Follow TV Tropes

Following

Context Main / NudeNatureDance

Go To

1%%
2%%
3%% The examples have been alphabetized. Please put any new example in its proper place in the folder rather than at the end.
4%%
5%%
6%% Image selected per Image Pickin' thread: https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/posts.php?discussion=16821832310.39561000
7%% Previous thread: https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/posts.php?discussion=1312711629023056300
8%% Please do not change or remove without starting a new thread.
9%%
10[[quoteright:350:[[TabletopGame/ForgottenRealms https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/eilistraee_dance_party.png]]]]
11%%
12
13->''"You land dwellers never understand. It's very important for fairy princesses to commune with nature. In the nude, the way fairies were intended to be."''
14-->-- '''Polychrome''', ''Literature/DorothyMustDie''
15
16The Nude Nature Dance is ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin: a dance done in the nude in open fields or a forest clearing to show characters [[InHarmonyWithNature share a bond with nature]]. It is frequently used for {{fanservice}}, but may be played for {{squick}}, if, for example, the participants include HippieParents.
17
18The dance will generally be used to show that the characters are [[InnocentFanserviceGirl innocent, blithe, free spirits]], or that they are InHarmonyWithNature in a deeply spiritual or religious way. It may be celebratory, with the connection to MotherNature signified by the fact that the characters are ''au naturel''. It may also be a sign of a primitive, animistic religion, and can be a prelude to a GreenAesop, or, at the other extreme, to [[BloodMagic blood sacrifice]].
19
20Note that most straight versions of this trope leave out the brambles, thorns, small rocks, stinging insects, mosquitoes, ticks, and various other annoyances to be found in RealLife natural settings, which make going [[GroinAttack nude]] or merely [[AgonyOfTheFeet barefoot]] in a forest not as good of an idea as it may sound.
21
22Participants may be {{Granola Girl}}s, {{New Age Retro Hippie}}s, {{Hot Witch}}es, [[ChildrenAreInnocent young children]] or [[OurElvesAreDifferent Magical Forest Dwellers]] and literal tree-hugging may be involved. Compare EarthyBarefootCharacter, whose feet may be naked for all the same reasons. May be a part of StarkNakedSorcery.
23
24----
25!!Examples:
26
27[[foldercontrol]]
28
29[[folder:Anime & Manga]]
30* The pagan worshippers from the Retribution Arc in ''Manga/{{Berserk}}''. [[SubvertedTrope Yeah]], they could be considered care-free pagans as far as being hedonistic, baby-sacrificing (and eating), disgusting and perverted, psychedelic orgy participants who are actually [[ReligionOfEvil worshiping an idol of evil gods]] goes.
31* In a {{filler}} episode of the ''Manga/{{Naruto}}'' anime, Hinata combined this with a ShowerScene, by dancing in a waterfall.
32[[/folder]]
33
34[[folder:Arts]]
35* This is the subject of [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Bonheur_Matisse.jpg a famous painting]] by Henri Matisse. The subjects are women dancing outdoors in a circle, naked.
36* ''Art/{{Primavera}}'': The Three Graces are not ''quite'' nude, but they're draped in transparent cloth that hides nothing while they do a dance in the garden.
37[[/folder]]
38
39[[folder:Comic Books]]
40* The heroine's coven in ''ComicBook/BlackMagick'' performs their rituals skyclad save for a hooded cloak. In #1, a ritual is interrupted by Rowan's mobile phone going off.
41* Rachel Pollack's run on ''ComicBook/DoomPatrol'' had an arc that ended with Dorothy Spinner saving the world from manifestations derived from a book she read on African culture by performing a ritual where she dances topless while drenched in pomegranate juice.
42* Leetah and Nightfall's forest dance in ''ComicBook/ElfQuest: Siege at Blue Mountain'' probably qualifies, aside from its obvious [[LesYay sexual implications]]. (It's actually foreshadowed by a mention, in one of the novelizations, of couples doing that sort of thing.) The novel twist here is that -- in an unusual variation on GoneSwimmingClothesStolen -- Moonshade, the tribe's seamstress, sneaks in and switches their clothes with new outfits and the pair are delighted she did with compliments on the new apparel.
