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18 Years and counting...Got SL News? Get it Published! Contact Lanai Jarrico at lanaijarrico@gmail.com

Saturday, May 16, 2020

SAVOY BALLROOM: LEARNING TO SWING IN A NEW CENTURY - JOSH (THOMAS1 BELLIC) REPORTING




It happens often.  You go with a dance partner to some swanky ballroom or club in SL, click on the dance HUD, grab some pose balls and it’s off to the races.  You open up your view and see around you, all manner of dance steps going on as couples gyrating this way or that, seemingly oblivious to the music blaring over your headset.  Then you spot them…on the far side of the dance floor…Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers….dancing in their own little world.  While everyone else around you is dancing a Salsa or “Sweet’n Slow 5” to the beat of Count Basie, Fred and Ginger are actually dancing in a way that actually matches the music.  Amazing!  How do they do that?

Matching the dance step to the music being played is not always a matter of dumb luck, which you sorta stumble into.  On the contrary.  It is a skill that can be learned.  And once you do, Dancing in SL (and in RL for that matter) will take on a whole new meaning for you.  And the perfect place to learn those skills?  None other than The Savoy Ballroom.  I caught up with Owner and General Manager of The Savoy School of Dance, Carlyle Chaparral, and he graciously consented an interview about…Art of Dance.

OLD

NEW

Josh Bellic (JB):  When did you first become interested in Dance education?

Carlyle Chaparral (CC):  My wife and I became active dancers in RL around the same time we both left SL in 2010. We learned to enjoy the ‘free dance lessons’ given at the beginning of most RL dances and the fun of helping new dancers learn the basics in those classes. In 2014, I was studying Motor Image Therapies and some of the visualization techniques being used to “imagine” moving limbs that were disconnected due to spinal injury. I thought of the high level of empathy with avatars and the vivid visualization of dancing in SL, and I thought it might be possible to accomplish Motor Image Therapies using SL dancing.

JB:  What is it that inspired you to bring the Savoy back to life here in SL?

Make more dancers. Make better dancers.
CC:  The Linden Endowment for the Arts (LEA) was an amazing user-managed group supported by Linden Labs. LEA chose candidates to receive an entire SIM to build artistic creations in, for three months. Free from LL.  As many as dozens of SIMs were involved, I am not sure how many. We got picked to showcase the dancing technology used in our Dance 101 Class. We were well attended and received an extra month as well. At the end of the LEA grant, we moved the Ballroom portion to Creations Park. Later we renamed it Savoy as we took on more and more of that particular ballroom’s persona.
Unfortunately, LEA was dropped by LL and no longer exists.
CC:  Dancing in RL is all about choosing dances that match the tempo and style of the music you are dancing to.  Our classes help dancers in SL recognize the music style and match the dance and tempo to it - so it looks realistic.  If you feel like you really are dancing in SL, you are!
CC:  A small team of four developed Dance 101. Another four-person team developed the LEA grant. We now have over a dozen “imagineers” in our Savoy planning group, working on new exhibits, events, regular shows, monthly parties, decorations, and even choreographed dance performances. All volunteer, all drawn together sharing our passion for dance and the Swing Era.

But nothing beats just coming to Savoy, walking History Hallway, learning about the Swing Era, and dancing at the Home of Happy Feet.
CC:  Learn to choose dances that fit the music, and you will have a lot of fun dancing in SL.

CC:  The Harlem Savoy Ballroom was the epicenter of Swing Dancing world-wide, full of wonderful history and amazing dancers and performers. The Savoy in particular was the one dance hall where black and white dancers could enjoy black and white bands.  The Swing Dancing phenomenon that spread across the globe during WWII was instrumental in desegregation in the United States.  I very much wanted to recreate the experience of Savoy in terms of dance, music, bands, and ambiance. But most of all, I wanted to educate people on the role that Swing Dancing played in worldwide desegregation, especially at Savoy.


