This Walk of Fame was a most special event honoring a most special person in the dance community, someone who has always given to so many, asking nothing in return. Our dear Avalief received her Star in the Dance Queens Walk of Fame for her service as a videographer. Ava is well-known among many in Second Life's virtual dance community as a videographer. She has, to date, videoed more than 2000 dances. That is commitment! That is a lot of time and service given to not only preserve our dance memories, but also share them on YouTube and thereby expand awareness of dance creation in our virtual universe. Many of us owe Ava a huge THANK YOU that we could never repay for her kind and generous support of the dance community. Being a videographer, she did not have to do a show to earn her star, but rather video a minimum of 100 dances. She accomplished that feat long ago. Her star was then placed and presented in a ceremony, with gratitude and appreciate from Dance Queens. Let us read an interview with this amazing soul, and then look at some pictures from her ceremony.
THE INTERVIEW
1. How and when did you find Second Life?
I am almost ashamed to say that I initially wanted to create
just a beautiful virtual girl when I entered SL on May 5 th 2015. It took me
about 5 years before I found the hair I love and from that moment I could
really shape myself to how I look now.
2. What inspired you to want to video virtual dance in
Second Life?
I always loved the competition element in sports. I used to
video in RL a certain kind of sports on an oval track and I made a database of
performances from a lot of competitions to preserve it for the future and for
reviews. I like to give my opinion about the scores of the judges.
In SL I soon started dancing at parties with a friend but it
was when I saw the shows of the Debauche Dancers that I felt the resemblance of
a dance performance with what I filmed in RL. So I started to make a database
of dances in SL for the same purpose: to preserve what creators make.
3. Did you have
any mentors when you were learning to video dance that you'd like to wave to?
Due to RL experience, I already knew exactly how I wanted my
video's to be like. I never had any contact with others about it.
4. What is your favorite thing about creating virtual
dance videos?
I usually use 2 or sometimes 3 PC's (with alts) to video a
performance: one for the overview, one for close ups and sometimes a third as
backup or to film at a special angle. The most satisfaction I get from creating
a video with an overview as close as possible, interspersed by fluent
transitions to close ups following the movements of the dancer and sometimes
even alternating view angles. I am especially inspired when I like the song
very much. Song and dance enhance each other a lot. But most times I just use
the shot from one camera.
5. What is your least favorite thing about creating
virtual dance videos?
I lack creativity to pimp up a video starting with a
beautiful image and titles. That is just not my thing.
6. What advice would you give to someone who is new to
videoing virtual dance?
When you start videoing virtual dances you must think for
yourself with what purpose you want to video. It will help you to get
motivated. There are a lot of things to tell about it. You can always ask me in
SL about anything. A 3D mouse is a great tool if you decide to use it but
because of the risks to miss vital parts of the dance you need to have an alt
on a second PC to video the overview.
7. If you have your own dance troupe, please tell a
little bit about it, and its history.
I don't have a dance group of my own but I am a loyal dancer
at Oasis Dancers and Playdolls Dancers.
8. What is your favorite food, favorite drink, and
please tell us about any pets that you have.
Haute quisine is not for me. Mihun is one of my favorite
foods. Pepsi Zero my favorite drink. I care for all creatures. One of my cats
shows sometimes telepathic capacities. Knows where I am going before he could
notice me.
9. What activities other than dance do you enjoy?
I run a photo competition sequence for Whiskey Girl Studios
every 2 months. Jan. 2025 already the 13th edition.
10. Is there anything else you'd like to add?
I had to count: so far I publicized about 2070 video's which
can be viewed through my website: www.avalief.com.
Thank you all for supporting me and thank you Dance Queens
for the great work you are doing for the community..
Hugs
Ava
THE CEREMONY
There is our beautiful Avalief! A precious soul, creative and generous, loyal and devoted to virtual dance in Second Life. Thank you Ava for all you have done and continue to do for the dance community! We appreciate and admire you. Thank you for sharing our dances on the internet, preserving the memories of our dance creations and reaching people new to this medium of expression. We wish you continued fulfillment in your dance adventure and look forward to more shows and videos, the bonding of imaginative souls and sharing of the creative spirit with you. Much love to you!
