS' PARADISE
|
|TBA |TBA |
| NEO ZIPANG ~UTAGE~
|
|TBA |TBA |
| POPCORN
|
|TBA |TBA |
| Anuenue
|
|TBA |TBA |
= Digital singles =
| class="wikitable"
|+ !Year !Title !Release date !Sales !Certifications |
| rowspan="2" |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
{{Reflist}}
External links
{{Official website|https://avex.jp/dep/}}
{{LDH (company)}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:Japanese dance music groups
Category:LDH (company) artists
Category:Japanese co-ed groups