JB:  Tell us the purpose of your school here in SecondLife

CC:  We have two missions. From the first 2LDance.org project, our mission was:
The second mission is for Savoy. Here is what it says:
We create the authentic, realistic experience of being at the Harlem Savoy Ballroom during the Swing Era. We teach the music, clubs, bands and especially the dances of this era and their legacies today. We educate our guests about the role swing dancing played in dissolving segregation in the 1940s.
We empower others to creatively achieve our mission and our partner organizations’ missions.

JB:  I understand your initiative was given a Grant a few years ago? Tell us about that please?

CC:  The Linden Endowment for the Arts (LEA) was an amazing user-managed group supported by Linden Labs. LEA chose candidates to receive an entire SIM to build artistic creations in, for three months. Free from LL.  As many as dozens of SIMs were involved, I am not sure how many. We got picked to showcase the dancing technology used in our Dance 101 Class. We were well attended and received an extra month as well. At the end of the LEA grant, we moved the Ballroom portion to Creations Park. Later we renamed it Savoy as we took on more and more of that particular ballroom’s persona.

Unfortunately, LEA was dropped by LL and no longer exists.

JB:  So...I thought dancing in SL was just a matter of clicking on a pose ball and hanging on for the ride, but apparently it is more than that? How so?

CC:  Dancing in RL is all about choosing dances that match the tempo and style of the music you are dancing to.  Our classes help dancers in SL recognize the music style and match the dance and tempo to it - so it looks realistic.  If you feel like you really are dancing in SL, you are!


JB:  Where do you get your staff?

CC:  A small team of four developed Dance 101. Another four person team developed the LEA grant. We now have over a dozen “imagineers” in our Savoy planning group, working on new exhibits, events, regular shows, monthly parties, decorations, and even choreographed dance performances. All volunteer, all drawn together sharing our passion for dance and the Swing Era.



JB:  Are you or any of your staff dancers in RL?


CC:  My wife and I are active dancers in RL, although she did not join me in my return to SL for this project. We are especially fond of East Coast Swing, and also do country, ballroom and Latin. Other members of our team are involved in choreography and some dance in RL also.

JB:  Where can our readers go to learn more about Savoy Dance?


CC:  The entire story is on our website, http://SavoyBallroom.org. It is a splendid resource about Savoy and everything we are doing in SL, including the new development, 40’s Street, right outside Savoy. The development of Dance 101 and our stream-driven dance technology is on the website http://2Ldance.org.

JB:  Is there anything else you would like to share with our readers?



So…there you have it, folks.  If you’re ready to take your dancing to the next level.  If you really do want to learn a new skill that will serve you well in both SL AND in RL, and you want to have fun doing it, come check out the award-winning Savoy Ballroom, and let their experienced dance instructors help you learn to enjoy life on a whole new level!  - JB


GeekSpeak – How will SpaceX win the space race? Saturday 16th May at noon SLT


This week we will talk about SpaceX and some of the competition in the race for space.  Why will SpaceX win the race?  What are their plans for the next 5 years?

This is a time we really need to pay attention to, especially if you regret missing the moon landings.  This is your generation’s time.  Later this week, the launch of the first starship will hopefully be a reality.

Excitement is building in the space community. We will give you the best places to watch this historic moment in our life on earth.  Put your space helmet on and join us at GeekSpeak.  Bring your friends.

IM Vulcan Viper, who teaches a meditation class every Wednesday at the GeekSpeak auditorium at 1pm SLT, if you have ideas for new subjects.

Friday, May 15, 2020

LUXE Paris LOOK of the YEAR Contest: DO YOU HAVE STYLE? L$ 50 000 TO WIN!


Are you a woman of style? Well show it to us because we are looking for an ambassador, a woman who will become LUXE Paris LOOK of the YEAR and win L$ 50 000! 
This contest is open to all women of style. No need to be a professional model to apply as we train the finalists without experience! All you need is style, to express yourself through what you wear! We are looking for an elegant woman who will represent our brand with grace and character.

