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What Do You Call "Dancer" Characters?

Madda

By Madda,
in RP Discussion

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Madda

Madda

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^ title

 

Basically, Madda's updating Madda's miqo'te's backstory a tad and needed some clarification. For most of her life was one of those scantily clad dancers in Ul'dah due to financial issues.

 

Has it ever been defined about what their job entails and such?

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Virella

Virella

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Not really, but I always thought their dancing was just a way of reeling people in, aka just ordinary prostitutes who happen to shake their hips, seeming Ul'dah doesn't shy away from that stuff. Anyhow some 1.0 stuff I managed to find about those type of ladies. Whether they are the same? Not sure, but I simply thought dancing girl was a nice way of saying prostitute really.

 

 

http://forum.square-enix.com/ffxiv/threads/41609-Request-Save-the-prostitutes

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Warren Castille

Warren Castille

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Ah, okay! So what's a good idea of how to RP that who wants to learn magic in an attempt to get away from Ul'dah?

 

Learning magic to escape Ul'dah would be tricky. If your character showed any real ability as a thaumaturge you'd be more likely to be asked to remain there and learn in the Ossuary.

 

You could always just have an NPC in your backstory, someone who realized your character had potential in and helped her get away. Then of course something terrible happens to remove said NPC and you're left with The Journey Beginning, as it were.

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Aya

Aya

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U'dah's dancers are a very serious part of Aya's ongoing story, and my take on them is that you can find the type described above (prostitutes, or strippers) but that there are many who are purely entertainers struggling to get by doing what they love.  My take on it is that it is a significant part of the culture of the city and a rather important subculture itself with long traditions and deep roots.

 

They find work not just dancing on the street but at events, parties, balls, organized shows, and so on.  Their reputation (caused by the ones mentioned above) is just part of their struggles.  Despite the artistic and hard-working nature of their performances, they are viewed through a less positive lens.

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FallenFedora

FallenFedora

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Honestly, citing the previous titles I've played and the implied themes from the 'dancers' in them compared to the Miqo'te in Ul'dah it doesn't seem a far cry to make the comparison to prostitutes (though of course in the earlier titles, they were more kid-friendly about it, but no less suggestive. Looking at you FF IV)

 

Though, you could also make it less suggestive at your own discretion by means of being purely an entertainer as part of a troupe doing theatrics rather than shaking that ass in the middle of the street for pennies. 

 

Just my interpretations, take from it what you will.

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Madda

Madda

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U'dah's dancers are a very serious part of Aya's ongoing story, and my take on them is that you can find the type described above (prostitutes, or strippers) but that there are many who are purely entertainers struggling to get by doing what they love.  My take on it is that it is a significant part of the culture of the city and a rather important subculture itself with long traditions and deep roots.

 

They find work not just dancing on the street but at events, parties, balls, organized shows, and so on.  Their reputation (caused by the ones mentioned above) is just part of their struggles.  Despite the artistic and hard-working nature of their performances, they are viewed through a less positive lens.

Pretty much all of this. Madda just didn't know how to explain it o wo"

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Aya

Aya

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They're also extremely close to Belly dancers and the like, which have never been about prostitution and more about the skill of the dance and the tease.

Exactly!  Although it is only head-canon, I have used "The Ul'dahn" style of dancing to mean just that.  As an entertainer in Ishgard it was the most important style in her repertoire, though in an incomplete and different form given the distance and isolation (one example: Ishgardian dancers of the style do not use finger cymbals, instead relying on bells sewn into their costumes to generate rhythmic percussion, they also do not have access to the exquisite body-jewelry that is a hallmark of the arts true practitioners in the Jewel of the Desert).

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Sinjo

Sinjo

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They're also extremely close to Belly dancers and the like, which have never been about prostitution and more about the skill of the dance and the tease.

Exactly!  Although it is only head-canon, I have used "The Ul'dahn" style of dancing to mean just that.  As an entertainer in Ishgard it was the most important style in her repertoire, though in an incomplete and different form given the distance and isolation (one example: Ishgardian dancers of the style do not use finger cymbals, instead relying on bells sewn into their costumes to generate rhythmic percussion, they also do not have access to the exquisite body-jewelry that is a hallmark of the arts true practitioners in the Jewel of the Desert).

 

I view dancers who also moonlight as prostitutes the exception to the rule. Meaning, While I'm sure most dancers don't prostitute, there are those that do and they're the ones helping reinforce the ideal.

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-no longer matters-

-no longer matters-

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I've always assumed they were entertainers more in the line of Go-Go or even Burlesque dancers but on the streets. I think the Ball Dance Quest really kind of suggests such as well. I mean do some of those dancers turn tricks on the side? Maybe.. but I don't think that's the point of the dancing it's to entertain and entice men to give them money for dancing.

 

I have also always imagined full Ul'dah dancing is a mix of Gypsy and Middle Eastern Belly Dancing.

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Sinjo

Sinjo

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I just want to say that Gwen, and Sanjo, I am in complete agreement!

 

Also, a lack of male Miqo'te dancers. Might be time to pick up a new hobby!

It is probably taboo!

Isn't that what makes it fun?

 

Hah. I imagine my character would look silly.

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Sinjo

Sinjo

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Posted

I just want to say that Gwen, and Sanjo, I am in complete agreement!

 

Also, a lack of male Miqo'te dancers. Might be time to pick up a new hobby!

It is probably taboo!

Isn't that what makes it fun?

 

Hah. I imagine my character would look silly.

Do what feels good, I say.

 

5CkWU6j.gif

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PkThunda

PkThunda

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I would like to remind people that Pr*stitue is considered a slur; please don't use it. "Full Service Sexworker" is the preferred word.

 

To answer the question; I study historical sexwork and entertainment in my free time. While there are no in-game canon titles for dancers alone, you could simply use historical examples. Geisha, for instance, were only performance artists. 

You could also just use the word dancer; street dancer, stage dancer, private dancer...

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Aya

Aya

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To answer the question; I study historical sexwork and entertainment in my free time. While there are no in-game canon titles for dancers alone, you could simply use historical examples. Geisha, for instance, were only performance artists. 

You could also just use the word dancer; street dancer, stage dancer, private dancer...

I think the term 'Dancer' is quite sufficient.

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