Sunday, July 29, 2018

Name That Butt, Round 8

It's time once again to Name That Butt!

After shooting thousands of photos of dance performance in Second Life, I've gone a bit off my rocker.

I'll post a photo of someone's butt, and you try to guess who it belongs to.

Debauche - Christmas in July - July 29 2018

Put your guesses in the comments.

AND THE ANSWER IS:
Doc from Debauche

If you guessed correctly, well done.

And if you didn't, you have plenty of time to cam around and study up before the next round of... Name That Butt!

Desire Arts


DESIRE ARTS
SUNDAY August 12 NOON SLT
SATURDAY August 18 7PM SLT
SATURDAY August 25 7PM SLT

Starting at 12pm slt on August 12th, the Desire Arts Dancers bring you a performance of more skin... little less costume, more heavy breathing. An "after hours" show for you to enjoy, but it's on a Sunday!

As an "Arts" theater (and gallery) Desire Arts is a venue perfectly suited for SL Performers wishing to express themselves through live performances, through Dance, Art Exhibits, Performance Art as well as Dramatic Presentations.

Also, Presentations of a controversial nature (including those involving sex, politics and/or religion) will be presented separately from the Dance Program.

Come see the shows!





Paramount Living Legends


PARAMOUNT GRAND THEATRE'S LIVING LEGENDS
Saturday  August 4th 7PM
Saturday August 11th 7PM

Living Legends is Paramount Grand Theatre's brand new show this August. Come join us for an evening of classy but sassy entertainment as we the Paramount Players dance for you, August 4th & 11th at 7pm slt.

What is a Living Legend? It's someone that has become an extremely famous or notorious person with their music, be it a writer or a performer. A person or thing that inspires us to dance! The living part we think you can figure out...

Come see the living legends come to life!





Atlantis Grand Theater Variety Hour


Atlantis Grand Theatre = Variety Hour
August 2nd, 2018 @ 5pm slt.
August 16th, 2018 @ 5pm slt.

"The Atlantis Variety Hour "

 Variety is the spice of life and variety shows are one of the oldest forms of showbiz razzle dazzle.
Atlantis Grand Theatre is pleased to present  their monthly entertainment, offering something for everyone. Each month we feature a revolving door of creators and dancers showcasing their favorites.

Smart Casual to Formal Attire please

Hope to see you there !





Friday, July 27, 2018

Phoenix Dance Team Seduction Show

Phoenix Seduction Performance
Saturday, July 28th, 2018 at 5pm

As the sun quietly sets in the distance, she walks around the room; her long strides accentuating the sensual curves of her body while the room is filled with the soft clicks of her lighter as each candle is illuminated one by one. The fire brings to life the shadows in the room as they dance a hypnotic tango against the chilled stone walls. Her eyes scan the room finding the perfect seat in which her view will be best. Nestling into the plush lounge she settles back, swirling a glass of chilled red wine. Her long fingertips caress the stem as she closes her eyes and thoughts begin to flood her mind. Unconsciously her bottom lip is chewed as images of their bodies , moving in unison, thrusting and pulsating while passions flare in a heated moment of seduction. Her eyes open and a coy grin appears quite pleased with the anticipation of what will be a very enticing party...

Please join the Phoenix Dance Team as we show you our versions of Seduction as the lights turn off for the night.

Directing will be:
Vanity Black - Nadi Zsun - Con Lorefield - Fafnir Kiranov - Gracie Lyonesse - Imrhien Fargis - Niecho Vollmar - JP Damien - Sebastain Bourne - SouthernComfort Magic

Dancers for the evening:
Bianka Glitterboots
Caranora Bravin
Tray Porthos
Gabi Barbosa
Laycie Pearl
Si De Brit
Hunter Zarco
Ame Starostin

With the talent and delight of DJ Caranora Bravin

Your limo to the show!

Thursday, July 26, 2018

Name That Butt, Round 7

It's time once again to Name That Butt!

After shooting thousands of photos of dance performance in Second Life, I've gone a bit off my rocker.

I'll post a photo of someone's butt, and you try to guess who it belongs to.

Noir Neverland - July 26 2018

Put your guesses in the comments.

AND THE ANSWER IS:
Rory at Noir Neverland

If you guessed correctly, well done.

And if you didn't, you have plenty of time to cam around and study up before the next round of... Name That Butt!

Saturday 28th July 1pm slt Trophy Room

Come join us as we return once more to one of our absolute favourite places, The Trophy Room. A wonderful place to relax, to chat, to play, to be.......well now, thats your choice. Always.

Going to be spectacular with great mix of brand new routines never seen before added to fantasy, breath taking sorcery to damn raunchy, Debauche has it all

Curtain opens at 1pm. Please arrive early, dress smart / casual and keep an eye on those scripts.

Debauche -  Sexy, raunchy, always classy.

You know you wanna...

Saturday  28th July 1pm SLT The Trophy Room
Doors open to public one hour before time

Be sexy raunch always classy with us!



Christmas in July!!!  Better believe it is

 Debauche will be dancing  a rather special show Sunday 29th at 1pm slt at our home theater for its Christmas in July. We have been asked to do this and its going to be magical. It's the Christmas show in 2015 we never had, Australia at last have a Christmas in winter.

 Seriously it will be huge fun with some of the very best Christmas routines ever in Second Life.. Dress up either in full Christmas attire or beach wear.. Whatever but just come on the 29th at 1pm slt and lets be Merry together..


1pm slt at the Debauche theater, Christmas in July  !!!

Ho ho ho! Merry Classymas!