JUST SEND YOUR PICTURE
& GET A GIFT
So do not wait longer, wear a LUXE Paris outfit, style it, snap a picture, write your name in the title, and send FULL PERM to LUXEParisLookOfTheYear Resident. Each participant will automatically receive a free outfit from LUXE Paris!
Every week for 5 weeks, starting June 3rd, we will publish the pictures of 6 semifinalists at luxeparislookoftheyear.com and at slenquirer.comWe will also display them in the LOOK of the YEAR Hall at our main store on Bao/67/72/26.

THE FINALISTS WILL EACH RECEIVE
10 FREE OUTFITS!
When we will have 30 semifinalists, our jury will then select 12 finalists.
These 12 finalists will be revealed on July 8th and be invited to meet the judges at the LOOK of the YEAR Brunch on July 12th. On this occasion, the finalists will be asked to explain why they would be a good ambassador for LUXE Paris. They will also be invited to select 10 free outfits each at our main store!
This brunch will be followed by one styling challenges show. This challenges-show will take place on July 26th, immediately followed by the grand finale and the revealing of our LOOK of the YEAR 2020.

L$ 100 000 IN PRIZES
L$ 10 000 CASH TO THE RUNNERS UP
Our ambassador will also win:  One year of free shopping at LUXE Paris (a value of L$ 30 000), a fashion feature in the magazines SL Confidential, L'Amour Diversity and The Second Life Enquirer (a value of L$ 25 000),  a gift card of L$ 10 000 at Tone Makeup, a scholarship at In-Nova Model Training (a value of L$ 4 000), a gift card of L$ 3 500 at ProPose, a crown by Zuri Jewelry, a value of L$ 1 500, 4 avant-garde hairs from Bon Amour (a value of L$ 1 000), an official picture by Stavros Hexem (a value of L$ 1 000), and an hour coaching with the famous top model Ponchituti Boucher.

Each of the two runners up will receive L$ 10 000 in cash, a gift card from Tone Makeup (L$ 2 800 for the first and L$ 1 400 for the second), a scholarship at In-Nova Model Training (a value of L$ 4 000), a Zuri tiara (L$ 1 000), a gift card from ProPose (L$ 2 500 for the first and L$ 1 500 for the second), 2 avant-garde hairs at Bon Amour (L$500), and an official picture by Stavros Hexem (L$ 1 000). They will also get an hour coaching with Ponchituti Boucher and be interviewed by SL Confidential and SL Enquirer.




''I NEVER TOUGHT I COULD WIN''
Quinte, LOOK of the YEAR 2019



''IT WAS THE BEST MOMENT OF MY SECOND LIFE''
- Nany Jurado, LOOK of the YEAR 2018

''Winning the LUXE Paris LOOK of the YEAR contest was the best moment of my Second Life'', confides Nany Jurado, a soccer mom from Medellin, Colombia, who has been a top model in Second Life for 10 years.

''When I think about the moment they said my name, I get excited again! I have no words to describe the power of the joy which filled me suddenly. I was crying and laughing in the arms of my RL daughters as the IM were coming from everywhere!''
For Quinte, our 2019 winner who comes from China and live in Las Vegas, the experience was surreal. 

''My favorite part is also the winner announcement'', remembers Quinte. ''It was such a shock!  My tongue would not work! So many top models in the competition and I was the one? Wow!''I never thought I could win! I had never been on a fashion catwalk before! But I worked hard to learn quickly. And the incredible happened!

All the experience was fabulous. The LUXE Paris team treated me like a queen! I would encourage anyone who enjoys fashion to participate, pros, and beginners!''   
Quinte was selected as the best ambassador for LUXE Paris among 196 entries. Elegant and very stylish with a lot of character, genuine and friendly, Quinte represents the LUXE Paris spirit perfectly.  We were really pleased to have her as our brand ambassador throughout the year.



