New team fic: "Songs they have sung for a thousand years" (gen, PG)

[bironic]

Title: Songs they have sung for a thousand years
Author: bironic
Characters: John, Ronon, Teyla, Rodney, OCs
Rating: PG
Word Count: 3,100
Summary: Kopha-na and kopha-da: supporter and supported. The team joins an offworld performance one evening.
A/N: This story was born of picturing Sheppard as the lead dancer on a Greek TV segment, looking awkward yet slinky. Accordingly, I have stolen without shame from Greek folk dancing. Originally intended for the AMTDI challenge (aliens make them dance!) and now… very late for Amnesty 2010.

Excerpt:

"In honor of our negotiations, tonight we will dance the balga." Kappas pointed to the growing group of men John had been watching; they were leaning on one another now to stretch. "The balga comes down to us through many generations, from a time when the Wraith lay dormant and our arts flourished. It celebrates those who have, and do, and will, fight against our oppressors. It is a dance of warriors and of brothers."

"Sounds great," John said. He wondered if there were more maybe-yak skewers.

Kappas stepped back and made a formal bow. "Colonel Sheppard of Atlantis. Specialist Dex of Sateda. As representatives of your people, we wish you to join us in the performance."

Read the story at my LJ or on the AO3.

Comments

[kensieg]

John's lucky it was a Russian cossack dance with knives/swords!

[bironic]

I'd like to think Kappas wouldn't have invited a couple of untrained strangers to join in if that had been the case!

Loved it

[pudacat]

I started out thinking "cute" over the story and "cool" over the vids. Then I got sucked in like the I do at "TV Tropes" at the vids. One just kept following the other, and I was hooked. Then, getting back to reading your story, I went from "Cute" to being in love with your portrayal of John's willingness to perform though embarrased, and eventual enjoyment of the dance.
Poor Rodney. No one ever really celebrates prowess in physics.

Also: TOO CUTE!!!!!

Re: Loved it

[bironic]

Oh yay, thank you. Those videos are addictive, aren't they? I definitely sat down several times over the past year or two to try to finish this fic but ended up just watching more performances and listening to more music, heh. So glad you liked the story and the links!