Tuesday, July 24, 2018

FlyGearZ Arabian Nights


Arabian Nights Ball @ The Looking Glass

Feel the warm desert breeze as FlyGearz returns to The Looking Glass on July 27th and starting at 8pm! Arabian nights is our theme for this fun event and we have another great night of dancing under the stars planned just for YOU, our dancers! Our Ball features audience participation dancing and the choreography of Jenna Dirval and Kiran Sporg! Please "Like" and Share! Formal attire required or the optional "Arabian" themed costume. Prizes for best dressed in either category! All welcome. Romantic, peaceful, friendly place for couples to share romance, love, dancing, cuddles. Enjoy meditation, Tai Chi, art, relaxation, music and shopping in a beautiful, photogenic environment.

Formal attire required or Arabian themed costumes - Prizes for best dressed.

Come dance with us!





The Sirens Call - A Beginning for the New Dancer, Post 3 - What is this Choreo Thing and Choosing Music

A new series, sharing my own beliefs, methods, and suggestions for the new dancer.  As with anything I say or teach - QUESTION EVERYTHING!  There are many different approaches and methods to dance.  From all you learn, all you experience, strive to create your own methods, ideas, and knowledge.  Unique and your own.

Disclaimer:  The author of this article wishes to point out, in case it was not already embarrassingly, ridiculously obvious, that the opinions expressed belong solely to the author and they do not represent in any way those of Dance Queens, Dance Queens members, any affiliations, friends, non-friends, the guy in the 3rd row, or management.  If you must...EvaHarley bio

If you are reading post 3, then welcome to the insanity!  It's a lovely place to be, truly!  Well, except Tuesdays when the dancers in my head have tango day.  Too much shouting. (looks for Excedrin)

So, Post 1 was about foundation, and Post 2 was about observation and inspiration.  Today, let's jump down the rabbit hole and talk about choreography and choosing music!  As many might know, choreography is my favorite parts of dance.  So what is choreography, especially in SL?  Ohhh....this is one of those topics that can get me jabbering away until I see the eyes starting to glaze over and people making excuses like "it's time to eat my lima beans now" - which is a totally lame excuse because I'm sure NO ONE likes lima beans.  So then...

Choreography is the act of linking individual animations together and playing them in an order that creates an expressive dance - generally to music.  Listening to the rhythm, transitions, and lyrics of the music, the choreographer creates a sequence that conveys movement and emotion.

Example:  you have a spin animation, a tapping animation, and a jump animation.  Generally the choreographer would play the animations as they listen to the music and "feel" how they fit together for the song.  Perhaps they might start by tapping, then go into the jump, and finish with a big spin.  They pick through and choose animations that fit the performance.

This can be one of the most amazing, frustrating, wonderful, and fun parts of creating a dance for me!  There is more to it as you begin to refine your choreography, making it smoother and your own.  Most performances I estimate contain between 20-30 animations, and should always be mixed up, different animations from different animation creators and different dance packs. 

You'll need animations and an animation HUD for this process, but before you run out and buy those it's important for you to choose an initial song to learn/play with.  Your music will help you choose animations which can get expensive quickly, especially if you have a blow out shopping spree.  Just like that polka dot shirt in your closet, you'll wonder WHAT you were thinking a month later.

Hopefully you've visited many different venues, experienced performances by many different choreographers.  What style of dance spoke to you?  Linking onto this, do you have a song in mind that moves you?  Perhaps feel deeply that you want to create?  This is a good start!  Always keep a list of song ideas.  Inspiration hits at any time!  

Practically any song can be choreographed for dance, but some can be much harder because of the style, the rhythm, the length, etc.  Learning to create choreography is an amazing growing process.  Start slowly and build you way up to the more difficult pieces.  Honestly, trying to choreograph your first dance to a 9 minute opera without lyrics for 20 dancers is a recipe to set yourself up for failure.  That's like jumping into Thermonuclear Principles of Energy and Dynamics on day 1!

Creating should be fun!  (Most days) so here are some tips for choosing music:
  • Latin and pop/electronic music is great to start with because of the number of animations available in SL.  Every single animations store you go to will almost always have dance animations that fit this style.  Baroque?  not so much.  This style of music is also high energy too which can make it a lot of fun.
  • Choose a song that has several highs and lows in it, changes in tempo.  This, plus catchy/powerful chorus' really help keep the dance and choreography interesting.  I love the Lumineers, but some of their songs don't have many changes - a challenge to keep audience attention.   Keep your audience from drifting off to shop on market place.
  • For the love of all that is right in the world, choose a song you can listen to 8,432 times because I promise you will!  
  • If you are just starting, choose a song between 3 and 4 minutes.  Many venues don't allow music over 5/6 minutes or you need special approval.
  • Select a song that the audience can connect to in some way.  The most amazing performances are ones that I can lose myself in.  I LOVE Gloryhammer - Magic Dragon HERE, but this is one that would be tough for the audience to embrace.  It doesn't have to be a top 40 song of course, but something relatable.
  • If you hope to perform the song you're creating, I would recommend avoiding music with an overtly religious, political, or potentially divisive message unless you're creating it for a specific venue.
  • Choose a song that you will look forward to creating!  It takes time to create choreography and you'll be learning a lot through this process.  I'd recommend choosing something fun and uplifting for at least the first couple of dances you create.
Repeat it with me:  THERE ARE NO RULES IN DANCE.  Guidelines - yes, venue rules - yes, but in the act of creating - NO.  What I've listed above?  Suggestions, especially for the beginning choreographer.  I have seen so many acts that defied convention and were absolutely brilliant.  The choice is always yours.

Want more?  Find it HERE


Monday, July 23, 2018

Crystal Edge Dance Show


The Crystal Edge Dance Show

Friday 27th july @3 pm SLT

Choreography By Dids Hyun......Performed By The Crystal Edge Dancers

Hope to see you all here

Come see the show!






