Skeksis Dance History

A small incursion in Skeksis dances' history...in images!
This was thought out ans drawn after a question by , who said he wished he could see my version of the younger skeksis dancing...
I could not resist but turn it into a series of three dance poses, where we could see the "evolution" of skeksis dances so to say.

In the beggining, when the skeksis were  "vigorous, radiant, colorful creatures, always in movement and never still, thriving with life"...Not much clothes were needed, only some appareil of ornamentation to embellish them and make them seem more impressive, and their dance would be, even if ellegant and pompous (such is their fancy) very vigorous as well, as a reflection of their ways...
I imagined them jumping quite a lot, dancing a sort of "partner dance" where one would try to make some figures along with the other, while attempting at jumping and stomping  steadily also, as a showoff of strength and force. Almost like an ancient celtic dance, but perhaps even more marcial.

Then comes the "Golden era" of the empire...when the skeksis had already turned their sight to power and might. Even though they were not declared enemies of the gelflings (not yet, for there was no need for their vital essence while the skeksis were strong and healthy, and no prophecy inolving them had been written either) they had begun to clearly feel and exercise a superiority and reigndom over the rest of the creatures. This drawing is thought to be set in the first years of the empire's golden era, when, still very strong and young enough as to feel confident, they would act more like eccentric noble lords, not yet like the tyrants they would later become.
Their dance for the golden era is simmilar to a renaissance court dance, which implies a lot of choreographied movements which would emphatize the dancers' garb, and the magnificence of their robes and ornaments. A lot of pomp and self-aggrandizement would've been seen there.

Last, but not least, the third drawing shows us where has skeksan dances gone for the times where the "Dark Crystal" story sets.
Now old, mad with power, ruined by old age, and poisoned by the fear of the prophecy which speaks of their downfall and destruction, the Skeksis have evolved into bizarre tyrants, who hide their weakened,frail and old forms beneath layer after layer of sumptuous robes, ornamented carapaces, and jewelry. The gelfling had became, first, a need, for the emperor could use their vital essence to replenish his past vigour and refrain his ever-consuming illness. After, things got worse for them when out of despair, the prophecy was written about a gelfling who would vanquish the skeksis' power and bring an end to them. There, the self-procclaimed "lords of the crystal" stood it no more, and slaughtered the whole gelflingkind...or so they thought.
Usually tending to their jobs in an almost mechanical way, reumatic, greyed and limping with the weight of ages, the skeksis trundled through their castle trying their best to remain impressive, fearsome and huge, which they accomplished by adding even more layers to their mouldering robes, and more glistening jewels and badges to each bit of clothing where they would fit.
In thismoment of their history, the dances they would (only occasionally now) perform would be not much more than something simmilar to the Pavanna, that later-renaissance dance which consisted in a series of slow hand-in-hand advances,bows and flourished reverences. More than a true dance,it was a chain of very slow motions which would allow the courtisans to show the richness and beauty of their attire from every angle, to all the others.
In this case, nevertheless, Lord Chamberlain has "thrown the towel". His sciatica is not getting any younger!


So...that's all folks!
I hope you enjoy it, Tyler!

*Art by skekLa. Please, do not trace, copy or repost.
If you really feel the need to repost this, please link this image source and credit.

+DISCLAIMER:    I do NOT OWN any of these skeksis. Their race, likenesess  and particular personalities and demeanor were created by, and are property of Jim Henson,Brian Froud, Frank Oz and the many people who worked in the making of The Dark Crystal (1982)*