43* In ''ComicBook/{{Grendel}}'', psychopathic, foul-mouthed BountyHunter Hitchcock Blue is shown to do this when alone in the desert, as a comic PetTheDog moment.
44* ''ComicBook/UltimateXMen'': Rogue lives [[InHarmonyWithNature in complete harmony]] with the sentient jungle of Utopia. She does this in her underwear, not actually naked.
45[[/folder]]
46
47[[folder:Comic Strips]]
48* ''ComicStrip/WhatsNewWithPhilAndDixie'': Dixie indulges in [[http://web.archive.org/web/20150428205218/http://www.airshipentertainment.com/growfcomic.php?date=20100131 a strip about the wilderness.]] Of course she didn't count on the bees, the snakes, scorpions, spiders or nomadic tribes.
49[[/folder]]
50
51[[folder:Films -- Live-Action]]
52* Played with in ''Literature/AtPlayInTheFieldsOfTheLord'', though the film version is definitely not fanservice, since it's Kathy Bates. And her character's basically gone nuts.
53* In ''Film/TheBigLebowski'', The Dude is part of the sparse audience watching his landlord ineptly perform one of these on stage, thankfully in a [[NudeColoredClothes flesh-colored body stocking]] tactfully embellished with ivy instead of actually naked. Presumably The Dude being there is why the landlord is lenient about collecting the rent.
54* In ''Theatre/TheCrucible'', at least one of the girls at the beginning dances naked in the woods.
55* In the Czech film ''Film/DuhovaKulicka'', Milanek and his grandfather watch a young girl dancing naked on the bank of a river. She runs off after realizing that she's being watched.
56* Not a dance exactly, but ''Film/NeverCryWolf'' has a scene of Tyler at first napping, then running naked across the tundra, in the middle of a caribou stampede. There is no censorship, and this was put out by Disney...
57* The underwater ballet scene in ''Film/Piranha3D''.
58* In the French classic film ''[[Film/ManonDesSources Manon of the Spring]]'', the title character bathes in a spring and then dances around it nude while playing on her harmonica. OutdoorBathPeeping also included, which becomes a major plot point.
59* Towards the middle of ''Film/{{The Wicker Man|1973}}'', Howie sees a group of pregnant, young women dancing around a fire in the nude.
60-->'''Howie:''' But they are... are naked! \
61'''[[Creator/ChristopherLee Summerisle:]]''' [[DeliberateValuesDissonance Why, naturally.]] [[ComicallyMissingThePoint It is far too dangerous to jump through the fire with your clothes on!]]
62[[/folder]]
63
64[[folder:Literature]]
65* Ivy Carson does a lot of InHarmonyWithNature dancing (including dancing on tree branches) in ''Literature/TheChangeling1970'' by Zilpha Keatley Snyder. She doesn't disrobe completely, but [[EarthyBarefootCharacter takes her shoes off]] and tucks her skirt into the legs of her underpants.
66* Alluded to in ''Literature/ChildrenOfTheNight'': Diana tells another Wiccan to bring his robe to the Samhain ritual; "I don't do skyclad". It's for practical reasons; Diana is originally from Connecticut and currently living in UsefulNotes/NewYorkCity, and it's too ''cold'' both places for outdoor nude rituals in late October. (In fact, it's ''snowing'' when she makes that comment. The other Wiccan is from the South, so is used to temperatures warm enough that skyclad isn't a health risk.)
67* ''Literature/{{Discworld}}'':
68** Subverted and parodied more than once in the novels starring either the [[TheHecateSisters three witches]] or Tiffany Aching. Most of the witches find the idea of dancing around naked at night ridiculous, especially the prudish Granny Weatherwax, who although "aware that somewhere under her complicated strata of vests and petticoats there was some skin, that didn't mean to say she approved of it." [[DirtyOldWoman Nanny Ogg]] would probably be game if it weren't for impracticalities like thistles, hedgehogs, and the weather being too cool to go nude on all but the warmest summer nights. Magrat was initially sort of fond of the idea without ever bringing it up to the previously mentioned two, out of fear of Granny Weatherax's contempt and that Nanny Ogg might actually try it.
