Friday, the best day every week!

I love Fridays.  Walking out of work.  Dreaming of a nice martini when I finally get home.  The thought of sleeping past 5am. Best part though?  Knowing in a few hours I’ll get to hear the Black Eyed Peas and meet up with my friends at the Empire Room.  Full disclosure, SL was being a little bugger to me on Friday, so Ame helped me with Nevar, Ally and SexyS  because I only got to catch part of Ally’s set at rehearsal and not either of the others…so bless you Ame!!  Our beloved Fuki is once again responsible for the great photos.

Our evening began with the boundless music library that is our Gunner with Paul and Ally greeting everyone.  I heard the buffet was great and no one got splinters or pulled any muscles trying to warm up backstage.  We had a theme, which was The Blues….and what a bunch of great music found it’s way to our stage!

Nevar opened with a dance that he created in response to the massacre in Orlando. He was joined by Ame, Zach, SoCo, Nadi and Seth and danced to “Stand By Me” by Playing for a change. Nev’s dance was a dance of love and hope.  On the stage were rotating pictures of No hate and loving one another no matter who they are.  This dance was choreographed the day after the tragedy at Pulse nightclub in Orlando and this was reflected in the armbands and shirts using the logo created in memory of the event. I know that Nev was floored by the response that he got from our guests, he shared some with me, and as a dancer, there is nothing better (at least for me) than when I know what I created touched the heart of someone in the audience.

Ally was up next and she chose “Your Heart Is As Black As Night” by Beth Hart featuring Joe Bonamassa.  Wow.  and….I’m done.  Seriously, Ally and I chatted and she’s been learning a lot about light effects…and holy cow wow.  She was in a dark tunnel with fans and legs up to….the sky…and she had blue lights that reflected from her feet and from the fans on the walls and floor of the tunnel. It was spectacular.  I am now going to pick her brain and try to learn how she is going all this cool stuff.  It was super…if you don’t see her around…it has nothing to do with me kidnapping her and holding her hostage until she shares her knowledge….I know nothing….

SexyS was up next…and Ame cracked me up.  She wasn’t really sure of the inspiration for SexyS dance. SexyS is clearly a one of a kind mind in the world of SL dance.  There is nothing at all off limits.  I have seen her do the sexiest dances, put together unbelievable shows and….be eaten by a couch.  She’s also the person who first dragged me up on a stage to dance…so do what you will with that knowledge.  Her song was “The Booze Blues” by ABCD so what followed shouldn’t have been a surprise. She was a drunk star with ratted hair and a large bottle of alcohol in front of a group of paparazzi.  She crashed into the Betty Ford Center.  This is the essence of the enigma that is the joy that is…..SexyS!

This brings us to Lulu.  Lulu has fabulous taste in music.  She and I chose the same song….but different versions 🙂  Lulu’s version of “I Put A Spell On You” was by Screamin’ Jay Hawkins and she was a sexy witch with a pentagram and one sad little voodoo doll on a chair, who looked just a wee bit worse for wear.  She also had some delighful little particles that floated around and gave the set which also had a big spell book on it the air of an old attic with some dust motes in a sunbeam…or moonbeam where she was working her magic. It was a beautiful set…as her sets always are, and it was wonderful to have her back with us.

Ame brought us to an old fashioned blues joint….the kind I would be at home in in no time flat.  Pour me a nice Basil Hayden, uncover the dart board and let the guitars start wailing….bliss!  She was joined by Zach, Nevar, Renee,Seb and Nadi.  John Lee Hooker (god) and Bonnie Raitt’s (goddess) version of “I’m In The Mood” seeped out of my speakers and frankly, I’m not sure I’ve ever seen a sexier dance and everyone kept their clothes on!!  Not that Baby was encouraging everyone to take them off 🙂  Smexy Ame….wildy sexy! *fans herself all over again*

Corri was up next to one of my favorite singers…..the incomparable Ms. Nina Simone.  “Sugar In My Bowl” has to be one of the sexiest songs of all time.  I adored what she did with this set….there was a kitchen table with a tea…coffee…tea? set with a sugar bowl and the most delighfully sexy little bee dancing.  Pretty much everyone wanted to catch her and bring her home to live in harmony with their honey jar.  It was such a spot on interpretation and costume; just fabulous!

This brings us to me.  I was on my own Ms. Nina Simone kick and I chose her version of “I Put A Spell On You”.  I think I came at this from a darker place than usual.  I had a pyre, a full moon and a rotating spell circle and some fun fog.  I cleary wanted to punish Mr. Wrong and I put on my sexiest leather to make him rue the day he did whatever bad, bad thing it was that he did.  Ok, now I’m just laughing a little as I type…I loathe reviewing my own dance, but I did sort of want that sexy, darker vibe that I don’t often do.