THE JURY
The judges will give a score to each finalist for each of the two challenges at the final show and the total of those two scores will determine the winner.
The contestants will be judged on their style, elegance, and originality by a prestigious jury of 14 members: Parisian Skytower and Mika Palmyra, owners-designers of LUXE Paris, Quinte, LUXE Paris LOOK of the YEAR 2019, Adonis Lubomir, owner of Swank Events, Frolic Mills, founder of BOSL magazine, Chemak Kamala, owner of SL Confidential magazine,  Ahn Avion, owner of the WomenStuff Group, Ava Jhamin, owner of L'Amour Diversity magazine, Naar Rexen, owner of In-Nova Modeling Academy, Nany Jurado, owner-designer of Bon Amour Hairs, Zuri Rayna, owner-designer of Zuri Jewelry, Ponchituti Boucher, owner of ProPose, Ever Courtois, owner and designer of Tone Makeup, and Lanai Jarrico, owner of The Second Life Enquirer.

5 CHANCES TO GET SELECTED
AS A SEMIFINALIST
You can enter the contest as many times as you wish as long as you present a different LUXE Paris outfit for each entry. The deadlines to submit your picture and qualify for the weekly semi-finals are May 28th, June 4th, June 11th, June 18th, and June 25th. Earlier you start, more you have chances to be selected semifinalist as ALL the candidates' pictures are submitted to the judges every week. Therefore if you are not selected the first week, you could be in the following weeks.

Monday, May 11, 2020

2020 Out Shop Cancer Merchant Registrations Now Open




For IMMEDIATE Release
2020 Out Shop Cancer Merchant Registrations Now Open 
STRIDES CAMPAIGN (MAKING STRIDES AGAINST BREAST CANCER)
October 1 to October 31, 2020
An American Cancer Society & Relay For Life of Second Life Fundraising Event

Do you know someone who has fought breast cancer? Have you ever wanted to do something about it? Do you believe that we should commit ourselves to create a world where our children don’t have to go through the same experiences as we have?

The American Cancer Society gives us the best chance to make a meaningful difference in finding treatment options, early detection, and the prevention of breast cancer. You are invited to be a part of our community of breast cancer warriors in Second Life. October is commonly known as “Breast Cancer Awareness Month;” therefore, each October, the Strides Campaigns of the American Cancer Society in Second Life offers multiple opportunities for a wide variety of avatars to use their Second Life to make a real difference in the lives of people around the world.

In order to make the biggest impact, we are opening registration for the 2020 Out Shop Cancer shopping now! Event organizers urge builders, creators, and store-owners to sign up now if you want to be a part of the grid’s most-successful, longest-running, and farthest-reaching effort to fight breast cancer in October.

Since 2018, Out Shop Cancer has been a grid-wide shopping event that brought avatars to participating merchant stores. Merchants designate specific items that will be sold as a fundraiser for the American Cancer Society’s breast cancer programs and services. Each year has seen an increase in the number of merchants and designers joining the fight against Breast Cancer. 

Continuing for the 2020 season is OutShop Cancer: Marketplace. This allows designers without inworld locations to take part as well!

Sandie Slate and Savannah Loosestrife are the Event Leads and plan to welcome a variety of designers to represent the diversity of avatars in Second Life. “Because breast cancer is the 2nd most diagnosed cancer, and because Second Life gives us the opportunity to explore so many different forms of expression, we are planning a shopping experience that will offer something to as many types of avatars as possible. This means that we need a cross-section of designers and creators to represent fashion, hair, accessories, skins/shapes, A/Os, recreation, art, and anything else that would interest men, women, children, and non-human avatars in Second Life.”

Essentially, if you create and sell anything in Second Life and you want to support the American Cancer Society’s breast cancer program, you should apply now to reserve your spot. 
Please contact Sandie Slate (Sandie Loxingly) or Savannah Loosestrife (SavannahRaye Resident) for questions or more information. 


Sunday, May 10, 2020

New Exhibit: HOW BIG WAS "THE TRACK?"



Savoy announces its newest attraction: "How Big Was The Track" is now open and accessible through TP from the Ballroom Foyer.

