The Wind of Unifying Change

The Wind of Unifying Change was a Vimesk sky ballet, written by Vimesk dancer and composer Netta Olee and debuted in 155 ABY.

The ballet instantly became a polarizing piece on Shel Du, because it departed from traditional sky ballet in two ways. Where traditional sky ballets had used only horn and string instruments, Olee incorporated a percussion section. Much more glaring, however, was her inclusion of Selff performers. The handful of previous composers who had incorporated Selff characters in their works had done so with Vimesk in costume.

Many purists considered the inclusion of actual Selff to be a perversion of the sky ballet's grace, describing it as "a sickening, twisted repudiation of everything that is classic about the ballet" and "final proof that no tradition or aspect of Vimesk culture, no matter how rooted in common sense, can not be sacrificed on the altar of feigned equality to please the alien elements on Shel Du". However, others defended the work, praising the incorporation of the Selffs' abilities while not trying to have them perform traditional Vimesk moves; one reviewer called the piece "a bold, innovative reinvention of sky ballet that pushes the form to its limits and breaks through to new dimensions of creation". The Selff themselves were similarly divided; some viewed The Wind of Unifying Change as a gesture of cultural friendship, while others felt it devalued the art forms of the Selff themselves to include Selff in Vimesk ballet.

In the midst of the controversy, Queen Rin Sakaros herself took in a performance of the ballet. Impressed with the spirit underlying the piece and the conversation it had stimulated on Shel Du, she personally awarded Netta Olee the Order of Merit, Second Class, for the of 157 ABY.