Oodlemi Noodle or Oods as we all call him made his debut at Empire for Blues Night.  He chose “Bright Lights” by Gary Clark Jr.  Before I review his dance….damn I love his name.  It brings a smile to my face even on a super cranky day…so knowing he’s dancing with us means…more smiles all around:)  Oods was awesome, in NYC, at the top of a set of subways stairs…with some animations that had us a wee bit worried about the cleanliness of said sidewalks. Great song, cool set and great animations…Welcome to the family Oods, we’re thrilled to add another wonderful dancer to the ranks 🙂

Baby took us out and she also broke us out.  Her brain….just too much fun…there has to be a whole team of crazy, fun little gnomes that live up there.  Baby was a very well dressed visitor at a local lockup.  The song was “Please Mr. Jailer” by Crybaby.  Gunner was the jailer and let’s just say this….after Baby’s little lapdance I’m pretty sure that his inability to stand up was what led to the escape of Seb, Zach, Paul and Nevar from their jail cells.  Our orange-clad convicts were more than happy to celebrate their freedom and once again…time to raid Baby’s closet for coolest oufits ever!

Our resident sex kitten…Kyshra,was in charge of the crowd dances and she manages to make even me look hotter than hell up there which is always so much fun 🙂  Even being a choreographer, it’s so cool to get up and see us all dancing together and having a blast.  SL was only moderatly buggery for loading us all up and we ended our night with Nina Simone’s “Feelin Good”, Alberta Adams’ “Struttin My Stuff” and The Jeff Healy Band’s “The House That Love Built”.  Three amazing songs to guide our weary souls into the weekend.

Thank you all so very much for joining us and supporting us so that we can continue to enjoy our Friday nights with you all.  On behalf of all the staff….we can’t wait to see you again this Friday!  Welcome to another weekend!!

 

Beauty and the Beast

The last couple of Friday nights, our beloved SL and the rain in Australia have done their best to try to knock us out, but I have to say, we have managed to kick both of their butts and put on great shows.  Even more, our wonderful patrons have been willing to stick it out despite crashed SL servers, missing acts who can’t get back, music woes and through it all, the staff has worked to make sure that everything is like buttah once we get back online….so, before I get to the review…cheers to EVERYONE for hanging in, hanging on and being the best, most patient and perseverant group ever!!

We were missing our beloved DJ when we started out, but Shay and Oods took over the stream and got everyone’s music and got us running.  Paul and Ally were out front greeting and schmoozing with the guests, bless them all for being gracious and funny and so tolerant of SL and the telecom system in Australia.  Gunner swooped in right at the last second and was able to take the stream and I’m sure Shay was overjoyed to not have to dance and DJ….believe me, if you’ve never done it, it’s not easy!!  So…the Black Eyed Peas got us to curtain:)

Our first act of the evening was Kyshra who was joined by Fuki, Monavie, Nadi and Maia.  She chose Disturbd “Sounds of Silence”.  This is such an amazing cover of a classic.  The ladies were all silvery and yummy and nekkid and the star of the set was the amazing colors that they made with their particles which swirled around their monotone bodies and the stages that they stood on which had textures that accented the colors.  It was captivating!

Nay was our next act with Maia, Nalani and Jo and she took us on another wild, textured ride to “Supermassive Black Hole” by Muse.  Tune number 2!!  This was so freaking cool, the dancers morphed in and out of swirling textures and then the dancers also twirled and danced at angles…I was transfixed!  It was like the best trip ever without the magic mushrooms 🙂

Tray and Imrhien were up next (or Immy as I call her because the spelling of that is a doozy).  OMG, this act was sooooo fun. They chose “Village on the Sand” by Blackmore night and it was the love story between a pirate and a beautiful Indian Princess.  Tray finds Immy on her island and she woos him with her sexy dance, and in the end Tray trashes his ship to stay with her. *wipes and tear at the corner of her eye*

JenzZa and her misfits were up next with Dulcikate, Phoebe, Love Lefko, Seb and Rumour. They danced to Cowboy Bill’s Misfit Dance Mix by the Punch Brothers.  Oh…what a set!  It’s always a treat when JenzZa and her friends dance.  Seb was this sort of enormous cowboy, the ladies were sexy and Rumour was a horse who danced, did side passes far better than my actual RL horse can and even knew how to bow and play dead… Ok, I confess, Rumour stole the set for me at least and Seb was just so freaking cute with a chin he could have cut marble with.  JenzZa’s imagination is like being in a happy fantasy fairy garden and she knows how to bring a smile to everyone’s face.

