So You Think You Can Write Dance?
Have you ever tried to write a description of a person or a couple dancing? It's much more difficult than it sounds!
My imagination set out to bite off more than I could chew when I decided to write a sensual dance scene, and I wrote myself into a literal corner.
I last left my character in a nightclub, following the object of her attraction onto the dance floor. What was supposed to follow in the subsequent episode was the two of them dancing.
This proved to be the most challenging writing I have ever attempted.
Writing erotica is easier than describing the sensory experience of dance. Yet, what is dance but a joining of bodies. A foreplay, if you will. And that is how I had to eventually approach it.
Dancing is the closest thing to making love without taking off your clothes.
When you write dance, you cannot focus much on the technical. The only people who want to know about the steps are people who are teaching themselves dance.
Instead, you must focus on the feelings. The emotions the character is feeling, and hints of the motions- trailing the hand down the spine, the comforting weight of the other against them, the feel of the music pounding through the body. Focus on the magic of the moment, the exhilaration of the dance; the security of being held in his arms. The breathlessness from both the moves and the lust.
Write what your character sees- the look of lust in her eyes; the disco light dancing a thousand points of color over the crowd. How the rest of the people melt away as they only see each other...
Once I stopped trying to describe the technical aspects and which muscles felt what, writing the dance, well, flowed freely.
Which is what happens when you are really dancing...
Images via Creative Commons and Giphy
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I couldn't agree more with everything you've said here. I remember my mother used to always tell me "Jane, you need to smile more onstage." And I was like "Uh...mom? This isn't a pageant. This is dance." I can't even count the number of times when I have been unable to stop the tears from streaming down my cheeks, while performing a dance routine. In fact, I still do it. I can't help it. There is just so much emotion involved. I can go through an entire box of tissues watching episodes of SYTYCD. (ok, well full disclosure..I cry. A LOT.) But combining music with dance is an indescribable spiritual experience. I cannot live without either of those things. Hell, I'm tearing up just thinking about it right now. I should probably seriously consider purchasing stock in Kleenex. I know that it's considered gauche to post links into comments, so I won't post the link here. But, if you've not seen it yet, there is a video for a song called "Easier" by Mansionair. It features this pair of dancers, but their bodies have been...pixilated..or fractled..or whatever it's called. It's one of the most hauntingly sublime videos I have ever seen. (not to mention the song is extraordinarily beautiful.) If you are so inclined, please do check it out. I'm confident you will truly appreciate the majesty of it. It was very soothing to read this post. I suffer high anxiety, and the intent of dance that you described helps me to be able to deal with some of that.
Upvoted and resteemed. And following now.
Hello Jane. Thank you so much for sharing. I too succumb to physical symptoms to emotions when watching dance. Do you get the skin tingles with certain powerful pieces of music?
That video, wow. Thank you for introducing me! That is so very different, and so very needed...
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Feelings I can do. I'm going to try this!
Sweet! Let me know how it works!
Huh, I feel that's kind of true in a sense as some Dance forms are more Sensual than our usual Foreplay.
And usually people go dancing to meet a mate, or to dance with their significant other ;)
Hehe, in short, to pick up Girls/Boys.
Exactly!
I cannot dance.
But you can write dance as a sensory experience ;)
Thanks for sharing these techniques. I'll try them out.
I'd love to hear how it turns out :)
You'd have to follow me to see that.
Sneaky.
But effective ;)
Epic!!!
Thanks!
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