This exhibit is a SCALE MODEL of the original Savoy floorplan, sized to give SL Avatars the experience of walking in that building.  Big enough to hold 4000 on a busy night, you will be blown away by just how huge it was.  "The Track" was the name given to the dance floor - the biggest and best, where the Lindy Hop was created.

SAVOY Ballroom features weekly themed shows, special events including live singers, DJs, Dance performances, and our monthly "Party in the Past."  Our own SAVOYstream plays 24x7x365 featuring our signature mix of old and new swing, and vintage Latin tunes, along with Old Time Radio ads and Savoy spots.  Check out our MONTHLY EVENTS LIST for details.

Our Savoy Swing Era Museum surrounds the ballroom and presents the history of Swing featuring the bands, songs, and especially dances of that time.  Key dates during the period are also presented.  

Our Savoy Dance 301 Swing Era classroom provides a full-immersion experience of the history, music, and dances of this time.  Class run continuously and you can join in at any time.  We usually have volunteer dance partners present to help you enjoy the class.

Find out more on our website at http://SavoyBallroom.org, or better yet, check it out in SL at http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Creations%20Park/33/50/28.

The Swing Never Stops at Savoy.  Step back in time to when Swing was King!



Saturday, May 9, 2020

GeekSpeak – Return of the Luddites! Join the discussion May 9th at 12pm SLT




The Luddites destroyed weaving machines because they thought these ‘devilish’ things would drive them out of work.  Nowadays we see people refusing vaccination and burning telephone masts. 

Why are people afraid of technology changes?  Were people afraid of fire, the wheel, the winchester, nuclear power or television?  Should we be afraid of future technology changes?
Do you think they all had a good reason to be wary?  Were these technological advances dangerous?  Did they take people’s jobs away?  Would you have been afraid of ancient technological progress?

Are you afraid of any modern technological advances?  If so, which?  And why?
Come and discuss the subject in our sunny auditorium.  Bring a friend.


IM Vulcan Viper, who teaches a meditation class every Wednesday at the GeekSpeak auditorium at 1pm SLT, if you have ideas for new subjects.

Friday, May 8, 2020

You are cordially invited to The 2020 SLAMMY AWARDS and Lanai Jarrico's 15th Rezzday Gala! MAY 9TH 2:00PM SLT- 6PM SLT



Hosted by The SL Enquirer & Synergy Island. 

Expect an evening of laughs and good times as you mix and mingle with the SLebrities of Second Life.

SHOWTIME SCHEDULE:

2:00 PM SLT- WOLFIE MOONDHADOW PERFORMANCE
Pre Awards show performance by Second Life's legendary Wolfie Moonshadow!
Be sure to work the room networking with SL's Elite. Don't forget to bring your business card and smile for the Paparazzi! Stop by the Raffle table for a chance at winning some great cash & prize giveaways.

3:00 PM SLT- THE 2020 SLAMMY AWARD SHOW
Take a seat after Wolfie's fabulous performance because Lanai is about to embarrass herself as she present the 2020 SLAMMY AWARDS. You are in for an awards show like none other. The SL Enquirer has been secretly taking names across the grid to present a very important award to unsuspecting special guests  who  deserve to be recognized for best dramatic performances in Second Life. It might be YOU so have your acceptance speech ready!

4:00-6:00 PM SLT-DJ MACK ABBOT
DJ Mack Abbot will host Lanai’s RezDay Party with a mix of party music and good times.  Time to Pop, Drop and Lock it  And more importantly do not break a hip! Emergency service will not be on site. 


RAFFLE TABLE WILL BE OPEN UNTIL 6PM WITH GREAT PRIZE GIVEAWAYS FROM OUR SPONSORS

SPONSORS & PRIZES

THE SL ENQUIRER
RAFFLE PRIZE- A SPOTLIGHT FEATURE VALUED AT 3000L

SYNERGY ISLAND-
TAKE OVER THIS PARCEL AND GET A FREE WEEK ADDED TO YOUR TIME!