Cossette



Cossette
Monday July 30 2018 - 7AM SLT

Here we are cossette' is all about excellent harmony of music, stage and dance. 
Please come down to the show and enjoy our expressive performance on stage!

Performers:
1. Kazusa Yoshikawa
2. Yopi Yoshikawa
3. Clau Dagger
4. Kazusa Yoshikawa





Sunday, July 22, 2018

Name That Butt, Round 6

It's time once again to Name That Butt!

After shooting thousands of photos of dance performance in Second Life, I've gone a bit off my rocker.

I'll post a photo of someone's butt, and you try to guess who it belongs to.

Winds of the Sahara - July 22 2018

Put your guesses in the comments.

AND THE ANSWER IS:
Queenie at Winds of the Sahara

If you guessed correctly, well done.

And if you didn't, you have plenty of time to cam around and study up before the next round of... Name That Butt!

Saturday, July 21, 2018

Name That Butt, Round 5

It's time once again to Name That Butt!

After shooting thousands of photos of dance performance in Second Life, I've gone a bit off my rocker.

I'll post a photo of someone's butt, and you try to guess who it belongs to.

Name That Butt?

Put your guesses in the comments.

AND THE ANSWER IS:
A statue in the Desire Arts Gallery

If you guessed correctly, well done.

And if you didn't, you have plenty of time to cam around and study up before the next round of... Name That Butt!

*** VIRTUOSO PERFORMING ARTS ***


 *** VIRTUOSO PERFORMING ARTS ***
PRESENTS TO YOU 
THE ELEMENTS OF LIFE
  ****** FIRE ******
                                                                      
Click Here For Your Ride!
                                                                     
            JULY - MON 23RD / FRIDAY 27TH / MON 30TH - NOON SLT
NO RESERVATIONS REQUIRED - LIMITED SIM NUMBERS FOR BEST VIEWING EXPERIENCE
PLEASE ARRIVE *AT LEAST 30 MINS* BEFORE THE SHOW STARTS
                                     
      “Don’t dismiss the elements. Water soothes and heals. Air refreshes and revives. 
Earth grounds and holds.
              Fire is a burning reminder of our own will and creative power.
                    There’s a certain sweet comfort in knowing that you belong to them all.”
                                                                                                                         ― Victoria Erickson


   We hope you can really follow the deep influences that The Four Elements have on our lives, always and In all ways.
  
                     Already performed the Elements of Water and Earth, VIRTUOSO now bring to you  *FIRE*
 Through sadness and joys, the Elements  are who WE are, 
always striving for balance and harmony around us and within us.

Are you.... a FIRE person?

Fire provides heat and light, but it cannot exist on its own. The same is true for people born to the Fire element. You are passionate, warm and light up every room. You are the life of the party and your natural intensity that compels others to take notice makes you a natural born leader. You follow your gut instinct and become fully committed to what you believe. Of the four elements, Fire is by far the most entertaining, drawing, and dynamic. You have the power of transformation and can convert any negative situation into a positive.
Fire people can also easily turn a positive into a negative. Your passion turns to anger quickly and blinds you when hurting those close. When not contained, Fire spreads to anything nearby and so do you. You are often unfaithful and will follow any lead to serve your own self-interest. Fire needs other elements to survive. While Air will make it grow, Earth will keep it burning steadily. The same is true for you. Your loved ones are what motivate you and keep you stable. Without them, your passion turns to obsession and you quickly exhaust yourself.

        VIRTUOSO will be presenting several dances, at each show, produced by a variety of great choreographers, some new to dance and always some more experienced, but ALL with a passion, a message to send, and an emotion to express through their dances born of  *FIRE*

    In a spectacle of light and movement we hope you will enjoy what we bring to you all, in our own special way.

      THIS SHOW IS ABOUT INDIVIDUAL CREATIVE PRESENTATIONS OF "FIRE" AT VARYING DANCE SKILL LEVELS
DANCE UPON A DREAM
 With Journey Academy of Performing Arts
                                                                       
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~



Friday, July 20, 2018

New Dance Queens Challenge


There's a new challenge upon us! The show is scheduled for September 15th 2018 at 2pm SLT, so you have until then to pick your number and complete your act ready for the Dance Queens stage.

A few words from Babypea to explain...

You pick a number between 1 and 27, that has not already been taken.  First come, first pick!  That number is the number of a texture that you will get.  Use that texture as inspiration for a dance.  You can use the texture as the background for your set or incorporate it in some other way into your set.  You could build it out in 3D or put prims in it to give it a 3D feel and build your set out from there.  It's up to you.  One picture can inspire a thousand dances, so don't hold back... let your imagination run wild!

Have Fun,

P

Contact Web Sass to pick your number and get your creative engines running!!


Name That Butt, Round 4

It's time once again to Name That Butt!

After shooting thousands of photos of dance performance in Second Life, I've gone a bit off my rocker.

I'll post a photo of someone's butt, and you try to guess who it belongs to.

Elysium Cabaret - July 20 2018

Put your guesses in the comments.

AND THE ANSWER IS:
Cannon, showing off his assets at Elysium Cabaret

If you guessed correctly, well done.

And if you didn't, you have plenty of time to cam around and study up before the next round of... Name That Butt!

Thursday, July 19, 2018

The Sirens Call - A Beginning for the New Dancer, Post 2 - Observation, Learning Style, and Inspiration

A new series, sharing my own beliefs, methods, and suggestions for the new dancer.  As with anything I say or teach - QUESTION EVERYTHING!  There are many different approaches and methods to dance.  From all you learn, all you experience, strive to create your own methods, ideas, and knowledge.  Unique and your own.

