Dance command

Dance
Performs one of several styles of dance, dances with another character, or dances with or around a creature or item. Dancing while sitting, kneeling or prone instead attempts to stand.
DANCE <person> You see: You sweep <Person> into a dance with you. Target sees: You are swept into a dance by <Name>, who smiles at you as <he/she> takes your hand. Others see: <Name> sweeps <Person> into a dance. DANCE <self> You see: Mustering yourself together, you waltz about the area, arms extended upward, as if dancing with an invisible partner. Others see: Holding <his/her> hands up as if to a dance partner, <Name> waltzes about all on <his/her> lonesome. DANCE (successful rise from sitting, kneeling or prone) You see: You rise to your feet fluidly, like a large, graceful cat. Others see: Nothing.

Syntax

• DANCE <STYLE>

Perform the named dance style. Valid styles are ANGRY, AWKWARD, BADLY, CRAZY, FIEND, GRACEFUL, HANDS, HAPPY, JOIN, PRANCE, ROLL, SHAKE, SILLY, SQUAT, STOMP, UNUSUAL and VICTORY. Additional words after a valid style do not target the dance and are ignored.

• DANCE <PERSON>

Sweep another character into a dance. Targeting yourself produces a solo waltz instead.

• DANCE <CREATURE>

Dance mockingly around a living creature or over a dead creature's carcass.

• DANCE <ITEM>

Dance with a held item, or around an item in the room. Weapons use distinct held-item messaging, and some items provide their own response or cannot be danced with.

Entering DANCE without an argument while standing displays the usage text. When sitting, kneeling or prone, any form of the command attempts to stand and is consumed by that attempt rather than performing a dance.

Dance Styles

Style	You see	Others see
ANGRY	You stomp angrily about!	<Name> stomps about angrily!
AWKWARD	You shuffle side to side awkwardly, with no apparent appreciation for rhythm or coordination.	<Name> shuffles side to side awkwardly, swaying stiffly with no apparent appreciation for rhythm or coordination, with arms lifeless to each side, rigid.
BADLY	Channelling your inner performer, you begin to flail around in your best interpretation of dancing.	Moving with the grace and temerity of a drunk goblin, <Name> begins flailing <his/her> arms and legs in a poor imitation of what you can only imagine is the mating dance of some now long-extinct animal.
CRAZY	As if spurred on by some wild energy, you flail your arms around and twitch violently in a mockery of dance.	<Name> suddenly starts jerking around and flailing <his/her> arms wildly.
FIEND	Hands curled into mock claws, you cavort and caper about, grinning fiendishly.	Hands curled into mock claws, <Name> cavorts and capers about, grinning fiendishly.
GRACEFUL	You dance gracefully, your head slowly rocking from side to side and your body swaying to an internal beat.	<Name> sways gracefully about in an elegant dance.
HANDS	You begin a dazzling display of grace by dancing with only your hands.	<Name> spreads <his/her> fingers wide and begins to wave <his/her> arms about, creating a dizzying and graceful effect.
HAPPY	You do a happy little dance of joy!	<Name> does a happy little dance!
JOIN	You dance about, motioning for those around you to dance as well.	<Name> dances about, motioning at you to dance as well.
PRANCE	Excitedly, you prance around in a tight circle.	Excitedly, <Name> prances around in a tight circle.
ROLL (failure)	You do a pair of quick dance steps before tucking into a forward roll and skidding across the ground on your face. Not so slick!	Swinging <his/her> arms in time, <Name> sticks each foot outwards across <his/her> body before tucking down into a forward roll that results in <him/her> skidding across the floor on <his/her> face. Not so slick!
ROLL (success)	You do a pair of quick dance steps before tucking into a forward roll, springing back to your feet with dramatic flair.	Swinging <his/her> arms in time, <Name> sticks each foot outwards across <his/her> body before tucking down into a tight forward roll. Performing a single full rotation, <he/she> stops and spring back to <his/her> feet with a dramatic flair.
SHAKE	You turn in a circle, shaking your behind and waving your arms overhead.	<Name> dances in a circle, shaking <his/her> behind and waving <his/her> arms in the air.
SILLY	You dance a lively jig!	<Name> dances a lively jig!
SQUAT (failure)	You squat down on your haunches, bouncing slightly and just as you begin to kick a leg out, you fail to hold yourself up and fall over!	<Name> squats down, barely touching the ground. Just as <Name> begins to kick a leg out, <he/she> suddenly falls over! Ouch!
SQUAT (success)	You squat down on your haunches, bouncing up and down, as you shout and kick your legs wildly in-front.	<Name> squats down, barely touching the floor, as <he/she> crosses <his/her> arms and begins kicking <his/her> legs out infront of <himself/herself> in a wild fashion. What amazing strength!
STOMP	You move across the ground, kicking up small clouds of dust and debris, stomping a tattoo.	<Name> stomps loudly against the floor in a slow rhythmic fashion.
UNUSUAL	You eagerly swing your arms from side to side, snapping out a rapid beat. A wide grin takes your face as you sway your hips with each snap as you rapidly shift your weight.	<Name> grins widely, with over zealous arms wildly swinging from side to side and <his/her> fingers snapping out a rapid beat. With each snap, <he/she> sways <his/her> hips, with knees and feet following each vigorous shift.
VICTORY	You strut about victoriously, throwing smiles and winks.	<Name> struts about victoriously, throwing smiles and winks.

The ROLL and SQUAT styles can fail. A failed SQUAT leaves the dancer prone.

Targets

Target	You see	Target or others see
Another character	You sweep <Person> into a dance with you.	Target sees: You are swept into a dance by <Name>, who smiles at you as <he/she> takes your hand. Others see: <Name> sweeps <Person> into a dance.
Self	Mustering yourself together, you waltz about the area, arms extended upward, as if dancing with an invisible partner.	Holding <his/her> hands up as if to a dance partner, <Name> waltzes about all on <his/her> lonesome.
Living creature	You dance mockingly about <creature>!	<Name> dances mockingly around <creature>!
Dead creature	You dance over <creature>'s carcass!	<Name> dances over <creature>'s carcass!
Held item	You dance about with your <item>.	<Name> dances about with <his/her> <item>.
Held weapon	You do an impressive display of agility with your <weapon>, spinning it up into the air in a flashing arc before neatly catching it and restoring your grip on it with a grin.	<Name> shows off <his/her> <weapon> in an impressive display of agility, spinning it up into the air in a flashing arc before neatly catching it and restoring <his/her> grip on it with a grin.
Item in the room	You dance around the <item>!	<Name> dances around the <item>!

Situational Messaging

Situation	You see	Others see
Dead	The dead can't dance!	<Name> twitches feebly, the cold, claylike corpse apparently mimicking the undead before it decays.
Sitting, kneeling or prone	You rise to your feet fluidly, like a large, graceful cat.	Nothing.

Worn items, unreachable objects and portals can refuse the item-targeted form. A dance partner must be standing.

The rise-to-standing wording can vary by guild; the catlike rise is associated with Rangers.

The command may be prevented by severe injuries or by an area where silence must be observed. Dancing can also reveal a hidden character. A character can refuse invitations through the dancing option of AVOID.

See Also

• Dance floors
• Barbarian Dances (2.0)
• AVOID

Related Forum Posts

Click here to search for related posts.