Photo courtesy of ODotteMita
ODM members pose at VariAsians 2024 after having performed “No Brand Girls” from LoveLive!
Aspen Pearson ‘28
Staff Writer
As a dance group focused on bringing J-Pop to the stage, ODM is a community at Mount Holyoke College with performances that reach across the Five College Consortium.
The group’s name stands for Odottemita, a Japanese term that translates to “try to dance.” The style traces back to amateur dancers in Japan who learned choreography from anime, comics, games, or music and uploaded their performances online with “odottemita” in the title. These routines were designed to be fun and accessible, often performed in living rooms and shared widely across platforms like YouTube. While the genre now includes professional dancers, its origins remain rooted in openness and creativity: Values ODM emphasizes in its own practices.
ODM began as a Five College-club, but has become centered at Mount Holyoke over time, with occasional members joining from Smith College and the University of Massachusetts Amherst. The group is best known for its appearances at cultural events across campuses. In recent years, they have performed at VariAsians, hosted by the Asian Students Association, China Night with the Chinese Cultural Association, Korea Night with the Korean Students Association, and Japan Night with the Japanese Cultural Club. They have also appeared at Smith’s Asian Culture Show and at Amherst College’s Night Market.
Past performances have highlighted ODM’s range, spanning J-Pop, anime dances, and even occasional K-Pop routines. At VariAsians, the group performed “No Brand Girls” from LoveLive! alongside “Salamander” by DECO*27. At China Night, they presented “Ci Ke Memories,” choreographed by Miyuki, and at Korea Night, they performed “La Vie en Rose” by IZONE.
This year, ODM is preparing for a new round of performances. At Japan Night, they plan to showcase “Living Beautifully” by Takaneno Nadeshiko, while Korea Night will feature their version of “Secret Story of the Swan.” Other members are working on additional projects, including duets and wota-inspired choreography, which blends fan chants with dance.
The group emphasizes accessibility and openness to all students. There are no auditions and no requirements for prior dance experience. At the beginning of each semester, members release a sign-up sheet with available dances, which functions on a first come, first serve basis. Dances are selected and run by instructors, who are club members themselves. Practices vary in format; sometimes groups learn together directly from a video, while other times an instructor breaks down choreography step by step.
“Most of our members are beginners with no dance background,” explained Joyce Jiang, a veteran ODM member. “I’ve danced for many years, but teaching has been just as valuable for me. It gives me a chance to think carefully about movement and how to explain it. Watching beginners gain confidence is one of the best parts.”
For Jiang, the group’s greatest value lies in its spirit of encouragement. “ODM is a very inclusive and chill place,” she said. “You don’t worry about making mistakes. It’s about working together, sharing happiness, and having fun.”
Leah Dutcher ’28 contributed fact-checking.