Dance the Musical – Act 4: The Dances

The Story
Whether as a ritual, a tradition, or the sign of the times, dance is an expression that crosses many cultures. Dance is social, ceremonial, and competitive. Whether at a club, in a ballroom, on a gymnastic mat, in water, on a stage – dance is personal – dance is fun – dance is energy on display. Dance expresses and it entertains.

From the time we are babies bouncing along in someone’s arms or on a lap, dance has played a role in everyone’s life in some way. Dance: The Musical aims to capture the essence of this activity that brings joy to many.

Program (Past Posts)
Act 1: Dance
Act 2: Dancing
Act 3: Dancers

Act 4: The Dances
There are many forms of dance – the formal, the trendy, the cultural, and more. Whereas previous acts focused on different aspects of dance, Act 4 is about the dance – but not “dances”.

Although dances is in the title, dances is not the keyword for this act – actually, it should not be used. This act is about the name of a dance.

• Song titles with a dance in the title (ballroom type or popular) (EX: Waltz is a dance, so “waltz” must be in the title
• There are so many, the “only one song per dance” rule will be applied (EX: Once waltz is used, no more songs with waltz in the title)
• No children songs or dances
• Beware of 2-word dances as Square Dance. This requires both words together, thus not automatically qualifying square or dance.
• “Dances”, on its own, is NOT acceptable, thus agitates The Producer. (EX: She Dances, Josh Grobin)

Production Note
To prevent browsers crashing from loading too many videos, please 1) include the song title and artist in your text, and 2) paste the URL as part of your last line (not a new line). The latter will provide a link, thus not embed the actual video … but I don’t mind unembedding, so apologies are not necessary.

Announcement
Welcome to the closing act for Dance: The Musical. You, the audience have helped gather 112 songs in the previous 3 acts. A toast to your efforts, but now you face the greatest challenge in aFa Productions history.

Our theme is The Dances, and the guidelines are stated above in the program. Because many possibilities exist, we hope to see performers from Strauss to Chubby – from Offenbach to Lou Bega – from The Diamonds to Baauer – from Freddie and the Dreamers to Rufus Thomas.

The production team went gone back to 1989 for the opening act. Although a worldwide hit, this song and dance (the lambada) was most popular in Latin America. Some of you may not know the song or the dance, but that doesn’t mean you won’t enjoy it. Let’s hear it for Kaoma with The Lambada.

Dance: The Musical – Act 2: Dancing

The Story

Dancing is the loftiest, the most moving, the most beautiful of the arts, because it is no mere translation or abstraction from life; it is life itself. (Havelock Ellis, psychologist)

So the darkness shall be the light, and the stillness the dancing. (T. S. Eliot, poet)

The one thing that can solve most of our problems is dancing. (James Brown, musician – the Godfather of Soul)

I got started dancing because I knew it was one way to meet girls. (Gene Kelly, actor/dancer)

The main thing is dancing, and before it withers away from my body, I will keep dancing till the last moment, the last drop. (Rudolf Nureyev, dancer)

I have no desire to prove anything by dancing. I have never used it as an outlet or a means of expressing myself. I just dance. I just put my feet in the air and move them around. (Fred Astaire, dancer)

Program (Past Posts)
Act 1: Dance

Act 2: Dancing
Dance is a rhythmic action to music, but it’s also an event where the action occurs. Then again, from the time we most-likely first danced on someone’s lap, one can dance anywhere – around the house, down the aisles of the grocery store, or wherever one desires.

Those who do it well, dance with style while expressing a message. For others, dancing is a fun activity because it brings them joy.

Act 2 features songs with Dancing or Dancin’ in the title.

Caution: No duplicate songs, which includes the same song by a different artist.

Production Note
To prevent browsers crashing from loading too many videos, please 1) include the song title and artist in your text, and 2) paste the URL as part of your last line (not a new line). The latter will provide a link, thus not embed the actual video … but I don’t mind unembedding, so apologies are not necessary.

Announcement
No matter the skill level, dancing is an expression for the dancer. Opening an act with an instrumental, but Act 2 is about dancing. Ladies and gentlemen, we couldn’t pass up the opportunity to honor a dancing legend for the opener. Enjoy not only Dancing in the Dark by Ray Conniff (which is from the movie Band Wagon), but also the expression by Cyd Charisse and Fred Astaire.