It was such a privilege to be able to honor some extra special people this week at Dance Queens! This was to honor Those Who Give, some of the dedicated people who give their time and efforts to help keep the dance community informed and help dancers when they can. We thank them for their service to the dance community, they have more than earned their stars in the Dance Queens Walk of Fame. Please find the ceremony notes below and then read their interviews to learn a bit more about these gorgeous people!
THE CEREMONY
Ladies and Gentlemen, we are here today for a very special Walk of Fame paver placing. Today, we honor Those Who Serve. These are very special people who generously give life's most precious commodity to the dance community: Time. These people have given countless hours, day after week after month after year, helping people in Second Life's dance community in numerous ways.
They manage the Dance Queens group, which is the hub for all things dance-related in our virtual world. They contribute to the blog, calendar, Info Center, assisting people that call out for help in group chat, and keeping the group informed as to upcoming events. These people keep Dance Queens alive, functioning and productive. And they do not get paid for their service. They are, at times, even abused by some people. But they are bonded with one another in service to this essential group.
Dance Queens is the go-to for people needing to communicate across the grid about dance-related issues, and Those Who Serve are the people who make that possible. We thank you for your service and for caring about Dance Queens and the dance community... our extended dance family. These STARS in the Dance Queens Walk of Fame will now be placed. Also, you will receive a STAR to hang on the wall in your home or at your home venue.
We also acknowledge with gratitude Dutchess Button, who gave us a home when our sim was taken from us with no warning, when the person we rented the sim from left Second Life and abandoned his sims. Thank you Dutchess for looking after us and helping us to have a stable home!
We appreciate your hard work, skills and dedication. IT IS NOTICED! We see you. We thank you for your contributions to virtual dance in Second Life and wish you many years of dance fulfilment. We also hope that all you sow in giving will come back to you as a harvest of appreciation from those who benefit from your loving work.
Beebs Carfield
Divalin Magic
Dutchess Button
THE INTERVIEWS
Beebs Carfield
1. How and when did you find Second Life?
Way back in 2008 I ventured onto Second Life.
Me and a bunch of friends from another virtual world came over and decided to
check this one out.
2. How and when did you discover virtual dance?
My now husband Pan had been coming to dance shows and brought me along to one. I was hooked ever since!
3. Please tell us your history of serving the dance community. When did you start, how did you come to do it, and what are your current service activities?
It all started with
going to shows, then Jilley asking me if I could sit in a chair, and she put me
in one of her dances. It then went to back up dancing, and filling in for
hosting! I host at several theaters, Moonshadow, TerpsiCorps, Noir, and
Laughing Hearts. I also backup dance at all these theaters as well as
Kinetics! I was drafted to start helping
at Dance Queens by Webby a few years ago.
4. What do you most enjoy about serving the dance community?
I love all the creativity and personalities of the members
of the dance community.
5. What do you least enjoy about serving the dance community?
Drama, but that's true in all aspects of life.
6. What advice would you give to someone who would like to promote the dance community?
I'd tell people to just come and stay for an hour and be
amazed by the talent and creativity of the choreographers.
7. What is your favorite food, favorite drink, and please tell us about any pets that you have.
My favorite food is Mexican/tacos.. and I'm addicted to zero
sugar Wild Cherry Pepsi! I have one
furbaby, a black male cat named Ezra!
9. What activities other than dance do you enjoy?
SHOPPING!
DIVALIN MAGIC
1. How and when did you find Second Life?
I was poking around the internet looking for chat
channels. I like to think SL stuck out
its foot and tripped me so I'd find it!
But this isn't my first avatar - THAT avatar was created in 2006. And she still has her plastic hair!
2. How and when did you discover virtual dance?
My history with creative SL dance didn’t start here. I found an alternative to SL (the now defunct InWorldz), and it was there that I was introduced to the genre. I was hooked. When I came back to SL, I actively searched for dance shows. It wasn’t long before the urge to choreograph and to learn all the tools of the trade hit me, and I haven’t looked back since.