Disclaimer:  The author of this article wishes to point out, in case it was not already embarrassingly, ridiculously obvious, that the opinions expressed belong solely to the author and they do not represent in any way those of Dance Queens, Dance Queens members, any affiliations, friends, non-friends, the guy in the 3rd row, or management.  If you must...EvaHarley bio

Woot!  You're back - wasn't sure you'd make it!  It can be so tempting...the excitement of jumping into dance immediately, the anticipation of glory and accolades - golden lindens being showered down from above as you are carried by four burly....(oh wait, that was my dream last night...where were we?)

Yes!  Foundation!  In our previous post HERE, I introduced choreography in SL and a bit of the flow as you learn to create your own.

You may find during this series that for me, dance in SL is a form of expression, it is art, it is a method of sharing a piece of yourself with others.  Whether a dance performance is inspiring, tear jerking, sexy, powerful, or funny, so many choreographers pour their heart and soul into what they create.  Passionate.

Each choreographer you talk to will have a different answer - what is the "best" tool, what is choreography, how to create a dance.  Never forget, this is YOUR adventure.  Dance in SL is what YOU choose to make of it, whether you choose to perform for a single venue, tour around the grid, or create just for yourself.  This series is but one resource of many available to you.

A dance performance is made up of many different pieces - the music, the choreography, the set, the costumes, the dancers, the movement across the stage, the effects, and more.  To me, an amazing performance is one that you can lose yourself in, where for that moment in time nothing else exists.  It is a choreographer's goal to bring together these individual pieces into an experience, where the whole is so much greater than the sum of its parts.  The dance doesn't have to be an epic production with 30 dancers to be memorable.  Once again there is no set formula or rules in what makes a great performance.

So, what next?  Observe, observe, observe.

Dance Queens is an excellent resource for finding a variety of dance venues and shows.  You can also use SL search for dance theatres, and possibly SL events.  If any readers have additional recommendations, please feel free to add them in the comments!

Visit at least 2-3 shows per week if you can, different venues, different choreographers.  What kind of music/dance inspires you?  Each venue has its own "vibe".  Do you prefer big themed productions?  Variety shows?  More intimate theatres or full stages?  Picture yourself performing - what do you see?  This will help guide you on your dance journey.  Observe the sets, the costumes, the choreography, the music choices.  Do not judge, just as we shouldn't judge art in a museum.  Observe.  What makes a dance you see special for you?  What is the flow?  What is the message or feeling you get?  From your observations you will begin to learn what speaks to you most, and slowly you will begin to observe the choreography transitions, the color schemes, how effects help enhance the performance, and more.

Dance can be as simple or as complex as you want to make it honestly.  The tools you use, the number of dancers, it's all your choice.  Before you dive down the rabbit hole, consider what your learning style is.  There are guides and manuals, blogs, workshops, youtube videos, and sometimes you can even find a mentor.  Some prefer to learn on their own trial and error - some prefer interaction with others.  Know your learning style, and remember - slow and steady.  As you watch performances, you most likely will want to know how they are created.  This is where knowing your learning style will soon come into play.

WAIT!  I have one rule - yes rule!  As you watch other performances, whether as someone new to dance, choreography, or one that has been creating for some time - do not ever compare yourself to others!  It is so easy to let doubt creep in, become overwhelmed, to admit defeat before you start.  We all have our own unique talents.  Dance is about self expression, not about being "the best".  In my opinion, there can't be a 'best' because there is so much variety in the dance world.  Everything is always changing and evolving, new theatres spring up, new tools and resources, new choreographers.

Observe dance in SL as you would any other artform - appreciate it, enjoy it, and know that perhaps you too have art in your soul to express in whatever method you enjoy most.  Everyone begins at the beginning, and everyone continues to learn and grow if they so choose.

Next post:
Post 3 - Choosing music and what is choreography.  Post 4 we'll be introducing animations and animation HUDs.

Two Debauche Shows This Weekend!


Debauche return to the lovely theater at Shadow Lands. Our 4th  visit at this stunningly and beautifully built venue, we are so looking forward to seeing the lovely people there once again.

We have a few new surprises lined up for this show as well as few of the Debauche classics.

Come share with us. You would be so welcome.

Debauche, a little naughty, a lot sexy and ALWAYS CLASSY!

Saturday 21st  July 1.00 pm SLT

Come be classy with us!



Sunday 22nd July at 1pm slt, Debauche dance at House of Jana

We once again visit The House of Jana. Such a beautiful theater to dance in and such a firm favourite for both the dancers and audience.     Always a lively, fun crowd at  The House of Jana and we are really looking forward to sharing the time with you there.

Come up and see us.....you know you want to

Sunday 22nd July at 1.00 PM SLT, House of Jana

Yay! Come see us perform for you!





Guerilla Burlesque: Burly Show


Guerilla Burlesque presents our very “BURLY” burlesque show!

You are invited to join us Friday July 20th at 10 pm for a special night of burly burlesque!! We have handpicked beautiful, delicious, sexy divas to perform in our newly-built intimate burly theater! This gorgeous build was the brainchild of Meegan Danitz, who will direct and be dancing in this production! An extraordinary show that will leave you hot under the collar and take your breath away! 

Each delicate dancer owning her own beauty and sensuality explored on stage, pulling us into her world. This is a special treat show folks the performances are first class and guaranteed you will be star struck! 

Seating opens at 9 pm for the 10 pm show opening!

Invite your friends! Let's wile away the hours and spend a flirtatious night together!






Harleyquin Workshops - July 21st through July 23rd

Harleyquin Workshops
July 21st - 23rd
Presented by Eva Harley

All are welcome and no registration is required – just come!  Workshops are in voice, so you do need to make sure you can hear voice.  If you prefer not to participate – feel free to come listen!  Listening chairs and class notes provided.

