The One and Only Yui, World Double Dutch Champion - Freedom, Family, Future

Hi! My name is Yui.

I’m a professional Double Dutch performer.

I also compete, and I’ve won
3 world tournaments in a row.

On the side, I work at events and model.

Thanks for having me.

Check out these 5 frames of love for me and you.

Double Dutch is a sport in which we dance
or perform acrobatics with two jump ropes.

It teaches us maturity.

She wasn’t the best,
until her training got her there.

My mom said, “You get an F!,”
when I got home with my new hairstyle.

If I had followed what my mom wanted for me,
I would have led an empty life.

So, I’m happy with who I am.

5 and 6, very good.

I teach at a gym in Shibuya.

Obviously, I train my body,
but I train my inner self, too.

We can lose ourselves in the process
of chasing our goals.

It’s easy to get tired or upset.

I’ve experienced all of that.

If your body is strong, then your heart will be, too.
Isn’t it great?

By taking on the role of instructor,
I can teach that to more people.

I love what I do, so, so much!

She’s down to earth.

It’s not like, “She’s cool for a girl.”
It’s like, “She’s a kick-ass human.” I don’t like to be categorized.
It’s not my style.

We have the word “LGBTQ+,” but society expects us
to fit in or out of it so cleanly.

I don’t believe in that.

I struggled to talk about my sexuality to my parents.

I didn’t know who I was.

But a friend of mine explained to me
that sexuality is a spectrum.

In Japanese education we are strictly
separated by girl/boy genders.

But for me, some days I felt I was more on that side.
And other days I felt like, “I’m totally a girl.” When I finally realized that
it comes in waves, I stopped struggling.

I had a girlfriend early on, but I was afraid of
losing friends if they found out about my sexuality.

I held on to all these fears alone, until I finally met
someone who I could tell the truth to.

When I came out to them,
their response was, “That’s beautiful.” At first, I was surprised...

But then I felt a great release.

I didn’t think I’d ever be able to do that.

If there’s anyone else out there struggling,
just know that you don’t have to worry!

Be as you are.
That’s all the world asks of you.

Now, I enjoy being “different.” Listen, your body is stronger than you think.
And so is your heart.

So many possibilities await.
Believe in yourself and give it a go!

There’s something special
behind her cool demeanor.

She’s a very focused person,
and her performance is commendable.

But even more, when she’s “stuck”, she pushes on.

Yui fully commits herself to the things she believes in.
She never stands still, and that’s why she succeeds.

Yui wasn’t born a genius,
she trained hard to become one.

She’s living proof that you shouldn’t give up.

Freedom is...

a lifelong quest.

We are all unique beings.
To me, “diversity” applies to everyone.

You are responsible for your own life.

Don’t focus on what society expects of you,
just focus on your own goals.

Today, I’m gonna go see my family.

My parents were supportive, but
they never gave me any compliments.

And because I never got any praise,
a part of me feels incomplete.

Now as an adult I’m constantly seeking approval.

And I still want to hear it from my parents.

I’m home!

Welcome back!

Come in.

Yui, you...

Aren’t you cold wearing those pants?

- It’s fashion!
- I can fix them for you.

- Mom, no, no.
- I can fix them for you.

That’s my dad and this is my mom.

For now, they’re living in this temple’s grounds.
My dad is a monk.

I found some old scrapbooks.

The meaning of “YUI”
It’s written in here.

“You are here. You are irreplaceable.
You are the only one, and you only live once.

That’s the meaning of Yui.” Yui = One and only

That was at your kindergarten graduation.

You guys had put on a play.

Everyone was dancing but you.

No one would believe that I’m a performer now.

You struggled when you were small,
but you kept trying and trying.

You never gave up.

Is that a compliment for me?

You’ve never said that to me.

You always achieved your goals in the end,
so I never felt the need to say it out loud.

I never praised you, did I?

You didn’t. I worked even harder for your approval.

I’m always proud of you.
I praise you in my heart.

Your dream was to become a schoolteacher.

We wanted you to have a solid, happy life.

To see you get married and have children and so on.

But now, you’re happier than we ever imagined.

This life suits you.

I was obsessed with how to correctly raise a daughter.

I struggled a lot, and I couldn’t see it through.
I hated myself for that and how it affected you.

But you were always my treasure.
There’s only one Sasaki Yui, and she’s my daughter.

She taught me how to be alive.

“Thank you” and “I’m sorry.”
We must implement these throughout our lives.

We can be superficially happy without them.

But they’re important for a happy heart.

My family is...

the cornerstone of my life.

I want to polish my soul until it shines for them.

I live for myself first, and for them as a bonus to me.

Today is performance day.

After our opening, I’ll open the stage to the kids
and invite them to do Double Dutch with us.

This should encourage some audience engagement.

Hello, everyone!

Get ready for professional Double Dutch team
REG☆STYLE to perform right here!

Today, we’d like to invite some kids to jump with us.
Don’t be shy, give it a try!

- OK! That wasn’t easy but you made it.
Thank you!

Here we go with the first try. She likes to jump.

- Here she is, the jump-happy girl. Let’s go!

Jump, jump, keep on going!

Look! Even this little one can jump like a pro.
That’s what makes Double Dutch so much fun!

Is that your mom and dad up front?
They can’t stop smiling!

Yeah, high 5!

- You jumped!

He wasn’t good at jumping when
he was in kindergarten.

So, to do it in front of this crowd
is a really big moment. Thanks to you all.

I see the sparkle in these kids' eyes
when they’re released from anxiety.

And they run back to their parents to
share their happiness or success.

I feel so motivated, thanks to them.

3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10.

OK!

Ladies and gentlemen, big up for this new star!
You did a great job!

We hope this will give you a JUMP up in your life!
Once again, give it up for this young lady!

Alright, it’s show time!

Please welcome REG☆STYLE
for one last performance!

That was amazing.
It’s so great to have an audience.

Yui and everyone did great.

It actually gives us energy to perform.

- We get super-charged up.
- That’s what I just said.

Yui is such a great MC isn’t she? Thank you.

Us guys are just out there playing around.

Yui brings it all together with her ad-libs,
so it all makes sense.

Thank you.

We’re here to entertain, and
to show kindness and gratitude.

So, if you felt that today, then please pass
the sentiment on to your loved ones!

Thank you all, you’re awesome!

I feel so grateful for all the support of my family
at home, and my Double Dutch family.

We can do this because we’re together.

I want to show that we can trust
our instincts and set ourselves free.

I live to walk the path unknown.

It’s fun! It makes life great.

The future is...

Now.

The decision you made today is already
a connection to your future.

That’s why the future is now.