Dance Macabre

Dance Macabre is a dance larp played multiple times in Czech Republic - first time in 2012, currently there is a run of this game prepared to be played in UK.

Summary

Dance Macabre is a dance larp inspired by the chapter Danse Macabre in Neil Gaiman`s Graveyard Book and a Danish Game In Fair Verona. The game is set in current Europe, but the exact time and place does not play an imporant role in the game. The game takes cca three hours and players play their characters only through dancing Tango Argentino. It is a story about love, death and serching for new future. The game is preceded by two days of workshops to learn playing through dancing and to create characters and their story.

Statistics

The production had 40 players in one game of 3 hours. Before the game, there are two days of workshops of tango dancing and creation of characters and their stories. There were 7 runs in Czech Republic - 6 of them in Czech language and 1 in English. The game was currently played by ca 250 players. There is and English run in UK planned for March 2019. Participation fee in Czech Republic was ca 80 EUR per run, food and hostel style of accommodation included. The game has minimalist and symbolic scenography.

Techniques

Pre-larp Workshop
Played through dancing

Game design choices

Openness - game is completely transparent.
Scenography - minimalistic and symbolics.
Character Creation Responsibility - players create their own characters through lead workshops.
Runtime Game Mastering - only through music and one NPC.
Story Engine - colaborative focused on emotional drama.
Loyalty to Setting - playable, setting is not very detailed.
Bleed-in - depends on the players design of characterch, often close to home.
Communication Style - completely physical, playing through dancing.
Representation of Theme - abstract, the story is about magical moment.
Meta-techniques - none.
Player Pressure - pretense but physicallly demanding, considering that players will be dancing for 3 hours straight.

Video presentation

Dance Macabre: Last Tones (dance video)

Video documentation

Document About the Game with Players (English subtitles available)

Article

Dance Macabre Blueprint (in English)

Authors

Mikuláš Bryan
Kateřina Morgain Holendová
Monika Kadaňková
Pavel Sunder Mejstřík
Pavlína Rennfri Mejstříková
Jana Lorelei Pouchlá
Petr Lex Růžička
Petr Peldrik Urban