“The Dance” by Victor Ostrovsky

Here in Paris, France with the Montmartre in the background, the master spy has planted his trap and now waits to see if the mark will take the bait. The scene has been set with precision and utmost attention to detail.  If something goes wrong he has his backup close at hand, as he measures his move against the time. Victor also includes flowing red scarves and ribbons to represent the bureaucratic red tape that the agents encounter in their work. In this operation, as in all spy work, there are more people involved than are present. Victor includes the marbles hidden throughout the piece to represent these other players in the game of espionage. Jazz music symbolizes the rhythms and movements of the spies as they must always be at the right place and at the right time. However, getting to this crucial point often requires improvisation. The game pieces and checkerboard floor emphasize the importance of strategy.