Please arrive early to prepare and slap on your workshop HUD!  So that we can focus, I do close the sim when the workshop starts and usually can’t respond to IMs.

Harleyquin Workshop Central:   SLURL



NEW CHANGES TO HARLEYQUIN WORKSHOPS!


  • Workshops are being broken down into smaller topics, allowing more time for practice and activities during these generally one hour sessions.
  • Select activities will have two additional levels available for those ready for a bit more challenge:  "heat it up" and "the frying pan"
  • For select workshops there will be a half hour "warm-up" session for anyone wanting to review/refresh their skills before the workshop begins.
  • All workshop attendees will be provided links to the tutor notes, now available on the web.  This allows additional images, examples, resources, and updates.  Tutor notes will always include additional tips not covered during the workshop.
  • All Spot On Tools series of workshops are being restarted in the new format.  
Please click on the "View Details" link for more info and requirements to participate.


Saturday, July 21st

10 AM SLT
NEW 2018:  Choreography Designer – Introduction & the Basics

The Spot On Choreography Designer system is a tool to move, rotate, lift, or lower avatars or objects from one point to the next - referred to as waypoints.  Use your stage more effectively by moving your dancers, change the appearance of animations by turning your dancers in a different direction, use this system to move props or even an entire stage during your performance.

VIEW DETAILS

12 PM SLT
NEW 2018:  Performance Director –  The Basics, What is the Performance Director?

An introduction to what the Performance Director can do and how it brings together the power of timed sequences, movers, and more.  This class will focus on exploring the HUD, the structure of the Performance Director Routine notecard, and different aspects of how this tool can be used as the conductor of your performance.

VIEW DETAILS

Monday, July 23rd

5 PM SLT
NEW 2018: Spot On Smooth Dancer – Introduction and Putting Your HUD to Work

Geared for anyone new to the Smooth Dancer Animation HUD or still familiarizing themselves.  We will be focused on loading the HUD, playing animations, inviting others to dance and how to remove dancers (including yourself).  We will also cover what to do when your dancers aren't dancing.  This is the first step before moving on to recording your own sequences.

VIEW DETAILS


Wednesday, July 18, 2018

*NEW* In Motion


New dance troupe In Motion, eager to entertain you!
Please join us July 24th 2108 at 12 Pm SLT in our home theater!

No dress code.

Tuesday, July 17, 2018

Name That Butt, Round 3

It's time once again to Name That Butt!

After shooting thousands of photos of dance performance in Second Life, I've gone a bit off my rocker.

I'll post a photo of someone's butt, and you try to guess who it belongs to.

Noir Neverland - June 21 2018

Put your guesses in the comments.

AND THE ANSWER IS:
Kyra, dancing at Noir Neverland

If you guessed correctly, well done.

And if you didn't, you have plenty of time to cam around and study up before the next round of... Name That Butt!

Monday, July 16, 2018

Name That Butt, Round 2

It's time once again to Name That Butt!

After shooting thousands of photos of dance performance in Second Life, I've gone a bit off my rocker.

I'll post a photo of someone's butt, and you try to guess who it belongs to.

Winds of the Sahara - July 15 2018

Put your guesses in the comments.

(And if you IM me with "Please shoot my butt!" I will respond with "PHRASING!")

AND THE ANSWER IS:
Kitten, sitting at Winds of the Sahara.

If you guessed correctly, well done.

And if you didn't, you have plenty of time to cam around and study up before the next round of... Name That Butt!

Sunday, July 15, 2018

NEW FEATURE: Name That Butt!

I haven't posted much other than show posts, and I don't really know where to start again.

How about a feature called Name That Butt?

Club Image Pre-show photos

Put your guesses in the comments.

AND THE ANSWER IS:
Eva Harley, sitting at Club Image on Sunday morning.

If you guessed correctly, well done.

And if you didn't, you have plenty of time to cam around and study up before the next round of... Name That Butt!

Friday, July 13, 2018

Winds of the Sahara - August


Winds of the Sahara 
August 5th at 5pm SLT
August 12th at 5pm SLT
August 19th at 5pm SLT (Theme Show)
August 26th at 5pm SLT

Each Sunday we have a shiny, new show at Winds of the Sahara.  Our dances range from burlesque to performance art and you are sure to be amazed at all of the wonder that sets, costumes and music can create.
We'll put sparkles in your eyes and leave sequins on your shirt collars. 

August 20th Only~Winds Theme Show 5pm SLT
We'll put sparkles in your eyes and leave sequins on your shirt collars as Broadway Comes To Winds!
For One Night Only, LIVE at Winds of the Sahara, we will bring you the sights and sounds of BROADWAY!

Join us for the magic!




The Atlantis Variety Hour July Encore


"The Atlantis Variety Hour July Encore"
 July 19th, 2018 @ 5pm slt.

So nice, we're doing it twice!

We are pleased to present an encore of June's "Atlantis Variety Hour"!
 Variety is the spice of life and variety shows are one of the oldest forms of showbiz razzle dazzle.
Atlantis Grand Theatre is pleased to present  their monthly entertainment, offering something for everyone. Each month we feature a revolving door of creators and dancers showcasing their favorites.

Hope to see you there !

Come see the show!



*NEW* July Raffle at Dance Queens


There's a new raffle at Dance Queens!
This month the prize is a 1000L gift card to Fallen Gods, where you can find skins, outfits, props and much more to assist with your acts.
The entry fee is a mere 25L and all proceeds go to support Dance Queens!
We appreciate your support and wish everyone good luck! 
One entry per member. Raffle ends July 31st at midnight SLT.

Thursday, July 12, 2018

Guerilla Burlesque

GUERILLA BURLESQUE PIT REVUE THIS FRIDAY!

Friday July 13th at 10 pm!

