a more masculine "war"

After months of anticipation, endless promotion, countless news articles, and a bunch of teasers, Dance of Passion has arrived. Will it live up to War and Beauty or is TVB so desperate for another "big hit" that they're trying to trick viewers with the flashy promotions and expensive production costs? Will it be as naturally complex and compelling as the War masterpiece was without coming off as too pretentious and forced?

It's far too early to tell at this point in the game. But, one thing's for sure - Producer Chik Kei Yee wasn't kidding when he said that Dance of Passion was going to be more masculine-oriented... similar to a male version of War and Beauty. Even though Dance has quite a dominant female ensemble, it's quite clear that Dance is far more masculine.

For starters, gone are the riches and beauty of the imperial palace. Instead, we have a very raw, rough setting. A man's appearance is supposed to be very simplistic and basic while women are supposed to be dolled up and glamorous - in part because of the traditional stereotype that men depend on their brains and physical strength while women depend on their looks. This applies with War and Dance's appearances. War was feminine in its appearance - well kept, organized, and elegant. No matter how nice the costumes that the Dance ladies adorn are, the background - the desert and how rural and primitive everything feels - cannot be subdued. The masculinity of the environment overpowers any feminine beauty the women try to project.

In War, all of the concubines plotted secretly behind each other's backs. Only when pushed did these women act in front of their opponents' faces. It appears that the characters in Dance also plot - but they're not afraid to act physically in front of their opponents. Again, we have a feminine versus masculine scenario in regards to action. From the trailers of Dance, there will be war, explosions, fights, guns, scars, wounds, and so on. In War, there was rarely blood and physical assaults, but the women were all scarred pyschologically. Women fight with emotions, manipulating others' minds and relationships. Men fight with their fists - brute and physical.

In terms of ratings, will the women of Hong Kong be as inviting of the masculine Dance as they were with the feminine War? Or will the underlying masculine tone of Dance throw them off? Or will Dance attract a totally different audience than War? Perhaps the men will start watching TV more and declare how the plotlines of Dance symbolize what they have to go through, just like how women said that War revealed the office plots and schemes that they experienced?

A new layer of discussion and comparsion between War and Beauty and Dance of Passion has emerged - one between masculinity and femininity. Which is a crueler and more lasting way of fighting - physical or mental? Perhaps, TVB intends to show viewers that both men and women can be equally viscious, conniving, and cruel when placed in certain situations.

Dance of Passion Themevideo
View SCREENSHOTS

It will be a very interesting month to see if Dance lives up to all of the hype and money that TVB put into the production. Head on over to Chronicles of Charmaine to download the themesong and subsong. (I love the subsong - far superior to the themesong. Charmaine's singing has definitely improved and I cannot wait to hear the full version of the song on Lui Yi Hung! Very nice voice for a sweet song.) Bookmark Sehseh's Blog for all Dance-related news, pictures, and information! And... if you wish to download the series, head on over to the forum!