3. Please tell us your history of serving the dance community. When did you start, how did you come to do it, and what are your current service activities?
I’ve been involved in the dance community for quite some time, but my role as a manager at Dance Queens truly solidified my commitment. I started out as someone who simply enjoyed dancing and gradually found myself wanting to help more.
4. What do you most enjoy about serving the dance community?
What I enjoy most is the energy and creativity that the dance community brings together. Seeing someone grow from their first tentative steps to commanding a stage is incredibly rewarding. It’s a privilege to be part of a community that’s so supportive and vibrant.
5. What do you least enjoy about serving the dance community?
The least enjoyable part is trying to remember to get the DQ notices out when it's my turn!! It's possible I may have forgotten a time or two. 0.o
6. What advice would you give to someone who would like to promote the dance community?
My advice is to be passionate and consistent. Promoting the dance community isn’t just about putting on events; it’s about nurturing relationships, and most importantly, it’s about people first.
7. If you have your own dance troupe, please tell a little bit about it, and its history.
I am a very proud founding member of Kinetics Dance. I had never imagined that, together with the other founders and managers, building a troupe was even possible. But we did it, and it's exciting and scary all at the same time.
8. What is your favorite food, favorite drink, and please tell us about any pets that you have.
I have cats - I'm on the edge of crazy cat lady! And the bevvy would be wine of course, red wine. I'm pretty flexible about all types of cuisine - but I draw the line at liver. Blech.
9. What activities other than dance do you enjoy?
My main activity in SL, outside of dance, is chatting with people. I'm terrible in crowds, but love to chat one-to-one. Even better if it's a voice chat over a cup of good coffee.
10. Is there anything else you'd like to add?
SL is my little slice of home-away-from-home, a place where I can unwind, connect, and be creative in ways that real life doesn’t always allow. Over the years, I’ve met some of the most talented, kind-hearted, and inspiring people here. The friendships and collaborations we build feel just as real as anything outside of SL. It’s a special community where we get to express ourselves, share our passions, and create something bigger together. For that, I’m truly grateful.
DUTCHESS BUTTON
1. How and when did you find Second Life?
*** I heard of second life in February of 2008.
2. How and when did you discover virtual dance?
*** I started dancing as a cheerleader and moved to a dance troupe in 2018.
I danced as a cheerleader and created routines for half time shows with Spot on group formation in mumbles about 10 years ago. Then was recruited and taught how to do choreographed dances at Dance Xcetera from 2018. I left this group almost three years, and danced for a few months under Adori Resident at her club for L'Envie.
In addition, I was the exclusive choreographer for AIM
modeling agency and you may contact Essy Luv. In this capacity, I did various
routines both dancing and also walked the models per their request. On average the routine consisted of
approximately 12-18 models. The song was
usually provided by the owner and was given freedom to interpret the song. On
average I did 5-8 routines a year, including Earth day, Mr. Virtual man, AIM
Annual Halloween shows and designer premiers such as Clef de Peau.
I've presented routines for Noir Neverland Cabaret, Erotique Burlesque and The Empire Room.
In addition I have performed in Lighting the way while being in various groups, such as the Titan cheerleaders, Dance Xcetera, and MADDS. Under Adori's direction we did Dance Queens challenge in 2021, where she built the routine and I built the stage.
4. What do you most enjoy about serving the dance community?
I have enjoyed
being anonymously helping others.
5. What advice would you give to someone who would like to promote the dance community?
To be kind to
others that don't know of our community.
Invite them to a performance or two and tell them there is nothing
like it in the grid.
I love
Mediterranean and French food, alas I love a good whiskey and white sangria,
and I have two devils that pass
themselves off as Pomeranian dogs.
I enjoy taking
pictures and lately I've been teaching myself to do videos of dance routines.
We thank these selfless people for giving their time and resources to keeping Dance Queens productive and functional. Thank you for holding us together! Congratulations on earning your stars in the Dance Queens Walk of Fame. We wish you much joy and fulfilment in your future time with Dance Queens! With love and appreciation for all you give and all you do!