Sarahha Dancers

"The Sarahha! The Sarahha! Qamar' Azraq lands to us with the Sarahha!"

The port of Al-Hawat was teeming with people, most of them going in the same direction. Halfings mainly, the throng made their way towards the ship that had just arrived at port. Shaafia pushed her way to the front of the group, watching as the first few climbed down from the vessel and onto the pier. She watched as they gathered on the pier, waving to the crowd that for now had the self-control and respect to give the performers space. Clad in colorful flowing robes and dresses, they looked as if they could hold a performance right here. One of them scanned the crowd, stopping in her direction, and blew a kiss. Was it to her? He plucked a rose from his brooch and threw it into the crowd.
Shaafia caught it. Truly this was her lucky day.

The Sarahha Dancers are an umbrella term and brand for the traveling troupes of dancers and performers funded by the Sarahha Dance Theater. Often consisting of recent graduates of the theater's dance college, these troupes travel across Runber (and sometimes further beyond), holding performances in whichever venue will accept them. Generally these troupes have little trouble finding a venue and attracting audiences, as the skill and beauty of the dancers of the Sarahha college is famed far and wide.
Sarahha troupes will go on months long tours on behalf of their college, going from city to city, finding the largest theatre hall available and putting on a show. Occasionally running days long events, the dancers will sometimes contract musicians from outside the college to perform with them. Their coming and going is a great cultural event, particularly for the higher classes of society. However, the troupes are known to be hard-drinking and licentious, something that draws some consternation particularly from the Temple of Nuwa. It is said that particularly those troupes composed of recent Sarahha graduates take the opportunity to let loose on their trip throughout Runber, whenever they are not on stage.
Considered a sort of rite of passage for the college, most dancers of the college will perform on a tour like this at some point. As a result, most major Runberi cities will have a yearly visit from the Sarahha, usually in the summer months. These visits are typically a surprise, as the Sarahha do not advertise their routes ahead of time. Instead, the Sarahha will announce themselves upon disembarking the ship they arrived on, causing an immediate buzz on the streets as the town criers spread word of the arrival of the Sarahha and the great performance that will doubtless follow the very next day.

Structure

A troupe of Sarahha dancers will have a director who is generally a more experienced member of the Sarahha college. Not always performing themselves, the director is responsible for much of the planning in creating coherent performances. Beyond that, the troupe consists of college artists, generally young dancers sent out to show their skills. A troupe may also have temporary members who are hired for individual performances on a gig basis.

Location

Sarahha Dance Theater

Related Ethnicities

• Runberi