Ha-Chan, Shake Your Booty! Is About Learning How To Dance Again

Sundance Film Review: Ha-Chan, Shake Your Booty!
Director: Josef Kubota Wladyka
THEFOOL Inc.
Premiere: 01.22.2026

Grief freezes time, leaving those who remain caught between memory and motion, unsure how to step forward without losing what came before. It’s in that fragile space between holding on and moving on that Ha-Chan, Shake Your Booty! begins.

Haru (Rinko Kikuchi, Pacific Rim, Kumiko, The Treasure Hunter) and her husband Luis (Alejandro Edda, American Made, Play Dirty) may come from different backgrounds, but they are perfectly synchronized, both at home and on the dance floor in Tokyo’s competitive ballroom scene. Their dance comes to a tragic end when Luis collapses from an apparent heart attack during a competition, and Haru’s world comes to a standstill. Consumed by her grief, she shuts down and shuts herself off from everyone. When Haru’s sisters, Hiromi (You, Nobody Knows) and Yuki (Yoh Yoshida, A Pale View of the Hills), persuade her to join them in a class at a local dance studio Grady, Haru comes alive again through dance. It doesn’t hurt that the instructor,  Fedir (Alberto Guerra, Griselda, The Accident), is a fiery Cuban man who gets her heart racing. Fadir is in an open marriage, and his wife is frequently away. When Haru and Fadir end up getting food together after a class, Haru finds herself confronted with the question of whether moving on means leaving Luis behind her.

First and foremost, Ha-Chan, Shake Your Booty! is a story about survival, love and loss. It’s also an exuberant and captivating musical fantasy, as soft focus, dreamlike dance numbers capture Haru’s feelings and desires. The elaborate sequences are enchanting and transportive, and one of the film’s biggest draws — though the sparks of joy that they bring only highlight a sense of inspiration and passion that permeates the film. Writer-director Josef Kubota Wladyk based the film on his mother’s life story and experiences, and it’s infused with a deep sense of love, sympathy and admiration while letting the character remain completely human and vulnerable. The line between comedy and drama is thin, and Kubota Wladyk keeps one foot firmly in each throughout, creating what may be the lightest film about grief I can remember, though it never ignores the weight and despair that comes with a life changing loss. It’s also an interesting look at polyamorous relationships and how important it is that everyone is on the same page.

This dance is led by Kikuchi’s luminous portrayal of Haru, and it’s an irresistible star turn that will be remembered among her career defining performances. It’s the kind of film that is so defined by the central performance that it’s hard to separate the two, and her presence was missed at the premiere (as she is doing a play in Tokyo), though she gave a warm pre-recorded message to the audience. The rest of the ensemble is strong, with Guerra and Edda being the clear standouts. The tenderness of the relationship between Haru and Luis is heartfelt, and the audience gets a strong sense of the loss the woman is facing. Haru’s sisters were a bit too broadly played for my taste, however, working far too hard for comic moments — though that’s a choice that comes from the director.

Ha-chan, Shake Your Booty! is a charming, heartfelt film that is destined to be a cult favorite, anchored by a performance that could end up as a dark horse Oscar contender. I might not have been able to keep up with every step, but I’m glad I joined the dance. —Patrick Gibbs

Read more of SLUG’s coverage of the 2026 Sundance Film Festival.