69** Played straight in ''Literature/LordsAndLadies'' with a group of wannabe witches who dance nude around an ancient stone circle, [[TooDumbToLive inviting]] TheFairFolk [[TooDumbToLive into Lancre.]]
70* ''Literature/{{Emberverse}}'': Lampshaded in ''Dies the Fire'' when the Wiccans debate whether to do a ceremony naked, and speculate that their founder was just a DirtyOldMan who wanted an excuse to see nude women in Victorian times.
71* Referenced and {{subverted|Trope}} in ''Literature/GoodOmens'' when Anathema Device is doing her work at night while practicably clothed, it's dryly commented that most books on witches state that they do their work outside naked and that [[{{Fanservice}} most people that write these books are men]].
72* In ''Literature/ICaptureTheCastle'', Cassandra's artsy stepmother, Topaz, loves doing this kind of thing to "commune" with nature.
73* Happens briefly in ''Literature/TheLordOfTheRings'' after the Hobbits have been extricated from the Barrows. Tom Bombadil removes the clothing the Wights had placed on them and invites them to "run naked in the grass" while he retrieves their ponies (with their baggage containing replacement clothing).
74* In ''Literature/TheNativeStar'' by M.K. Hobson, Animancy can involve dancing naked. There's even a [[FantasticRacism derogatory term]] for its practitioners derived from this: ''Skycladdische'' -- literally "clad [only] in sky".
75[[/folder]]
76
77[[folder:Live-Action TV]]
78* In an episode of ''Series/{{Bones}}'', when a self-proclaimed witch is found dead, Brennan and Booth decide to check out a local group of Wiccans. They show up at a ceremony in the woods just as the (all-female) group begins to disrobe and start dancing.
79* ''Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer'': In the Season 2 opener, Ms. Calendar, walking with Giles, recounts going to Burning Man during summer break. She surmises he would have hated it, but her mention of naked mud dancing piques his interest.
80* The ''Series/{{Charmed|1998}}'' episode "Witch Trial" sees Piper and Phoebe celebrating the equinox with a group of more mundane witches, only to discover that the group plans to perform the rite naked.
81-->'''Piper:''' What have we got to lose, OK?\
82''[Piper and Phoebe turn to see the others disrobing]''\
83'''Phoebe:''' Well, apparently we've got our clothes to lose.
84* In one episode of ''Series/DharmaAndGreg'', Dharma dances naked on TV to celebrate springtime.
85* In ''Series/{{Friends}}'', when Phoebe suggests a relationship cleansing ritual, it turns out you can either go the [[BreakupBonfire burnt offering route]] or the "dance naked with sticks" route. Rachel and Monica opt for the first.
86* ''Series/{{JAG}}'': Mac goes undercover in the episode "The Witches of Gulfport" as a Chief Petty Officer infiltrating a group of Wiccas on a base in Texas and participates in the rituals.
87* PlayedForLaughs on ''Series/{{Schmigadoon}}'', where the hippies Josh falls in with express their dismay at the state of Schmicago and say they have to get back to the natural state of things... that is, nudism. A whole musical number about it.
88-->'''Topher:''' Ooh, flowers don't wear pants, so why should we...?
89[[/folder]]
90
91[[folder:Music]]
92* Music/IgorStravinsky's {{ballet}} ''Theatre/TheRiteOfSpring'' is based on pagan nature dances, and occasionally (though not always) is staged with some nudity. Unfortunately for the ChosenOne, this ends in HumanSacrifice.
93* Music/FrankZappa's "Take Your Clothes Off When You Dance" from ''Music/LumpyGravy'' and ''Music/WereOnlyInItForTheMoney''.
94[[/folder]]
95
96[[folder:Music Videos]]
97* Music/{{Xera}}'s music video for the song "Natura" features a bit of this.
