Bead Dance

She was skillful and, I suspected, from the use of the hands and beads, had been trained in Landa, a merchant island north of Anango. Certain figures are formed with the hands and beads which have symbolic meaning, much of which was lost upon me, as I was not familiar with the conventions involved. Some, however, I had seen before, and had been explained to me. One was that of the free woman, another of the whip, another of the yielding, collared slave. Another was that of the thieving slave girl, and another of the girl summoned, terrified, before the master. Each of these, with the music and followed by its dance expression, was very well done. Women are beautiful and they make fantastic dancers. One of the figures done was that of a girl, a slave, who encounters one who is afflicted with plague. She, a slave, knows that if she should contract the disease she would, in all probability, be summarily slain. She dances her terror at this. This was followed by the figure of obedience, and that by the figure of joy.
Explorers of Gor, Page 133

Unfortunately the bead dance is mentioned only once that this girl has been able to find. What she has done is compared the description from the quote to the dances of earth and found that it most closely resembles the temple dances of Southeast Asia. Please understand that this is an uncommon form of dance, and unless a girl was either raised in Landa or trained specifically to be a dancer she would most likely not be able to perform this dance.

This dance requires some preperation before the dance is to be performed, most notably the storyline of he dance must be outlined. This short story can be anything from the adventures of a young boy on his first hunt, to the calamities that might befall a free woman in traveling even a humorous story of  a girl who has not yet found her way. Do not get bogged down in the details of the story, instead focus on the people and emotions of the story.

Remember this is a dance done with the aid of “figures”. Figures would mean postions and expressions made with the hands.  Examples of these figures would be slave the beads held before your body in the shape of an hour glass,  free woman the beads used as a veil, Master the beads held far above your head in a strong column. These should give you some clues as to what is expected.

After writing the story, take it apart into no less than five but no more than ten sections. Whittle it down to the bare bones. In your dance you will not be able to describe the slave in the story as slender blonde blue eyed, only as slave.

Here is an example of a story and how it might be translated into this type of dance: (please note that the portions in red are taken as a quote from www.worldofgor.com with the sole intention of it being used in a manner for training) There are eight sections to this story some. Ample opportunity to derive at least eight posts.

The most beautiful woman in all of Turia is the Lady Aphris. Her father, Tethrar, the richest man in Turia, had been killed by the Wagon Peoples during a raid on a caravan on its return to Turia, leaving Aphris to, upon reaching her majority, inherit her father’s fortune, making her the richest as well as the most beautiful woman in all of Turia and perhaps upon the face of all Gor itself. Until she comes of age, the castes of merchants appoint Saphrar of Turia her guardian and keeper of her fortune.

Post one this would be the post where a girl prepares for the dance, while putting on the strands of beads she will use she might speak to those watching “This is the story of the most beautiful and wealthy woman in all of Turia and a feast given in her home.” Moving to the pit and taking up her position she might say “Aphris of Turia descends the stairs”

We initially meet Aphris at the banquet tables of Saphrar during the feast given for the visitof Kamchak and Tarl Cabot. She enters the hall long after the feast is under way, fashionably late, making a grand entrance from her upstairs apartments. Descending the stairs slowly, knowing well that all eyes are upon her, she allows us a glimpse into the of this concealed beauty. A white silken veil edged with gold stretches across the hood of the splendid robes of white also trimmed in gold, giving evidence of her caste, that of the merchants. Her sleek arms are covered with gloves of gold and her feet clad in matching golden sandals. Her entrance clearly shows the vanity and haughty demeanor of the free women of Gor.

Post two as the music begins she would make the figure of a free woman and use the expression of walking or entering. The girl would then as the story goes, allow a glimpse of the beauty of Aphris, by dipping the veil of beads. The girl would show the haughtiness of the free woman in her walk in her body language.
 

Aphris seats herself between Kamchak and Saphrar, kneeling in the position of a free
woman of Gor, which differs from the tower position of a slave girl by the positioning of the hands upon the female’s thighs. A slave turns her palms upward showing complete submission to the man before whom she kneels, while the free woman’s palms are turned
down to avoid showing the man any supplication. She shows us the arrogance of a free
woman by leaning over, sniffing the air and informing Kamchak she can smell bosk.

