Flow of Madness

Generation 3 is the generation of Dancing, Music, and well it looks like Parks (poignant observation made by frankybluerichards). Parks are usually a symbol of innocence. A throw back to an earlier time that made sense to you when things were easier and simple. Music is life plain and simple it is everything and anything. In this post I will be focusing on the symbolism of dance. Now I have counted twenty one dances in total for Generation 3. Now this is not counting all the dancing at clubs or parties only the scenes where dancing was the focus for either the scene or the character. If you count simple club dancing then the number of dances climb dramatically. I am sticking to that twenty one though. 

So what does Generation 3’s dancing tell us? 

I think it is a simple answer really. Why do we dance? We dance because we are happy, free, or because there is a fucking good song playing. Sometimes we dance to cheer ourselves up and escape our frustrations. Other times we dance just to be silly. No matter what your specific reason is to dance…it is usually a happy occasion. 

According to dream dictionary when your subconscious produces a dream in which you are dancing this is what it means: 

To dream that you are dancing signifies freedom from any constraints and restrictions. Your life is in balance and in harmony. Dancing also represents frivolity, happiness. 

Now for the the sake of the Skins plot the dancing seems to represent “freedom from any constraints and restrictions” or the desire for this. On top of this dance has been used throughout history not just to express freedom and happiness, but also to make a change or turn something around. Many tribal cultures use dance to create a change in the environment by dancing to please the gods to send them much needed rain. Oppressed people use dance as an empowering mechanism to express themselves and gain an individual voice. Dancing is not just an expression of happiness it is also the expression of hope. Hope for a voice and hope for a change. When you dance by yourself it is your own self expression and personal sexuality you are expressing When you dance with another person it is a shared intimacy and shared expression you are communicating. 

Here are the Series 5 Dances: 

Grace dances with random strangers quite a bit. In the first scene Grace is pretty pretty oppressed not because she’s weak, but because she is worried about everyone else. Many times when Grace makes the move to dance with a stranger usually Mini stops her. Signifying a power struggle. As you can see even in Alo’s episode there are still some power dynamics being worked out. 

Everything about this dance signifies Nick’s iron-clad conformity and stifled creativity that exists in the rugby world he is a part of. 

Rich’s toe tapping at the beginning of his episode. He had drown the world out. He has his headphones on and he is dancing literally to a different drummer. 

On the first GIF I talked about how Grace’s expression through dance is usually stifled by another. In this scene with Rich—Grace is allowed for the first time without ballet to dance her dance. To express herself and empower herself. Rich is cheering her on. Signifying a relationship of equals. 

Grace at her most beautiful. Her dancing which is her self expression and her passion moves Rich to tears. He essentially starts to fall for Grace due to her undeniably sweet vibes she expresses through her ballet. 

Liv also dances with Nick in this episode. So this essentially two scenes. Liv expresses her sexuality through dance. Another thing dancing symbolizes. Liv is comfortable with her body and is not afraid to use it. 

Alo asks Mini to dance at first she says no and then later joins him. Some may say this is a dance of lust. Others may say this is a dance of Mini letting herself be open for a little bit 

This is a dance that is manufactured by Grace to distract her friends. A dance to forget tensions and problems. In Grace’s mind it is probably a dance for change. 

Chaotic mess of jumping around. Blood is no longer a threat. New friendships have been found. True love has been expressed. This is a dance of ultimate freedom and hope. 

SERIES 6 DANCES 

Right after this Rich and Grace share a moonlit dance on a rooftop as she sings. This dance is a dance of true love and being in complete harmony with someone. True intimacy. 

(gif by brucab) 
Franky is having troubles with commitment and feeling suffocated by the confines of a relationship with Matty. This is a dance of NEED TO BE FREE.

 

Not much for Rich to dance for in this episode. However he does do what I like to call the anticipatory rain dance. The dance that signifies he is happy that things seem to be going well in trying to get in contact with Grace and he hopes to fuck it works out kind of dance. 

Nick, Franky, and Alo do a dance train on Alex’s stolen boat. Again a dance to escape. 

(gif by missgilberts) 

(gif by missgilberts) 

All three of these dances are dances that dripping with the notion of trying to escape from the restrictions and challenges of life. Also trying to empower Franky and Mini who are two people who feel powerless at the moment. 

Self explanatory really. 

This is a dance of celebration for both life and for Grace. Love this dance. 

Dance of celebration and finally being on the same page of one another. Also, a bit of escapism. 

This is the classic textbook definition of a “happy dance.” Rich got into University and he is feeling pretty good. 

No matter what though. Generation 3’s dances are used to express feelings of oppression, freedom, cheer, hope, and love. 

This was the dancing generation and thank god for that. 

***Most of the gifs unless stated otherwise are done by the wonderful jssula***