Baby was our next act and she was joined by Gunner to Caro Emerald’s “Back It Up”.  The scene was a casino and Baby was one hottie of a showgirl who wowed everyone including Gunner.  She managed to coax him away from the slot machines to dance with her and then our beloved Baby did the unthinkable…she shot him!

Jo hit the planks next with Diawa, myself, Maia and Nay.  She chose Unveiled by Raoul Ferrando who is sort of the king of the belly dance as far as I’m concerned.  Beautiful song…which was matched by beautiful babes in flowing silks and fancy tents.  Jo keeps getting propositioned for a life in Gor now that she’s proven she can wiggle in the desert with the best of them….*giggles*.   This was just a gorgeous dance, exactly what it was meant to be with colors and textures and flowing fabrics and HOT!

Shayna was the last act of the evening.  Even though our lovely Goddess hasn’t been doing her own choreography and building for very long, I suspect that she will continue to wow us because her sets are down right beautiful!  She chose 311-Amber which is a great tune….I have to be honest..what a night of tunage!  Shayna was a lovely little amber imbued butterfly on her plant with sparkly particles and she floated and twirled and looked downright gorgeous as she danced.  Way to go Shay!

Well, like anything great, it must come to an end, but darn it, not before we get to dance to the crowd dances which were choreographed by the inimitable Babypea this week.  Baby chose P!nk “Let’s Get This Party Started”, Celldweller “Gluttony Battle” and Ray Charles’ “Good Thymes”.  We had a wildly good time as the balls were behaving and the servers gracious and we boogied on into the evening.  So happy you could all be there with us and we look forward to seeing you this Friday and we have our matinee on Saturday too!  Thanks to our staff, friends and Paul, Gunner, Jilley, Baby and Wiz for making it another outstanding Friday night 🙂

The King Kong Experience at Skull Island!

Mark your calendars!  July 18th at 2pm SLT

A mini-dance show followed by the KING KONG BALL!

Explore Skull Island and experience the full adventure.  A project made possible by a grant from Linden Endowment for the Arts and Mr. and Mrs. Lex!

http://showtimemagazine.net/?p=13878

 

Men In Motion Show

PhoenixDanceTeam’s review of the exciting Men In Motion show at Elysium yesterday!  WOW it was incredible, plus the guys generously donated all their tips to the Dance Queens Info Center, to cover the tier while ZZ is in hospital.  They raised enough funds to cover the tier for three months!  Thank you so much guys, and thank you to all who contributed to this show, thank you to all who came out in support and donated lindens, and applauded these gorgeous talented guys!  Wanted to share this great review as well, with thanks, and all the pictures too!

 

With the sim cap limit raised to 100 avatars and the women already sitting in the audience 1 hour prior to start time, we knew it was going to be one show we weren’t going to forget. From the…

Source: Men In Motion Show

Review for 6/10/16

Tonight began with an unexpected twist courtesy of LL and the SL gremlins.  Until about 20 minutes to show time, most of us couldn’t log onto the grid at all and the ones still online couldn’t leave where they were.  Paul made the wise decision to push the show back to 6:30 to allow time for everyone to arrive.  Gunner started spinning the tunes, the drinks were flowing and everyone was relaxing and getting into the mood…until the Internet down under swallowed up Gunner and Baby after our first act.  I then grabbed the stream and off we went again.  🙂

 Imrhien with Fuki, Baby, Tray, Sebastain and Nevar – Kongos – Come With Me Now

Imrhien opened the show with a colorful, futuristic set with great choreography and creativity.  Our dancers entered from the top in smoke filled tubes, wearing white latex in various styles and opacities.  Imrhien kept everyone moving and grooving right on the beat.  A wonderful opening to the show and worth waiting for.

Wiz w/Ame and Zach – X Ambassadors – Unsteady

Unfortunately Jilley was unable to be with us as well due to naughty SL but Wiz was ready to take the stage.  With Zach and I hopping up to join him, Wiz took us on a story of an alcoholic family struggling to hold him and each other up.  A truly masterful telling of a story so suited to the music.

Corri – Enigma – Return to Innocence

Our third performance of the evening was the beautiful Corri.  Dressed as a lovely, sparkly fairy and surrounded by magical animals and set, we were taken to a time of innocence and peace;  the sort of place you might go in your dreams or the fantasies of childhood.  Mixed with stunning movement and you have a true delight to the senses.

