Death Cast

01.15 | Grecia Bella Theatre

The Rondalla of the Tinikling dance follows a three-fourths signature. It moves at a relatively slow rate, which encourages the dancers to move in a swaying manner. It's a waltz dance with a variety of footwork that complements the percussion clapping of the bamboo poles. Anyone who hears the music will feel nostalgic while also cheerful. There's nothing better than watching dancers perform such a historical treasure.

Nonetheless, none of the performers were enthused.

Their Tinikling dance routine was divided into four sections. The first would be a basic tiptoeing to the bamboo from left to right, right to left, after executing a brief waltz dance. It wasn't difficult because the steps just required hopping on the right foot in and out with the bamboo opening and shutting, jumping rapidly within the bamboo with both feet contacting the middle block, and exiting to the next bamboo with the left foot. This sequence will be performed around three times before the couples perform a short skipping waltz, switching around so they are on opposing sides. And the cycle repeats itself.

This structure will be repeated for roughly three minutes. The partners have swapped roughly seven to ten times in this manner.

The performers were set out to do the same thing again as soon as the music started. Their eyes are filled with inquiry, but they have no choice but to comply. They just exchanged glances as they sought explanations, glancing at the still-silent audience and the crookedly smiling jester on the corner.

Oh, he's still disgruntled.

The second half of the dance begins at the halfway point between the fourth and fifth minutes. The bamboo holders will move around in this turn to alter the arrangement of the dance. By positioning the bamboo adjacent to the audience, another perspective is demonstrated. Everyone would be able to view the performers as they wandered by the bamboo poles this way.

Another feature of the second section of the dance is a line-up of three pairs of bamboo poles. That is, in this turn, the performers must cross the six bamboo poles without losing a beat while remaining upright with their companions. The pair would reach one hand at each other and lift it above their heads, like that of a bridge.

Each pair will get a turn, with one couple entering the obstacle first and the other two continuing to waltz on the side. When the first pair has finished walking the six poles in accordance with the steps, they will exit on the last stage of the game and the next pair will enter. This will be repeated until three of the pairs have covered all six poles. After that, the three pairs will enter the obstacle together and complete it without clashing.

Jaerim noted the change in beat from the poles when this part of the dance occurred. It had sped up by a single beat. As a result, the Rondalla became much more hurried, and the bamboo poles began to knock at a faster tempo. The individuals surrounding him appear to grasp their predicament quickly. They spoke with their eyes, which were completely filled with terror.

The trick with this dance appears to be that it becomes faster with each round.

The second section is longer than the first. A pair must spend three minutes to complete the six poles. That would take around nine minutes for three pairs. And the final coordination would take them around three to five minutes. However, with the rapid rhythm, it appears like the entire part will only take approximately 10 minutes to complete.

Because of the difference in tempo, everyone began to concentrate on their steps. Jaerim and Silvester were positioned at the back of the formation, guaranteeing that their time in the pole would be the last. While executing the waltz steps, Jaerim surveyed the scenario, keeping an eye on the other Autumns, who are still doing well despite the unexpected change in the situation.

They're fine, he thought.

Their turn came up quickly. As they crossed the first pair of bamboo poles, Silvester extended his hand and took Jaerim's. Jaerim grumbled quietly as he lifted the sides of his long skirt to see if his steps were properly crossing the poles and avoiding tripping on them.

"I never knew female dancers had this much difficulties," he mumbled. "Can you imagine what would happen if I stepped on it?"

Silvester grimaced as he spoke. He wanted to smack Jaerim's head for being so imaginative.

"Don't even think about it," he responded.

Jaerim did not retort. They finished the poles quickly, just like the others. The tempo may be quick, but it is still within a reasonable range. The collaborative dance was shortly completed, and the third section of the dance took the stage.

The third part contains little more than an exchange of positions. A pair from position one will cross their bamboo poles, then waltz with a neighboring pair of dancers. Repeat, and they will switch positions to the next pair, and so on until they have completed around all of the poles and have returned to their initial position. They must perform it in unison, or one pair will be held back and the process will not look decent.

The third portion increased the tempo as well as the bamboo clapping. Slow hopping gradually became quick, with a tempo two times faster than before. It now appears that they are actually skipping in between the poles, as was the case at the beginning of the dance when the birds would risk their lives by passing through the traps. There's also the waltz, which involves a lot of turning around, which can make the performers dizzy if they turn around too quickly.

Nonetheless, they completed this portion without incident. These individuals, despite their frailty and lanky appearance, are quite capable. They complain and whine in the middle of the dance, but only to the extent that they are reasonable. Nobody dared to throw a full-fledged tantrum.

The fourth and final section is where the bamboo poles would be put in a criss-cross pattern. With the simple step dance and the exchange of place in a counterclockwise direction, two pairs would tread on this complex pattern. After completing the swap, the duo must move to the next crisscross and repeat the process until all of the positions have been completed. A single misstep will alter the rhythm, causing the entire dance to be disrupted.

Because the speed is now three times faster than before, they had to become quicker than before. The bamboo poles no longer appear to have a gap since they open and close so quickly. If a person is even a millisecond late, their foot will be caught by the pole, which will certainly be painful. The crisp sound of the poles colliding is enough to discern how much effort they put into it.

Silvester drew Jaerim in, forcing him to concentrate. Despite the situation, the youth still have time to wander around and observe others. Jaerim followed the grim reaper and stopped paying attention to everyone else. They need to go through this phase swiftly so they can finish the dance.

If the jester decides to speed up the beat, there will be no problem. After all, if it became too fast, the music would become distorted, leaving the audience with a bitter taste. The jester, as someone who wishes to give his greatest performance, will not do so. He is certain, however, that the jester would attempt to test the human limit until no one could dance any further.

The longer the dance goes on, the faster it becomes, and the more energy is consumed. Even though Jaerim had seen the team's perseverance, he knew it wouldn't last forever. They must expend more energy in order to increase their speed while retaining control of the dance.

"It's really troublesome," Jaerim commented.

"Quit talking and just dance," Silvester compelled.

Everyone was in their best concentration while performing the fourth section. As the performers went around in hurried steps, the atmosphere became more solemn. The fast speed prompted their clothes and hair to flutter, making for a rather colorful spectacle. The audience, however, is still strangely silent.

It was really deadly quiet.

The jester was still unable to accept such treatment, so he ordered the person in charge of the player to continue playing the music while raising the tempo. When the fourth segment was finished and everyone expected them to do their final stance, the music began to play from the beginning again, leading the performers to hurry back to their original positions.

There are curses in the performers' heads, but they keep them to themselves. They don't want to waste energy complaining.