"I'll have 'weird ways to appreciate things' for one thousand, Alex"

[firecat]

This is a sword dance by Titos Tsai.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y2QyjrFBujg

I didn't know sword dancing was a thing, but I'm not exactly surprised. This is humans we're talking about. We will do anything with anything.

I know zero about swords so I mostly look at it and think "pretty."

Some of the fannish characters I'm writing about know a lot about swords and it feels like they're crowding to the front of my head to appreciate it.

Here's another one, where he juxtaposes the sword with a calligraphy brush. This one tells more of a story.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZRmwnpLQdIM

Comments

[trascendenza]

That was gorgeous!!

[bitterlawngnome]

There's also a Scottish tradition, although it's completely different ... dancing _around_ swords, mostly.

[firecat]

Yes, I found some of that when I searched for sword dance after viewing these videos!

[grammarwoman]

If AtlA ever adds a new talent, I nominate this guy's sword-bending. :)

[firecat]

He would fit right in!

[silveradept]

This was enjoyable to watch, although I admit I looked at it and went "ah, it's rhythmic gymnastics, with a sword!" Even though it is not actually that, but my brain is saying that the training for that could be done with a similarly weighted pole and probably would be seen as something in the realm of such.

[firecat]

Clearly you know things that I do not! I'm sure that's how it's learned, at any rate.

[silveradept]

If "know" means "have occasionally watched this sport when it is on an Olympic broadcast or similar", then I suppose so, but that knowledge is definitely not rooted in having done any of such things.