It maybe Friday the 13th but it is still Friday and a reason to dance! Thirteen is just a number and its only bad luck if you choose it to be! We like the number 7 because we have 7 amazing dancers ready to perform for you this Friday night!

We present performances using beautifully designed sets, particle effects and clever combinations of poses and dances to create a very intimate dance expression.  We are dancing in the Pits and seating is limited!

See you there!
Doors open at 9 pm for the 10 pm show!
Your Limo!

Two Debauche Shows This Weekend!


DEBAUCHE
Saturday 14th July at 1pm slt

This is a show simply do not wish to miss. 

Debauche are honoured and proud to be dancing once again at the Trophy Room, though this time to help Celebrate the Trophy Rooms 4th Anniversary.

Four years is so hard to believe for WOW how the years soon fly by.

The theme is Burlesque with an after party to follow. Fun galore with plenty of cheering and stamping of feet, clap your hands for even scream and shout. 

This will be a show that knows no boundaries, surprises and no doubt the odd one or two slight mishaps. 

Who knows and more to the point who cares?

Sim will be closed to general public until one hour before show time, remember to wear your best Burlesque outfit


(NOTE: Hi, this is R. I will be in the Centerfold act for this show, but as a model and not the photographer role. This means that Geordie will be photographing me, and I'll be photographing Geordie photographing me, and... this may cause a recursive loop which destroys the universe. So, some see the show that destroyed the universe! Sexy, racy, occasionally destroying the universe... BUT ALWAYS CLASSY!)


DEBAUCHE
Sunday 15th July at 1pm slt

Been few months but Debauche are delighted to once again dance at this stunningly beautiful theater and sim..

Taka is based on the Oriental Japanese theme with so much detail you will simply love the feel.

The show begins at 1pm slt and sure promises to be a return that nobody will never forgets

Come see the show!





Wednesday, July 11, 2018

Burlesque Dolls at the Gypsy Rose Theater

Burlesque Dolls at the Gypsy Rose Theater
Saturday July 14th - 3PM SLT


The Burlesque Dolls are back to heat up your July! Come join us for our monthly show at the newly remodeled Gypsy Rose Theater. Classic burlesque acts with SL flair. Featuring the amazing talent of dancers Jilley, Nara, Alexis, Lynxa, Kyshra, Queenie, Taema, Josephine, Lina and the dulcet tones of DJ Di.  Guaranteed to tantalize with beautiful outfits, gorgeous sets, and a fair amount of skin. You won’t be sorry you came. 




The Lady Garden Cabaret and Burlesque


The Lady Garden Cabaret and Burlesque
Saturday July 14th @ 11 am SLT

A salute to the troops- A 40's ,swing era, USO style show

Choreographed by Anu Papp Kismet Coy and Madison Pinelli

Swing era dress encouraged but not necessary

Come up and see us!




Club IMAGE

IMAGE open this Sunday

♥ July 15th
OPEN 6:30 AM SLT, START 7:00 AM SLT

...... ♥ * Line up for this Sunday*♥.......
1. Yougao Destiny "All about that・・・" with Setsuna & Sakura
2. Xia Xute"Ookami"
3. Setsuna Hirano "Fighter"with Misse,Diawa,Yougao & Sakura
4. Diawa Bellic "Good Vibe"with Nara
5. Coyume Melody"SWEETCANDY"with Yougao


■チームダンス team dance
Misse Tigerpaw "Happy"

DJ: HANKU Babii☆.。.:*・゜
FloorStaff: Xia and Nara

Come bask in the cuteness!




The Sirens Call - A Beginning for the New Dancer, Post 1 - An introduction

A new series, sharing my own beliefs, methods, and suggestions for the new dancer.  As with anything I say or teach - QUESTION EVERYTHING!  There are many different approaches and methods to dance.  From all you learn, all you experience, strive to create your own methods, ideas, and knowledge.  Unique and your own.

Disclaimer:  The author of this article wishes to point out, in case it was not already embarrassingly, ridiculously obvious, that the opinions expressed belong solely to the author and they do not represent in any way those of Dance Queens, Dance Queens members, any affiliations, friends, non-friends, the guy in the 3rd row, or management.


RULE #1:  There really aren't any "rules" for dance in SL in general.  Different venues might have their own rules - like no 12 minute songs, mandatory panty checks, and that rick-rolling the entire audience is so not cool.

Guideline numero uno:  If it's not fun, why do it?  Dance in SL is a labor of love, most of us will never even break even.  The true pay-off?  An amazing opportunity for self-expression, creativity, confidence building, learning new skills, knowledge, and working with amazing people.  There will be days when you want to godzilla all over your set but it will pass, and you will grow.

So.....you feel the call.  Perhaps it was a performance, perhaps an impulsive inspiration from above, but whatever drew you to dance you now have a passion to create and be on that stage.

It can be a little overwhelming, where to begin.  It’s easy to buy the tools, buy the animations but to truly create magic, to weave a story within your performance – the music, the movement, the set it takes a focus on foundation, passion, and dedication to truly bring out your full potential.  Sound a bit difficult?  In a way it is, but in others it’s a most incredible journey where you will learn, you will feel, you will meet amazing people.  You will never listen to music in the same way again.  You will feel it, you will experience it, you will soar with it, and for some pieces of music, you will see it in your head unbidden, just there.

I can hear you now… “I want to create that…I want to be on the stage…what do I need…where do I go????”

Pause.  Breathe.  Slow. 

Guideline 2:  Build a strong foundation.  Begin at the beginning.  Master your tools, build your skills, find methods that work for you.  No race to the finish line.  A friend recently told me - to be a better rider it's all about seat time.  To improve you have to be in the seat, practicing your skills, and building upon them.  No shortcuts.

