Life of the Dance
by Kortny Horselords
The scroll song "Dance of Life," was an earlier version of what would later grow to be this Elanthian classic. The following performance was transcribed from a Troupe of the Four Winds contest. As I recall, this wasn't an entry, but Kortny's way of keeping the crowd entertained while the judges were tabulating the results. Note- the italicized verses are choral.
At any rate, it was an honor when Kortny specifically gave me free permission to use his work. A while back, shortly before he left Elanthia, I was working on a version of of his song to be performed as a duet, him with the percussion version, and myself accompaning with a fiddle set. Unfortunately, we never got the chance to perform it.
Years later, it would be this song that would launch my tribute concert to some of the great bards we have known, the "Old Bard's Night" concert.
Kortny slowly starts to play a beat on his bones matching each beat with an
intricate dance step.
"I was born to the sound of a screaming cry,
But I will dance till the day I die.
Ever since I heard my first lullabye,
I couldnt just let my feet lie."
Kortny smiles as he whirls around his cape and hair flying, as he taps a
counter melody with his boots and spurs.
"Dance, dance, everyone dance!
Come on, join in the romance!
Come on, tap your feet!
Come on, get off your seat!"
Kortny continues to dance, he suddenly whirls to a stop and winks at you
then continues.
"When I was only three,
A bard came and sang for me.
With halting steps, I began to sway,
And I did not stop dancing all that day."
Kortny bones's blur as a rapid dance rhythm escapes from them.
"Dance, dance, everyone dance!
Come on, join in the romance!
Come on, tap your feet!
Come on, get off your seat!"
"When I finally reached the age of eight,
Till after dinner I could hardly wait.
For my family would move the table and chairs,
And haul out their bardic wares."
"Dance, dance, everyone dance!
Come on, join in the romance!
Come on, tap your feet!
Come on, get off your seat!"
Kortny winks.
"Then I hit the age of thirteen
And the prettiest girl I had ever seen
Was swaying to the music.
Oh wow, that did make me lose it."
Kortny grabs a girl from the front of the audience and swings her up on the stage.
Kortny sweeps Jhayd into a dance.
Kortny sweeps Trul into a dance.
"Dance, dance, everyone dance!
Come on, join in the romance!
Come on, tap your feet!
Come on, get off your seat!"
Kortny sweeps Starlighte into a dance.
Kortny sweeps Alisyne into a dance.
Kortny sweeps Achrennight into a dance.
Kortny sings in a baritone voice:
"Well I just turned twenty this day,
And that pretty girl has had her say.
Now I am all dressed up in my best,
As we start the first dance, at our wedding fest."
Kortny sweeps Freye into a dance.
Kortny sweeps Solenna into a dance.
"Dance, dance, everyone dance!
Come on, join in the romance!
Come on, tap your feet!
Come on, get off your seat!"
Kortny slowly changes the tempo to hauntingly familier lullabye.
Kortny smiles softly.
"Well music does warm our home today,
Because a sweet baby in a cradle does lay.
And as I sing softly, she moves her feet,
To the rhythm of an unseen beat."
Kortny smiles as he speeds the tempo back up.
"Dance, dance, everyone dance!
Come on, join in the romance!
Come on, tap your feet!
Come on, get off your seat!"
Kortny sweeps Jhayd into a dance.
Kortny sweeps Starlighte into a dance.
Kortny sweeps Trul into a dance.
Kortny sweeps Alisyne into a dance.
Kortny sweeps Freye into a dance.
"A young lad won my daughter's hand today,
My daughter would never leave if I had my say.
But my daughter looked me right in the eye,
And these words she whispered as said goodbye."
"Dance, dance, everyone dance!
Come on, join in the romance!
Come on, tap your feet!
Come on, get off your seat!"
"And I guess when I die,
After my last friend has said goodbye,
The chapel bell will give a ring,
And a ghostly voice will softly sing."
A tear runs down Kortny's face.
Kortny winks.
"Dance, dance, everyone dance!
Come on, join in the romance!
Come on, tap your feet!
Come on, get off your seat!"
Kortny smiles as he twirls to a stop, his cape and his hair twirling about him as he bows.
Kortny's Biography -- Return to the Hall