BOSL VIRTUAL MAGAZIE/ CEO Reign Congrejo
RAFFLE PRIZE: A Feature in BOSL Magazine

KULTIVATE MAGAZINE, CEO, Johannes Huntsman
RAFFLE PRIZE: 2,000L  PRIZE

TEMPLAR , CEO ᴛᴇᴍᴘᴇsᴛ ʀᴏsᴄᴀ-ʜᴜɴᴛsᴍᴀɴ (tempest.rosca)
PRIZE: SET OF 3 POSES

(NTC) Nita's Treasure Chest, CEO Nita (huanita wunderlich)
PRIZE: Happy Bunny Animesh Big and Small Versions

ALLEN BAR & GRILL / Mrs. Sm00chies Allen
RAFFLE PRIZE: 2 Course Meal Gift Certificate



This is a formal SLebrity event
Arrive early, this event may fill up fast!

YOUR LIMO AWAITS
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Synergy%20Island/222/201/22

Tuesday, May 5, 2020

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: FLEET WEEK 2020 - SL Military Groups Open Days: May 4th to May 10th


FLEET WEEK 2020 - SL Military Groups 
Open Days - BETWEEN MAY 4TH - MAY 10TH 2020

* SL's most active military groups, the Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard join hands and open our bases to YOU for a Week!

* Visit realistically designed military facilities, interact with our crews!!

* Experience first hand how we train, work, fight, and simulate military life in SL!!!

* Participate in exciting contests and military exercises together with military personnel and win prizes by our sponsors!!!

WHAT IS FLEET WEEK?

In real life, "Fleet Week" is a United States Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard tradition that gives sailors and marines deployed overseas a week-long respite; giving them a chance to dock in major cities for some much needed rest and relaxation. Today, modern Fleet Week represents a week-long celebration of our armed forces, taking place in cities like San Francisco on the West Coast and New York City on the East Coast, filled with parades and demonstrations.

In SL, Fleet Week 2020 seeks to honor this tradition by bringing long-standing military roleplay groups together in collaboration, to share our groups with Second Life residents throughout the grid.


EVENTS OUTLOOK

Mon, 04 May: US Navy SL Second Fleet (2ND FLT); 1000 (10 AM) - 2000 (8 PM) SLT
                         SLurl: http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Cedarbrae/44/246/36
                            Contact Person: CAPT Natalya Petrova (natalyapetrova resident)

Tues, 05 May:  Naval Air Station (NAS); 1200 (12 PM) - 2000 (8 PM) SLT
                         SLurl: http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Firespire/151/12/41
                             Contact Person: COL Quarlo Quandry (quarlo.quandry)


Weds, 06 May: JOINT EVENT - NSTC Potential Recruit Course; 1200 (12 PM) - 1400 (2 PM) SLT
                            SLurl: http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Velinissimo/4/59/33


Thurs, 07 May:    US Navy SL Seventh Fleet (7TH FLT); 0800 (8 AM) - 2000 (8 PM) SLT
                    Contact Person: CDR Bambi Baxter (BiffBottom Resident)


Fri, 08 May:  ALL GROUPS - Meet and Greet and Scavenger Hunt; 1300 (1 PM SLT) - 1500 (3 PM) SLT
                       SLurl: http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Hollywood/227/38/22


Sat, 09 May:   SL Coast Guard (SLCG) - 0700 (7 AM) - 1900 (7 PM) SLT
                        SLurl: http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Qlar%20Fell/98/185/23
                         Contact Person: LTJG Maddie Haricort (MaddieHaricort Resident)


Sun, 10 May:    ALL GROUPS - Multiple Events; 0900 (9 AM) - 1900 (7 PM) SLT
                         SLurls: http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Agrippa/23/85/46


Contact Daniella Harcassle (daniellamariec resident)

