SOLVED. fantasy, dancer w/bells in body [s]

[Jennie]

read at least a decade ago, dancer who had to learn how to keep bells or chimes implanted in his body silent while moving, not the main character

[Pamela]

A character like this named Tasha-Bybar appears in Julian May's novels, either The Many-Colored Land or The Golden Torc. Many-Colored Land

The Golden Torc

[Jennie]

No, I don't remember much else about the book, but it definitely wasn't set on Earth in any time period.

[Aileen]

Was it how they trained them to become assasins?

[Jennie]

It might have been. Perhaps it was a sword dance? The character was kind of mysterious, not a big talker. I might be remembering it wrong, but he might not have chosen to have the bells implanted.

[Aileen]

I have to think. I definitely remember they had to learn to move completely silently w/ the bells. I did remember another book though. It involves training to become the ultimate bought companion/slave (I think they wore them though). In that one, dancing was also a part of the training. Have to look through my neurons and see if I can come up with the names.

[Michael]

I remember this one! It was a short story in Catfantastic II, published in 1991 - second volume in a series of anthologies of cat-themed short stories. The short story in question was "Shadows", by Carolyn Inks. In the story, Jariel Belldancer is a kind of magic/spirit warrior who is partnered with a camillacat named Pacer. Camillacats are sentient felines, something like lynxes or caracals. Pacer is telepathic telepathic with Jariel.

I don't recall all the specifics, but I remember that while being the belldancer for the kingdom is a great honor, it involves many years of training. The bells are surgically implanted to force the trainee to learn to move smoothly and stealthily as he moves through each phase of his exercises.

[Aileen]

"..It was a short story in Catfantastic II, published in 1991 - second volume in a series of anthologies of cat-themed short stories. The short story in question was "Shadows", by Carolyn Inks.."

This is the one I was thinking of. Thank you! Hopefully it answers Jen's question also.