Although there are dance types in Japan where movement is unaccompanied by song, dance to song comprises a major part of the various traditions of dance in its classical theaters and is widely found in the countryside as well. In some cases, of course, song includes meaningless words, or the voice is used like an instrument, simply to provide a musical element or beat to which to dance. But it has seemed to me that a unique aesthetic underlies a full appreciation of dance to song. What I have in mind is an associational process in operation when the movement of a dance is seen while one simultaneously hears and understands the verbal meaning of its song.It may be true that since Japanese is not my native language I directed more attention, while watching dance of this sort, to the meaning of the song than a native speaker might.