USNSL - 2nd Fleet


RELAYSTOCK AND BID THE LINDENS BALD RETURN FOR 2020 RELAY FOR LIFE



(Arinultra Cay)  The enormously popular annual ‘Gathering of the Tribes’ at RelayStock will return for the seventh year.  Teams of the Relay For Life will hoist their banners above tents and campers as they come together for ‘3 Days of Peace, Love and Hope’, at the annual event hosted by the Relay Rockers.
The event which will run May 15th through the 17th highlights entertainment and camaraderie throughout the weekend.  The main stage will be shared by entertainers from the various teams, as well as SL headliners Maxamillion Kleene, Turner Harbrough and, Todd Rumsford. The entertainment wraps up on Sunday evening with the Finals of the Celebrate Remember Fight Back Top DJ Competition, followed by T1Radio's Time Machine and a Flash Mob dance with The Roo's With a Dream.  
VW vans and tents will once again be supplied by the Rockers for registered RFL  teams to use as ‘team-sites'. The event is organized by Relay Rockers Co-Captain Arizona Ballnger. When asked about the success of the event she said, “RelayStock remains one of the most awaited events of the Relay season and offers teams a chance to hangout, listen to good tunes and dance in the mud. It’s a fun event for everyone and the Rockers love to see all the teams come together and take a breather before the sprint to the season finish.”
FOURTH ANNUAL BID THE LINDENS BALD
In addition to RelayStock, the Rockers are once again hosting Bid The Lindens Bald.   For the 4th year teams made up from employees of Linden Lab will compete to see who can raise the most donations to Relay For Life, with the last place team going bald.  The event will start on May 13th and wrap up on the 20th.  The team losing its hair promises to go bald in Second Life until the opening of Relay weekend on morning of June 6th.  Since 2017 Bid The Lindens Bald has raised more than L$ 2.5 million to support the Relay For Life of Second Life. 
Linden Lab has provided a listing of the teams competing in this year’s event
Team 1:  Darcy, Jet, Oz, Spots, Volo Team 2: Derrick, Kit, Patsy, TJ, Wendi
Team 3: Dottie, Kristin, Rocko, Vanessa, Whitney Team 4: Izzy, Madori, Patch, Roran, Vix
Voting for Bid The Lindens Bald is done by donation to Relay For Life kiosks, located at the barn in the RelayStock2020 region, and is open to ALL Second Life residents. (For a SLURL please visit relayrockers.org.
Teams wishing to take part in RelayStock 2020 can apply online for team-sites.  To find out more and to register for team-site please visit www.relayrockers.org/relaystock .

Contact: Arizona Ballinger  relayrockerssl@gmail.com 

Monday, May 4, 2020

CLUB FURZONA – THE SL HOME FOR RL DJs – JOSH (THOMAS1 BELLIC) REPORTING



When I first met Game Wylder, he was live mixing for a Pirate-themed event at Furzona, one of the hottest clubs on the grid.  Just when I thought I’ve seen it all, I stumble into a nightclub full of peg-legged, eye patch wearing, parrot carrying Furries, dancing to some of the HOTTEST music anywhere on the Grid!  Over the next few minutes, Game described how Furzona  is a club run by RL veteran DJ's who have been mixing for years, and the place is built solely on the passion of Music.  Later on, in between gigs, Game was able to speak with me in greater detail




Josh Bellic (JB):   What inspired you to open Club Furzona?

Game Wylder (GW):  When I first joined Secondlife, I spent a few months figuring out what I wanted to do. I eventually stumbled upon Furzona. I don’t know what, but something enraptured me. It could have been the lights, the people, or the club itself. But something made me want to stay.  I eventually became a DJ at Furzona, and started out as a playlist DJ, just having stupid fun, but over time, I developed my skills and taught myself how to mix. Eventually, I found myself being promoted to Host Manager, and then eventually a Director.  About 5 years ago, the club went on hiatus, as the previous owner wasn’t able to dedicate any more of his time or money to keeping the club open. Around this time, I was already on a hiatus myself.