98[[/folder]]
99
100[[folder:Tabletop Games]]
101* ''TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons''
102** The Good-aligned female Drow worshipers of Eilistraee dance nude outdoors in the moonlight. (She's big on dancing in general, actually. Her worshippers are fond of Prestige Classes that involve MagicMusic, MagicDance, and DanceBattler.) The main veneration ritual and one of her manifestations is dancing naked at night around a small light called the Evensong. It's meant less as {{fanservice}} ([[WatsonianVersusDoylist though that's probably the Doylist reason why it was created]]), and more about letting one's guard down. When a drow comes from a world of secrets and lies, exposing oneself and letting emotions flow in a dance is meant to show that they trust the Dark Dancer to protect them and that they have nothing to hide.[[note]]It might also based on real-world rituals done skyclad (nude) present in some forms of UsefulNotes/{{Wicca}}, which Eilistraee took some influences from when she was created.[[/note]]
103** Worship of [[ActualPacifist Eldath]], the Green Goddess, should be performed as unclad as possible. Since she's a water and nature deity, it is [[JustifiedTrope justified]] to a point.
104* In ''TabletopGame/MageTheAscension'', the Verbena would often perform their rites "skyclad".
105[[/folder]]
106
107[[folder:Video Games]]
108* ''VideoGame/CultOfTheLamb'': The ''Sins of the Flesh'' update introduces the the Rite of Lust ritual where your followers dance naked in a circle around a shrine decorated with flowers.
109* In ''VideoGame/SidMeiersAlphaCentauri'', enemies of the Gaian faction might accuse their leader, Lady Deirdre Skye, of dancing naked in the trees, which is a really neat trick considering that Planet's air is poisonous. Though maybe they mean in the Recreation Commons at Gaia's Landing? (Which is noted to be a park planted with Earth trees, and one at which "sunny lovers' trysts" are a normal sight at that.)
110[[/folder]]
111
112[[folder:Webcomics]]
113* In one ''Webcomic/{{Nodwick}}'' story, Artax receives an invitation to a ceremony held by the Sisters of Sylvanity, an all-female cult of nature-themed spellcasters who do this for ritual magic. (The invitation is fake, sent by three seers to get him to leave the house so they can talk to Piffany. He doesn't say what happened when he showed up, and it's probably [[TakeMyWordForIt best left to the imagination]].)
114* Millie of ''Webcomic/OzyAndMillie'' has a habit of doing this when it rains, for unstated reasons.
115* Strongly implied in ''Webcomic/YetAnotherFantasyGamerComic''. Several characters run into some satyrs and nymphs in the woods, and get caught up dancing with them. When Gren decides to take a break, she is surprised to find that she's naked.
116[[/folder]]
117
118[[folder:Western Animation]]
119* [[ZigZaggingTrope Zigzagged]] in the ''WesternAnimation/SpongeBobSquarePants'' episode "[[Recap/SpongeBobSquarePantsS1E9NaturePantsOppositeDay Nature Pants]]". Throughout the episode, [=SpongeBob=] is never shown dancing, but he feels that the best way to embrace the life of nature among the jellyfish is to go out naked (save for socks and shoes).
120[[/folder]]
121
122[[folder:Real Life]]
123* Gardnerian wiccans perform many ceremonies "skyclad" (nude), and sometimes dance outdoors during such ceremonies.
124* Dancing was an important part of the education of ancient Spartan youths for both boys and girls. In the warmer months they practiced outdoors and the girls and women supposedly largely did so in the buff. (Boys always did; all male athletic exercise in Ancient Greece was done naked.) Physical fitness and time outdoors were thought to be good for personal character.
125* English TV presenter Kate Humble has said a few times that [[http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0381702/bio?ref_=nm_dyk_qt_sm#quotes she enjoys doing this]]. Sometimes it just feels like the right thing to do.
126* In her interview with the WTF Podcast, Creator/AlisonBrie said she did this on a trip to Lake Tahoe. She said she took off all her clothes and ran around acting like "a little wood nymph".
127* Creator/DrewBarrymore was once quoted as saying, "I'll drive in Ireland and park my car and run out into the field and rip all my clothes off and just run in the wheat fields naked. That's for no one to see. That's to have that freedom of feeling at one with nature. So I am completely unguarded, still."
128* Creator/BillyConnolly did this ''in the Arctic snow'' as part of his show ''A Scot in the Arctic.'' There wasn't any ceremonial meaning behind it, he just wanted to take his clothes off and skip around in the freezing cold because NakedPeopleAreFunny.
129[[/folder]]

Top