Dancing Mad

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Dancing Mad is the music track that plays during the last four battles with Kefka at the end of Final Fantasy VI (originally released for the SNES in North America as Final Fantasy III, but now released under the original title name). An arranged version performed by The Black Mages can be found on their title album. Another arranged version for pipe organ, choir and orchestra lasting more than eight minutes was heard at the 4th annual Symphonic Game Music Concert on August 23, 2006.[1]

It was composed by Nobuo Uematsu, who also composed most of the music in the Final Fantasy series, including Final Fantasy VI.

A more direct translation of the piece's Japanese title is Wild Dance of the Ominous Star.

[edit] In Final Fantasy VI

Because there are four semi-independent parts to the final battle with Kefka, there are four parts to Dancing Mad. The first movement, which plays with Visage, Long Arm, and Short Arm, has music similar to Catastrophe in the key of C minor, and also has a small bit from the Duel part of The Wedding Waltz ~Duel. This part also has music similar to Johann Sebastian Bach's Toccata and Fugue in D minor, as well as Danny Elfman's Penguin theme from Batman Returns. The second movement, played alongside Machine, Tiger, Power, and Magic, has very little in common with any other previously played music in Final Fantasy VI and it is in the key of D flat minor. The third movement, however, does; two distinct leitmotifs can be heard: one is "Esper World", the other is Kefka's theme. In the final battle as described above, it has a short prelude. This prelude is the first movement of "Omen", the opening theme of Final Fantasy VI. It then carries on into a much more upbeat, lively music, also in the key of D flat minor. There is also a brief moment where the music cuts out and the first opening notes of Kefka's theme is played.

[edit] Fame

Dancing Mad did not receive any such fame as other notable songs such as The Extreme or One-Winged Angel did. However, listeners tend to be very opinionated about Dancing Mad, especially in regard to its length, which is in excess of 17 minutes. It is significant to note, however, that the length in the official recording is exaggerated, due to each of the four sections being repeated before moving on to the next piece.