Welcome to a look at a very special Friday night at Elysium Cabaret! Tonight we celebrated PRIDE!
The month of June was chosen for LGBT Pride Month to commemorate the Stonewall riots, which occurred at the end of June 1969. As a result, many pride events are held during this month to recognize the impact LGBTQ+ people have had in the world.
Pride Month is so important because it marks the start of a huge change within the LGBTQ+ community, as well as the wider societal implications. We believe that every person/Avi should be welcome and treated with respect.
So for this show, we strove to bring dances to raise awareness, improve the attitudes of society and encourage inclusiveness, not just in our real lives but here in Second Life as well. Thank you to all who participated, whether it was on the stage, behind the scenes, or in the audience.
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Azdra
With Melli, Morganna, Cael, and Paul
Justin Timberlake Anna Kendrick – True Colors
Azdra opened the show with a most beautiful set that was full of surprises and gentle transformations. This version of the song is my favourite that I have ever heard.
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Britt
With Taema and Beebs
Taylor Swift “Cardigan”
What a beautiful set and such a gorgeous song, so gentle and loving! Delicate butterflies in intricately woven cardigans, so soothing a performance.
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Mikiko
Kesha – This Is Me
This set was so beautiful and Mikiko danced with so much feeling, she gave us so sincere a performance. Very moving, and a metaphoric set blended it all together.
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Zarek
With Babypea, Eva, Britt, Wyatt, Jory
RAINBOW REIGN • Todrick Hall
Zarek again shows his mastery of choreography with this brilliant performance. Just hitting every mark! This is choreography you have to see to believe, the precision of it is intoxicating!
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Bianka
With Beebs and Melli
Janelle Monáe – Make Me Feel
Bianka’s dance was fun, colourful, and so upbeat! A fantastic set and superb choreo with a positive and uplifting vibe!
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Babypea
It Pulls Me Under – Butterfly Boucher
My dance takes the journey of a woman exploring her gender and finally breaking free from societal expectations to live her true gender fluid identity.
“It Pulls Me Under” is a song by Butterfly Boucher, that accompanies a short film by Ruby Rose called “Break Free.” Ruby Rose is an actress who appeared as the character Stella Carlin in Orange is the New Black, among many other roles. Break Free is about her personal experience being gender fluid. She also came out as a lesbian when she was 12, and was severely bullied for it.
“It was horrendous,” says Rose. She was verbally and physically abused, socially excluded. “We hate Ruby” was written on the toilet walls. As an introverted teenager she hid in the library, waiting for school to end. At the swimming pool, other girls would accuse her of looking at them in the changing rooms, so she stopped going. “It was little bullying moments like that, that just made me feel like I couldn’t be myself.”
But one bullying incident was so bad it finally convinced Rose’s mother to let her move school. “I was hospitalised and then was out of school for about five days,” says Rose. “I got beaten up by about four girls and one guy in front of about 50 people. They hit me in the head with metal chairs at a cafe, and they threw things at me. They punched me. I ended up with lacerations, big bruises, concussion and also … just how much that horrifies your soul, your spirit. I’d been bullied a lot, but not to this degree where I was worried for my life.”
About the film, Ruby says: This is definitely an autobiographical piece. The concept itself was sort of something that was very much like a seed in that it kept growing and growing until one day I quite simply said, “That’s it. I’m shooting my film this weekend. Enough is enough.” Because I was battling with it myself. I had wanted to shoot the film for so long as a therapeutic piece in answer to all the comments and discrimination I have received over my life time whenever I have strayed too far away from the status quo of feminine gender roles.
I’ve had this reincarnation so many times in my life and I wanted to capture it in a short video for others who relate, because we can try and try and be something that we don’t feel inside, but in the end only when you listen to your soul and that heart that beats inside of us, can we find happiness and acceptance?
About bullies and haters, Ruby says: I think education is what will calm peoples’ anger and fear about gay people. And I think fear is often what breeds hate and discomfort. Here is an example obviously of something that doesn’t affect anyone else. It shouldn’t affect a complete stranger if someone has transitioned from a male to a female or vice versa. The fear, lack of understanding, and society’s dislike for things that are different to what we know creates serious segregation when we should all be binding together. This includes people within the LGBT community. We can’t call for equality and understanding and people to be educated but then bully other minorities in the community.
See Ruby’s incredible short film here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EFjsSSDLl8w
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Eva
Superwoman Eva was not only our DJ for this show, she wrangled the crowd dances and made some meaningful superfun for everyone. Thank you Eva!! She always goes the extra mile!
With Everyone
Low (feat. RuPaul) by Todrick Hall
Adam Lambert – If I Had You
Cher – Believe
Keala Settle, Kesha & Missy Elliott – This Is Me
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