Post three Here the Men are introduced into the story, Saphrar a merchant might be shown by the tossing of beads into the air and catching them. Kamchak the Tuchuk might be shown as seen through Aphris’s eyes as a source of laughter by letting the beads tickle over a girls flesh and laughing.

 Kamchak is delighted with her attitude as he had vowed to himself to make her his slave. We see further evidence of the insolence of Aphris as she sprinkles perfume between herand Kamchak to mask the odor of the bosk. Kamchak informs her that when he does make her his slave she will, for the perfume, spend her first night in a dung sack.

Post four the delight of Kamchak, now shown by the MAN figure, at the antics of Aprhis could be shown again in the laughter. And then again the MAN figure is shown followed by the symbol of a slave girl.

 Aphris’ devious nature becomes quite clear when she baits Kamchak by asking him if the women of Turia were beautiful as she gestures to the women seated around the banquet hall. When Kamchak answers that it is well known that the women of Turia are shameless,  we see the anger of Aphris as she snaps her fingers and the slaves dressed as free women stand, removing their pretend robes of concealment, being dressed as slaves underneath. Aphris laughs loudly as her trick on Kamchak makes Him very angry, and we see further evidence of her arrogance as she informs him that strangers will never be allowed to look upon the free women of Turia.

Post five the figure of the FW again shown by the veil of beads gesture out to the other FW figures. And the MAN figure along with laughter. Then Anger from the FW figure and the slave figure repeated as all the others drop their pretend robes. Laughter again from the FW figure, and Anger from the MAN.

Not liking to be the butt of Turian jokes, Kamchak bristles as the company of the banquet enjoyed a long and loud laugh at his expense. Aphris pushes her advantage even further, asking if the slaves of Turia were not beautiful. Her anger slips out when Kamchak informsher there are many Turian girls who live as slaves among the wagons, such as she will bewhen she becomes his slave. Her contempt is further evidenced by her angry retort that she, by a word, could have him killed. Her haughty behavior is diminished by his reply that it is one thing to order a Tuchuk’s death and quite another to bring it about.

Post six The MAN figure followed by the figure for discomfort, perhaps crossing ones arms or shifting upon the balls of the feet. The FW figure shows again haughtiness and then Anger and then threatening , as the MAN laughs.

At this point, Saphrar steps in to alleviate the rising tensions. Aphris pays him no mind, calling for the slaves to dance, knowing that the dancers were mostly women of the Wagon Peoples who had fallen slave to Turia, hoping to goad Kamchak even more by showing him the women of the wagon in Turian pleasure silks. One of the girls, seeing the Ubar of the Tuchucks, falls to her knees before him, begging his forgiveness. Aphris’ anger displays itself fully as she orders the feast steward to beat the girl. The blow never falls, as Kamchak pulls a hidden quiva and with a quick throw, embeds it in the steward’s arm. Saphrar again moves to calm tensions and Kamchak orders the girls to dance.

Post seven the Merchant figure appears along with the harmony figure, perhaps the soft pumping of hands as if to calm others. The FW figure follwed by the figure of DANCE, the girl forming herself into a graceful pose hands over her head the backs of her wrists clasped against one another. Again the figure of slave, as she falls before the figure of MAN. The FW figure commanding as the MAN figure hurls a quiva. And again the Merchant figure calming.

Another facet of Aphris’ character becomes clear when the banquet ends and Kamchak prepares to leave, lifting a small box he had brought with him. Remembering the necklace with five strings of diamonds that Kamchak had given her the last time he had attended a banquet, Aphris’ curiosity and avarice get the better of her as she demands to know what is in the box. Kamchak replies that she wouldn’t like it but she greedily states that she wants the present. Her egotistical nature compels her to permit Kamchak to place the present around her neck and to her complete and utter surprise finds her neck encircled with a collar of slavery. Her shame is compounded when Kamchak rips off her veil and claims her lips in a masterful kiss.

Post eight Here the MAN figure takes the initiative and moves away, The FW again shows demands, The MAN replies negatively, FW figure demands again lifting her hair. The MAN then the COLLAR then the slave figures.

Post nine The kiss figure shown to all as the girls hands raise to her lips her hips rolling from the passions of such a kiss. And then the girl ends the dance.