Basic first steps and info:

  1. Don't buy any tools or animations yet!  I know you're gung ho to jump in and begin - but explore a bit first.  Breathe.  Attend workshops, learn what tool(s) to start with first.  Your wallet will thank you.
  2. To create a dance you will need animations.  Always, always, always buy copy animations when you can.  More on that later.  Don't go out and buy willy nilly.  Wait until you've picked the first song you want to create a dance for.
  3. Choosing music is important.  If you choose Mozart's 15 minute Moonlight Sonata, it's pretty likely that a. you'll drive yourself insane choreographing it, b. the venue manager reaction may be umm...quite dramatic (use your imagination)
The tools:

There are a variety of dance tools on the market - Spot On, Multi-scene, Harper Tools, Barre, DPC, Artiste HUD are but a few.  All are used in the dance world, and all have their benefits.  I'd recommend not buying any at this stage, but if you do - focus on an Animation HUD first.  I personally prefer the Spot On Smooth Dancer, but there are other options.

Basic Flow of Tools/Building a Foundation:
  1. Choreography/Animation HUD - this should be the first tool you use and is the core of creating a dance.  Without animations played in a sequence to create choreography, there's not much of a dance is there?
  2. Mover System - moves your dancers up/down/left/right/sideways, etc. so that you can use more of the stage as you perform your choreography.  Not required for a dance, but often used to add impact.  Think of it as a people mover - just like at the airport.
  3. Rezzer System - you'll be creating a stage for a dance.  Rezzer systems are the most efficient ways to move your sets from one sim to another.
  4. Lighting/Special Effects tools - a class all of their own, used to enhance the dance.
  5. A Performance Manager Tool/HUDs - tools that help coordinate the individual pieces of an entire performance, helping to streamline and minimize the number of HUDs needed.  Acts as the conductor of the performance.

Dance in SL is an investment -  of your time, your lindens, your creativity - and your sanity too.  Enjoy the process!

More dance resources, tips and tricks HERE

Next post:
Post 2 - Experience multiple venues and choreographers, identify what type of dance most appeals to you.  Identify how you prefer to learn - videos, trial and error, a mentor, or workshops.  There are many excellent tutors available in the dance world - part of individual academies or within a venue.

Harleyquin Workshops - July 14th through July 16th

yeah, new complex is bigger!  Working on a new picture but
it's really shy about photos....

Harleyquin Workshops
July 14th - 16th
Presented by Eva Harley

I absolutely love teaching dance topics, sharing what I know, and learning in the process.

All are welcome and no registration is required – just come!  Workshops are in voice, so you do need to make sure you can hear voice.  If you prefer not to participate – feel free to come listen!  Comfy chairs and class notes provided.

Please arrive early to prepare and slap on your workshop HUD!  So that we can focus, I do close the sim when the workshop starts and usually can’t respond to IMs.

** What’s new?  You can now find workshop details on the blog!  An overview, the flow of the workshop, and helpful info to know.  Check out the view details link next to each for more info.

Harleyquin Workshop Central:   SLURL



SATURDAY, JULY 14TH

    10 AM SLT – An Introduction to Troff

Troff is a music player specially designed for learning music and creating choreography – easily loop part of a song, create markers to return to specific sections, and includes a count in before playing – excellent for recording!    Workshop Details

    12 PM SLT –  Performance Director Workshop 2: Creating Routines and Groups

In this workshop we take all of the foundation we’ve covered to actually start creating routines and groups for animations, and also integrate your movers.  We will also configure buttons as you may for a performance.  All hands on, both individually and in small groups.  You will actually be creating and demonstrating a “performance” from the materials provided.  Workshop Details

MONDAY, JULY 16TH

    5 PM SLT – Choreo Designer Workshop 2, Building Routes

Second in a 3 part workshop – attend one or all depending on your current experience with this tool.   During this workshop we’ll be focused on building routes for a dance – smooth turns, movement, matching routes to choreography, and considerations when planning your dance routes.  We’ll also be introducing the statistics feature and the brand new additions to version 2.0 – turn time and normalize!    Workshop Details

** Requires the Spot On Choreography Design system version 2.0 to participate or as always everyone is welcome to come listen

Have an amazing week!

Not had enough?  I’m always posting to http://www.harleyquinadventure.com

Tuesday, July 10, 2018

RAMdisk

I think we are all in agreement that better performance in Second Life is a good thing, right? We're all looking for a smoother, faster refresh on the display, less lag, fewer crashes, and all of that. (Now, where is that drama slider?)

Right now, I'm on an Asus laptop with an overclocked nVidia 1080 in it that blows so much heat, the cats sleep along the fan exhaust. And yet, I want faster. (But I don't want a laptop with dual 1080's or a Titan and 64GB of RAM yet because I'm having enough trouble already lifting this behemoth. And, yes, I prefer laptops despite the cost and performance loss from mobile-friendly components.)

One of the things I've recently tinkered with is using a RAMdisk for temporary and swap files. A RAMdisk is a virtual disk drive that you create in your system's memory. System memory is a lot faster than conventional disk drives. And it's faster than these solid-state drives (SSD) that are in newer systems. Solid-state drives also have an issue with wearing out over time, while system memory doesn't have that issue as much.

I've been playing a bit with SoftPerfect's RAM Disk for Windows (https://www.softperfect.com/products/ramdisk/) for $29US, but there's a free 30-day demo of the software if you want to try it out for yourself. There's also other programs out there on the market.

I went ahead and dedicated 4GB (4096MB) of my laptop's 16GB for a RAM Disk, configured it as my S drive, and configured FireStorm to use it for its cache. (It's also possible to install FireStorm in the RAMdisk as well as reroute Windows temproary files into it, but I'm just starting with FireStorm's cache for now.) I created a drive image file and set the RAMdisk to save its contents to that image so that it would preserve the cache between sessions. (That's drive image, not Club IMAGE) Otherwise, it would have to load all that content fresh between sessions.