When I came back a year or so later, now about 3 years ago, things had changed in SL. Many clubs were focused around adult content, and the quality of music had died down. I spent some time club hopping, and decided to hang around a few clubs that somewhat reminded me of Furzona, but just left more to be desired.  I noticed that the problems we had before only got worse, with there being places where people just go afk and poseball. It didn’t sit well with me.  

After someone random accidentally called the Club Furzona Group in SL, an old friend of mine and I started talking, and I had that crazy idea: Let’s Revive Furzona. He and I just started talking logistics for a bit, and eventually, we decided to reach out to some old team members, we immediately got a yes from them, and once we had a handful of people, I reached out to the old owner, to see if we were allowed to use the Furzona name, and we got approval. At that point, there was no turning back, we decided to bring back Furzona for good.





       
JB:  So then, do you have business partners?

GW.  While I am the primary owner, my colleague Todd Squall is in equal ownership. Furzona is not a business, but a passion project of everyone who works here. We're a club run by DJ's with a passion for music, for everyone who's passionate themselves about music.
       
JB:  Tell me about your clientele, please? It seems like a rather eclectic group of music fans.

GW:  We cater to everyone who enjoys music... everyone comes, not just Furries. We have several staff members who don't have furry avs.  While we are more focused towards Furries, we want to provide the best club experience in SL, for everyone to enjoy. Our target is to provide a place with a really cool atmosphere, and to make sure everyone feels welcome.
       
JB:  What types of events do you run here?

GW:  Every Week, we run various events and contests, like game shows, or themed parties, but every quarter of the year, we host giant festivals, akin to Burning Man, or Qlimax.
  

     
JB:  Where do you find your staff?

GW:  Our staff typically start out as patrons who become passionate about the venue. They really get hyped up about the music and the staff. As I said previously, we're all passionate about what we do, and that passion shows. We're all about supporting our patrons, and making them feel welcome. A lot of people have simply turned around and said "I want to help", and they submit an application.

JB:  Do you have plans for expansion of the club and sim?
    
GW:  Oh yeah, we've been working on something. We have a dedicated team of engineers that are constantly testing new technology within Second Life. We have mesh modelers, programmers, and audio visual technicians who work together to bring our stages to life, and we're constantly looking into new ways to improve performance as well as visuals.  Recently, we debuted our new screens. Using video game practices (such as culling) to hide parts of the screens that patrons won't normally see, we can improve render performance for everyone within the club. And these are just the beginning, we wanted to see what was possible within the limitations of SecondLife.

Orson Welles once said; "The enemy of art is the absence of limitations."  When you look under the hood, Second Life is full of limitations, and this results in typically poor performance due to an aging engine structure. So at Furzona, we are presented with the following challenge; How can we emulate an EDM Night Club experience without requiring a monster of a computer?  And that's the challenge we're constantly facing; building new HUDs, mesh, and screen technology, while breaking our limitations. Needless to say, I'm proud of the work my team has done, and we cannot wait to debut our new technology, and for those who are interested, you won't have to wait too long.
       


JB:  Anything else you would like to tell our reader?

GW:  When I decided to re-open Furzona, I wanted to do it with one goal in mind; Make people smile. It's not uncommon for me to get a message from a patron or a staff member letting me know just how happy they are to be here, and every time I read those messages, it makes my day.   I didn't rebuild Furzona for myself, I rebuilt it because I felt like something was missing from SL. I wanted to rebuild the one place that was always focused on it's passion for music, events, and most importantly; it's community. We constantly are trying to empower our patrons and staff to share their artwork, share their photos, their projects, and to take pride in their passions, as we take pride in ours.  If you want to stay up to date on our events and community, feel free to join us on Discord, follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, etc. Here's our links;




So there you have it folks.  If you have a hankering for one of the best, most realistic nightclub experiences anywhere on the Grid, grab a ride to Furzona – and listen to music played the way it was meant to be.

SURL:  http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Bikini%20Bay/218/166/1501 

 
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