fandomhigh | Competitive Teambuilding, Tuesday, period 1

[Class #3 - The Tap-It-Out Job]

“Sometimes we do make up classes just because it’s funny.” Parker looked a tiny bit guilty about that today. But only a tiny bit.

The Danger Shop was a dance studio, with mirrors, barres, and wide paneled flooring. Also, some DDR mats and a couple computer screens for those of you who might need the help.

“Dance is easy. It’s just steps.” See? Parker can dance. She looks like a marionette, but she can do the steps. So you can too!

Yeah, Eliot wasn't going to be dancing. He was manning the stereo system. Which was only not full of country standards because he didn't know how to program the danger shop's stereo system. "Each team will be assigned a song. You get half the class to plan, then show us your dance."

You were all welcome, class. Hardison was in charge of your musical selections today. Which, okay, technically meant a lot of Hall and Oates, but there was a minimum of country and more stuff with an actual beat. "A lot of modern dance is just attitude an' bein' able to move your body in rhythm, but a lot of dances involve learnin' proper steps in time."

He bowed to Parker, holding out a hand, and then swept her up into a waltz, moving her in a one-two-three pattern around the room. Parker followed his lead, smiling happily, perfectly in time with the music (and still, stiff as a board).

“We have judges!” Parker pointed over Hardison’s shoulder, and then pirouetted, holding onto his hand. The judges were Danger Shop created. They all looked like angry old people from the former USSR. “So have fun.” And don’t worry about the scores too much.

Those judges looked a little like people Eliot had once had to take out on jobs. They were getting some serious side-eye from him. "You'll be scored on creativity, artistry, and technical precision. Probably." There was no telling. The Soviet judges were always notorious hardasses. "I don't know, Hardison programmed them. If you've got any complaints, bother him."

Hardison was still dancing his way over to Eliot, letting Parker go with a spin and reaching for Eliot. The music changed to something a little spicier, with a Latin feel--yes, without Eliot actually fiddling with the controls. Because Hardison controlled the whole sim. But he promised he'd let Eliot have full control once the lecture was over.

"No," Eliot said. "No, don't you -- dammit, Hardison!"

Yeah, protesting never worked.

Hardison grinned at Eliot and proceeded to ignore his protest. "Y'all can make up any dance at all," he explained, moving into the steps of the Lambada--which was totally scandalous back in the 90s and was practically tame in comparison to, say, twerking. "But it's gotta fit the theme of the music--an' also tell a story about Fandom."

Eliot's lambada was perfectly serviceable, and not nearly as stiff as Parker's waltz. He just looked kind of like he wanted to murder something the whole time. "However the hell you manage to do that," he said. "It's up to you guys to figure it out."

Parker was now doing the Robot. It looked oddly natural. “And go!”

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Like you’re Fred Astaire, dancing on air.

Ada Miller

Edward Kenway

Ringo Noyamano

Daphne Blake

Tali'Zorah

Four

Cosima Niehaus

Kaylin Neya

Vider Bearskin

Yup, sometimes your teachers make their own fun.

Ringo, if her expression was anything to go by, thought that this was a pretty awesome idea for a class! She didn't really have anything approaching formal training in dance, but she knew how to move, and loved doing it, so her grin got broader and broader as the explanation went on.

Was Tali recording any of this on her omni-tool?

No.

Noooooooooo.

Of course not. Why would you think that?

. . . no, actually, she wasn't, but it was severely tempting.

Four, by the look on his face, thought this was a terrible idea.

Ter.ri.ble.

Team one (Kaylin, Daphne, Four): Little Wing (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=An4uDegHB8s) performed by Stevie Ray Vaughn

Team two (Tali, Ada, Vider): Sandstorm (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2HQaBWziYvY) by Darude

Team three (Edward, Cosima, Ringo, Kira): Victory (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j3nBuwOPu8A) by Bond

Dancing! Oh, this was something that Daphne was very good at and so she was pretty excited about this class assignment.

"I am not going to be good at this," Four warned her.

"I can help with that. I've been in contests."

"I am going to be terrible at this," Kaylin said.

And she wasn't particularly happy about the idea of all the touching. Couldn't they dance - if it was utterly necessary - with no touching?

Well, she was on a team wit a former "ask us about our Amish-ness" Abnegation...so, it was entirely possible?

"There are contests about dance?" Four asked, frowning.

There was no So You Think You Can Dance in YA dystopian futures.

Daphne nodded. "For charities, for prizes... for all kinds of things."

"That's," Four's face said 'pointless,' while he verbally went with the more diplomatic, "different."

"Stupid," Kaylin said at the same time. She hadn't been brought up to be tacful.

"Sorry."

But she did know when her comments were rude.

Sometimes.

Oh, yes, Ringo was looking forward to this. So, so much. Also? "Oh, our song is really awesome!" she declared. Not the sort of thing she normally listened to, but she could totally dance to it!

"It'll be fun to move around to," Cosima agreed. The song wasn't strictly her taste either, but it made her want to wiggle her hips, and that was what mattered here.

"Should we plan out some sort of, um, dance thing? A routine?" Ringo thought that was the right word.

"Well, this will be fun," Tali decided with an unmistakable kind of cheer. "I love dancing."

Someday she was going to explain the differences between the original Normandy and the Normandy SR-2 in interpretive dance. Seriously.

"This is music?" Ada asked, decidedly confused. "I don't understand it."

~~RNG~~ The simulated Soviet judging panel declares the following order:
First place: Team one!
Second place: Team three!
Third place: Team two!

(Feel free to boo the panel.)

Seriously? They won? Thank all the gods for Daphne, then!

Demand to know who to blame for assigning the songs, perhaps.

Parker might be cackling very quietly. Just a little.

Next week there might be fire again. But this week was fun too.

Also, she liked that one song with the guitars and the blues? But it was not her pick.

Eliot would deny all responsibility for this class.

It was probably perfectly obvious what music he picked, though.

Hardison would be happy to claim responsibility for Sandstorm. He didn't care how early-2000s it was. It was a damn classic and he'd argue that point until death.

Much like Sophie, when she's doing what she does best, Parker lacks all that awkwardness.

And this is just adorable, shush.

I had forgotten exactly how amazingly terrible and terribly amazing the video for "Sandstorm" was. Thanks for the reminder!

Competitive Teambuilding, Tuesday, period 1

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