Monavie w/ Fukuju, Shayna, Oodlemi and Zach – I’d Like to Teach the World to Sing (In Perfect Harmony) by The New Seekers

Our next performance was Mona treating us to a colorful set representative of the time with the dancers reflecting all walks of life to the song we usually associate with Coca Cola.  Our dancers moved in a garden of flowerswhile surrounded by hearts and the message of peace and harmony.

Melvis w/ SoCo, Ame, Mona, Jo, Andy and Seb – The 900

Winnie was also another casualty of the SL debacle on Friday, so Melvis stepped up and closed the show for us.  We were wowed with a energetic and strong hip hop routine.  He included the smoke and effects, complete with a man appearing to scream in the background; this all partnered with Melvis and the great choreo he put together.  It was a terrific finish to an awesome show.

Ame – Janet Jackson – All Nite, Make Me, Burn It Up ft. Missy Elliott

Wrapping up the night, audience and Elysiums gathered on stage for our crowd dance delivering 11 minutes of solid aerobics to send everyone home with.

Thank you all for hanging in there with us and enjoying the show!  We perform every Friday night at 6pm, SL willing, and would love to see you there!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Review for Friday 6/3/16

Friday night is always full of excitement at the Empire Room and tonight was no exception.  Thanks to Gunner we had some great music to get everyone in the mood, Paul picked up the tab this week so the nectar of relaxation was flowing freely as Paul and Jilley greeted our guests.  As the strains of “I Gotta Feeling” filled the room and Wiz gave our intro, the excitement was palpable.

Ame – Mr. Strange – Life’s a Cabaret

I was very excited to have the honor of opening the show.  This was a dark circus-type cabaret number originally done for the Lovecraft Festival last year.  Updated with some skittering rats and an evil clown bodyguard who followed my every move, the focus of the dance is the mask we all hide behind out in the world.

Keith – Master of Puppets – Metallica

Next up we had Keith take the stage.  This is the second dance of Keith’s I’ve seen and I like the way he includes a synopsis of his dance on the program we use.  This one reads: “In the cave of the Devil/Demon Puppet Master, its a man frozen in a block of ice.  As he’s thawed out, its time for him to dance for his master. But the unhappy master thinks he can make the dance HOTTER, and slowly lights him on fire until he is burned alive, only a dancing skeleton is left….”  This was a very hot dance indeed.

Kyshra – Midnight Caller – Chase & Status

Following Keith, Kyshra kept up the heat with a sultry dance complete with the sumptuous tent, comfortable pillows, a sand pit to dance in and in the center Kyshra chained to a post.  What followed was a sexy dance as if performed by a harem girl.  I think the temperature raised another 10 degrees in the room.

Goddess Shayna – Simply Irresistible – Robert Palmer 

Our 4th act and a new debut at the Empire Room was Goddess Shayna.  Dancing with JMB and Fukuju, she opened with Fuki as the innocent girl next door with JMB mirroring her but in the guise of her “dark side”.  We then switch to Shayna dancing in a club and working the dance floor and dance pole  and finishing back in the bedroom with the “nice” girl gone and the “bad” girl dancing away.  I think I feel the heat rising again.

DavidGage – Motivation by Kelly Rowland

Now lest we think the women got left out, our next performers were DavidGage assisted by Melvis, Wiz, Paul and Sebastain doing a very smexy dance for the ladies.  These men were smoking and earned a shower of panties thrown to them on stage from one seriously happy audience member.  We look forward to seeing what David brings every time he comes to the Empire Room.

Babypea – John Legend – Each Day Gets Better

Baby and Gunner have a very unique and special relationship and it was portrayed beautifully in this dance.  Commissioned for an anniversary and birthday, it was if the story of that couple matched theirs perfectly.  Take some beautiful couple’s choreo combined with that special stage magic that is uniquely Baby and you’re left with a romantic love story that touched everyone’s heart.

Jilley – Jungle by X Ambassadors, Jamie N Commons

The final dance of the evening before the crowd dance was a fierce Jilley with Paul and Zach doing a street tough number.  As always, Jilley’s choreography was spot on with the beat and matched the energy of the song and story.  She brought the room up at least 10 more degrees and got everyone’s heart pumping for the crowd dance and the rest of the evening.

Crowd Dance – Babypea – JIMMY EDWARDS – I’ve Never Seen A Straight Banana, Boogie Nights and Feed My Frankenstein.

Some times I wish I had just a small piece of the creativity that can take 3 songs from 3 different genres, put them all together in a crowd dance and really make it work.  Baby did just that with our crowd dance with a very cool futuristic stage with all kinds of interesting places to groove in.  A fun end to a perfect night.

Don’t forget to come visit us every Friday night at 6pm for some of the best performers in Second Life.  See you next week!