Dancing with Pokémon

If there's one thing that my interests in music (and by extension music games) indicate, it is that I enjoy dances and dancing of various kinds. They are ways of physical expression that are often tied to music. One of my side games even commemorates dancing by a special day, affirming its expressive quality. Of physical expression, I'd like to think that I can accomplish the same with Pokémon, for which one form is this very blog. Yet dancing would seemingly work just as well, and I'd like to take this post to consider how the two could be interrelated.

A classical form of dancing is ballroom dancing, which recognizes many standard dance styles, typically of couples. One of them is the waltz, which as I've noted for the first-generation surfing theme seems to fit in quite well; in fact, some of the later themes could be fit for a waltz as well. Meanwhile, it may be that certain battle themes may be fit for Latin styles of dancing, which are also recognized. Some of the pieces of music above and others that could be regarded to fit different styles may just work out for ballroom dancing, though they might need to be slightly or even somewhat adapted. The dances themselves are pretty much standard, but the music doesn't have to be, with Pokémon in tow.

Beyond classical dancing, there is the world of traditional dances, which may include tribal dances that are popular in certain ethnic regions of the world. These are more expressive than they are musical, and it is granted that it may be hard to fit Pokémon in them short of just including Pokémon representations in actual performance and/or having that performance be expressive of Pokémon elements like battles and moves. Both of these are real challenges indeed since these dances are even more set in their ways than the above, but those who are interested might just find a way of making them work.

Then there are modern dances, including ones that feature large groups of dancers and unique music such as hip-hop. Pokémon has sort of an established presence here with a Pikachu formation dance regularly being featured in different places, and groups of Team Skull Grunts taking direct inspiration from real hip-hop acts, both of which have even been in a single video on YouTube as a dance battle of sorts. It is obvious that modern dances very much work well with Pokémon as a result of this.

Generally as thus, dancing can also be regarded to work well with Pokémon regardless of form or musical ties. If the intent of dancing is physical expression, then it surely can evoke Pokémon as well with certain adaptations - and not necessarily needing a special day either. Most would still consider Pokémon as being physically expressed best in very different means. But considering the above, dancing seems to be just fine for its physical expression, something that I do have interest in with my appreciation of music.

One year ago: It's Time for GOtcha... Podcast

Two years ago: The Appeal of the TCG

Three years ago: A Pokémon Watch

Four years ago: Three's Demise