Link should be alive and expressive in combat (best example is WW). In TP, he still is (we just don't see it so clearly with his new-old-found small skull) -- and i think is not the aspect that qualifies it as dark. Considering the controls schemes haven't drastically changed in all the 3D series games, I don't see how he can dance around, -OR-, he's alway's been dancing around, and he'll always be the fairy boy.
Travelling the corners of the world and directly acquiring the essence of the fallen in the form of a mask, is dark.