Dance construction basics

Photo by P.H. Oelman, 1945
Image courtesy ArtToday.com

Basics of Dance Construction

"Only too obviously was this a trained dancer, and yet, too, there was far more than training involved. Too, I speak not of such relatively insignificant matters as the mere excellence of her figure for slave dance, as suitable and fitting as it might be for such an art form, for women with many figures can be superb in slave dance, or that she must possess a great natural talent for such a mode of expression, but something much deeper. In the nature of her dance I saw more than training, her figure, and her talent. Within this woman, revealing itself in the dance, in its rhythm, its joy, its spontaneity, its wonders, were untold depths of femaleness, a deep and radical femininity, unabashed and unapologetic, a rejoicing in her sex, a respect of it, a love of it, an acceptance of it and a celebration of it, a wanting of it, and of what she was, a woman, a slave, in all of its marvellousness."
John Norman, Magicians of Gor, pp. 53-54

"Dance is the hidden language of the soul."
Martha Graham

The closest comparison in our present Earth society to Gorean dance is what is commonly referred to as "ethnic dance." Some dances are closely akin to belly dances, or other dances done in the eastern cultures.

A Gorean dance typically tells a story. It may be a story of a slave's love for her Master, a relating of the capture of a slave, or of her discovery of the true slave within her resulting in her submission, or it may be done simply to please or to stimulate.

There are some things a slave must consider when beginning to dance. First of all, a dance should be from the girl's heart. A dance is a way of showing your feelings to the audience, whether it be One or Many. It should also be very sensual and erotic. The Masters expect a dance to be sexy. This is your chance to turn it on--be as blatant and lustful as you want. Use a combination of innuendo and outright dripping heat.

A dance is a personal expression of a slave--don't use someone else's words. Not only is that wrong, it's lazy. By all means, watch other slaves dance, go to websites and the books, and get inspiration from them. Use these dances as a model for writing your own dance. But you should never use another slave's words, whether it be in a serve or a dance. Not only is it cheating, it's not a true expression of your own heart.

Specific guidelines:

Make your dance no longer than 10 or 12 posts. Most Gorean Masters have a short attention span. You don't want them to get bored and stop watching.
Make your dance realistic. Be sure that what you do is physically possible and believable.
Check for continuity. Does your dance flow in a smooth progression from one post to the nest? Read the dance to yourself, out loud, and see if it sounds right.
Spell check, spell check, spell check.
Double-check your grammar.Try not to mix verb tenses, as that makes the flow of the dance a bit confusing. For example, try not to say things like "walks to the pit with slow languid movements, she looked to her Master with fire in her eyes, she is feeling the burning grow in her belly." It sounds much better to say "walks to the pit with slow languid movements, she looks to her Master with fire in her eyes, she feels the burning grow in her belly."
Avoid repetitions of words or movements. One of the best investments a slave can make is a good thesaurus. Keep a list of synonyms handy.
A word about macros--A slave should be very careful about using macros for her dance. Most Goreans frown very severely on a slave using macros, as it is said to be the sign of a lazy slave. One possible exception to this is for dancing, but even then this one has reservations. she has her dance printed out before her and types it in as she goes. Consider this--you may not dance for the same audience each time. Each Master will like a little something different in a girl's dances. Also, what if something happens during your dance, an interruption of some sort? What if a fight breaks out, and one of the combatants comes charging into the area where you are dancing? What if some Master becomes so enamoured of you that he walks up, throws you over his shoulder, and takes you off to an alcove in the middle of the dance? Be able to modify your dance at a moment's notice.
Every dance should have a clearly definable beginning, middle, and end. Your first post should announce your entry into the room, describe you and your outfit, and signal your readiness to dance. Some Masters like to order a slave to begin the dance once she gets back to the room and announces her readiness.
Let the audience know that you are done. With some dances, it may be obvious, but with others you will need to make it clear.

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