Anyway, here's the steps I followed (If I missed a step, let me know, and I'll update the post):

  1. Download and install the software.
  2. In the menu bar, select Image and then Create Image.
  3. Name the image something (SLDisk) and select a directory on a fast drive (solid state preferred).
  4. Set the size (I chose 4096MB) and the preferred file system (I chose NTFS, but FAT32 also will work).
  5. Click OK.
  6. In the menu bar, select Disk and then Add.
  7. Set the size (I chose 4096MB) and select the image that you created in step 3.
  8. Select a drive letter (I chose S).
  9. Select Save Contents to Image.
  10. Select the same File System as the Image (I chose NTFS).
  11. Click OK.
  12. In FireStorm, open Preferences (Control-P)
  13. Click the Network and Files tab.
  14. Click the Directories tab.
  15. Click Set and then select the S drive for both Cache location and Sound Cache location.
  16. Slide the Cache size to slightly less than the size of the RAMdisk.
  17. Restart FireStorm.

I haven't gotten out the stopwatch to measure the performance gain, but I do notice that things load from cache a bit quicker. However, in large crowds of complex avatars, things still do bog down a bit, and there is the occasional texture-thrash... and golly, where do we see large crowds with complex avatars, right?

There is a few seconds of lag time in booting up and shutting down when the system saves and loads the RAMdrive to the disk image and back again, but with a solid-state drive hosting the image, it hasn't been too long, I think.

Also, it's been running smoothly, and no crashes... but this is SL, and I'm curious to see how it does handle a viewer crash. And this being Windows, I wonder how it will handle a total system hang or crash and if there's file corruption that requires a reset or rebuild of the RAMdisk.

Anyway, thought I'd share this, in case it's of interest and an option for anyone.

Thank you to Usher Piers for his advice and guidance on this.

  • What do y'all do to your systems and viewers to improve performance?
  • What is your experience with Ramdisks and caches?

Monday, July 9, 2018

The Monarchs Present Draco Eternum


The Monarchs present
DRACO ETERNUM

A one-time opportunity to see one of our own favorite productions - and at the same time support a good cause; RFL!

Saturday July 14th, 1pm slt

Join us as we tell the story of a world where dragons reigned supreme long ago. Their very existence securing peace and prosperity to the land - but now they are gone. Even in houses of learning dragons are but a myth, a legend, a story for drunken nights by the tavern fires...

Now the quest is on to discover the true secret behind the fall of the dragons and to save the kingdom before it is too late!

~Monarchs




Sunday, July 8, 2018

I look good in...

Debauche - July 7 2018

... oh, hell no.

I look good in BLACK! BLACK! Not PINK!

(What are your style preferences?)

Saturday, July 7, 2018

Royale Cabaret Entertainers


 Royale Cabaret Entertainers
We will be presenting "Slightly Off Broadway" cabaret tonight along with an hour long concert of ZZTops.  Dancing of every genre certain to appeal to everyone.  Come see us at Hot Lixxx and Wicked MC's sim for a variety you won't want to miss.
 

The Art Factory Showcase


The Art Factory has held its first session of dances classes and now its time for the showcase! We have 3 special dancers who attended our 8 week class and learned choreo, set building, and particles all in 8 weeks! Each of them created their own dance to show what they learned! 
Please come show your support! 

The show starts at 7 pm slt on Sunday July 8th!

 

Friday, July 6, 2018

Guerilla Burlesque

•❇•~GUERILLA BURLESQUE FRIDAY REVUE!~•❇•

FRIDAY JULY 6TH AT 10 PM!

We work hard to bring you some of the best entertainment on the grid that you come to know and expect from the resilient Guerilla Burlesque Troupe! Guerilla Burlesque have been an enduring part of Second life for over 7 years and present acts that grab hold of you and take you to far away places!

Friday we present to you, our Main stage show filled with brilliant made sets, stunning costumes, and engaging music all choreographed to make something magical happen on stage!
It’s a great show this week directed by Thea Dee and we invite you to spend an hour with us! Be early, grab your seat and sit back for a great night of dancing!
Doors will be open at 9 pm for the 10 pm show!

𝕁𝕠𝕚𝕟 υ𝕤!

Dance Queens Prop Me Up Challenge Show

Dance Queens Prop Me Up Challenge Show
July 7th, 2018  2pm SLT
Dance Queens Stage

 Join us to see what these choreographers have created with their given props!
All props are from Better Gnomes and Cauldrons.
DJ Ame Starostin!

Show starts promptly at 2pm, please arrive early to ensure a seat. Please keep scripted attachments to a minimum to help the dancers give you a smooth show. All dancers have foregone tips to lend support to Dance Queens.

Please join us at the Dance Queens Stage


Thursday, July 5, 2018

Debauche Weekend Shows


Saturday 7th July, 1pm SLT Ville de Coeur

Debauche make a most welcome return to the truly beautiful performing arts center at fabulous Ville De Coeur. An amazing place to unveil brand new routines.

So looking forward to this but not as much as we are looking forward to seeing you there.

Debauche - a little bit raunchy, a LOT sexy and....wait for it...ALWAYS CLASSY

Your Ride to the Show!

______________________________________________________







Sunday 8th July 1pm SLT Bluemood

The lovely people of Bluemood have invited us back to perform at their wonderful modern theater. Such a great atmosphere with some of the most wonderful people. Can;t wait to hit that stage again.

Once agaion, new routines will have their debut on Sunday, along with some firm favorites.

Let us entertain you and we'll have a real good time :)

See you at Bluemood

Your Ticket to the Show!