My mind is in a complete orbital spin.  Normally if I get my ideas down, it eases, but they are still coming in at a fast and furious pace.  Some of this may be detox from this past weekend, and what an incredible weekend it was!  I have never had such a weekend.

It all started Friday with Elysium of course!   I brought back a favorite…Echoes in Rain by Enya.  This one was carved out of clay, originally not my first song choice – no particles or super dramatic effects.  Choreography was the main focus of the dance, supported by sets and costumes.  The way the ideas flowed, it all came together, astound me and it is now one of my favorite dances.  Sometimes if you try less, and let things flow…they will come together as they are meant to.

For me, right from the beginning, I could feel the emotion of the dance as I created it.   In my beginnings at SLDC, we always used live tools, each animation on a hud was activated manually, each movement triggered independently.  The little nuances always made for a unique performance because the timing was never exactly the same…the placement of a foot, the twist of the hand as the animations flowed from one to the next.

This still continues for me now, even though we have different tools that can allow us to do so much more.  I use the Performance Director, the Choreography Designer, the Smooth Dancer to record my dances.  I hand select every animation I think may work – sometimes over 200…then I go through them all building my dance.  I record them as I dance them, capturing the movements, watching for just the right turn of the body.  There is feeling and passion when I create, and to me, that is captured.  As I dance on stage, that emotion fills me and hopefully others in the audience feel the same.  I know I do when others dance.  So often I speak of seeing a dancer breathe.   In some, for me, the dancers take on a surrealistic existence, in which I can see them flow through the movements, and I can feel them breathing.  These are the ones that touch me the very most.

Now that I’ve digressed, this emotion wasn’t more evident than in the Autism Awareness shows this past week.  There was such love and support for everyone involved, so much amazing talent, breath-taking and moving performances, people willing to pitch in and do anything needed.  On Saturday I danced in three shows – with Immy representing Winds, as Harleyquin and with Immy in the variety show, and with Paramount as choreographer and co-manager.  I was so much busier than I expected doing three numbers and last minute prep for the Paramount show.  Everyone at Paramount stepped up to the plate and kept everything running smoothly – I couldn’t be more proud.  13 acts Paramount put on – 7 full stage acts and 6 “filler” acts which happen in front of the curtain during transitions.  None of the choreographers or dancers for any of these performances representing any venue did this for tips, or even acclamation – but to offer our support for Autism Awareness and to other dance teams.

It didn’t stop there, on Sunday Harleyquin performed, and I also danced with the very talented Klark and again with Immy.  The night finished for me rocking the DJ booth at Winds and dancing with Jilley.  I was honored to pitch in when they put out the bat signal, and absolutely adore the new DJ booth.

My, and the Harleyquin schedule, is slowing just a touch as I re-focus my creative efforts on music that really stirs me.  I’ve had a few on my wish list and think I’ll really focus on their creation.  The Harleyquin dancers have had these cool masks forever and have hardly been able to use them!

I’m not even sure where to begin with pictures, but add them I shall!  After I take a mini vacation – and also work on my newest Terpsi-Corps effort for the LEA London sim!

My take-away from this post, and this weekend:  The support, the caring, the passion and dedication in the dance world far outweigh for me any negativity that may exists.  I was truly moved, touched, and overwhelmed and am so very honored to have been part of the Autism Awareness Event, the dance world, and to know the amazing people in it.

Create from the heart, and others will feel.
~ Eva

I’m now adding upcoming workshops to the Calendar page of this blog.

I teach because I love it, and have a long history of teaching in SL.  I love the tools and technical stuff, teaching on topics such as Spot On Tools, Audacity, and Scripting for Performance.  As I work with other tools, or find that people would like to learn together, I may teach other things.  I schedule workshops people have asked for and find it easier to really explain how things work in a structured yet hopefully fun and semi-casual workshop.

I danced in RL from the age of 6-13, and in RL have a computer/technical/data working and hobbyist background.  In SL I can put these pieces together with my insane imagination.  I love learning tools and scripts, pushing them to see what I can do when it comes to dance.  That is my blue sky and what fuels me, bringing all of this together in an expressive dance.

Classes will be limited in size, always in voice, and always hands on.  There is no cost, but contributions are appreciated if you enjoyed and want to support workshop expenses.  Check out the calendar for what’s coming if you’re interested.  IM or drop me a notecard to register.

https://harleyquinadventure.wordpress.com/2017/03/31/calendar/

What an incredible and insane and crazy weekend it’s been – and an amazing week yet to come!

Surprises!    Let’s see..  I’m totally addicted to 7seas fishing now – and if you need boots, bikini bottoms, or plankton for your tank I will TOTALLY hook you up!  Buy 1, get 5 free!!!  Something sooo relaxing, watching and listening to the ocean waves, casting the line and seeing what you’ll catch next.  Now I’ve had that fishing pole forever but have finally gotten the hang of it.  Level 3 – woot! I’m going to think of a name for a free fishy fish store…or make a dance about it!  Now for a song…hmmm.  Fish heads..fish heads…roly poly fish heads…

and…I learned to surf!  If you haven’t done that in SL, you’ve totally got to try!  I’m always amazed at how I can just totally relax and let my hair down – get out of my head for a while and just play!  Living down here not far from the Southern Coast you may ask – “why not it RL”.  Well…I thought about that!  1.  don’t think here in SC we have the big waves  2.  I’m totally not coordinated enough to stand..on a moving board…on moving water…with people around!  and 3….. we have sharks!    PS – this is me below

And what’s a weekend without dance?  Friday, everyone was squeaky clean after the Crowd Dance, and Saturday was an amazing Paramount show with magic mushrooms, men in uniform, and me getting my blue groove thang on!

Lots of learning too!  I loved helping people learn the choreography designer system at my workshop this past Saturday and answering questions.  I get a thrill when I hear that “ohhhh” and “wowwww” because I feel their eyes light up, and inspiration shooting a lighting bolt, and hope they’ll have fun playing and creating and making their own art in whatever way that is.  The strongest feeling I have reminding me of that is when I got my very first computer – a Commodore 128 “Go 64”!  It opened a whole new world for me to create, build, experience, and imagine.  Every workshop I teach I learn something too, and I keep tweaking them to make it a better experience for everyone. 🙂

I am so thankful for the amazing people I’ve met here, and the little things that touch me, the smiles and sharing.  “Tweet tweet”…wipeouts…and costumes flying everywhere!

Looking forward to week – the Autism Awareness Show, Lighting the Way where I’ll be representing Harleyquin and Paramount, and Friday night at Elysium.  Working on something special for Terpsi-Corps too.  Finding the silent moments is when inspiration strikes.

I leave you with this for now – find joy in everything that you do, mindfulness, be present in the moment.  Don’t take anything or anyone for granted, if they’re special – make sure they know…they matter.  You never know how that simple moment of hello, kind words can lift someone’s spirits.

May your imagination run free and you find delight, like in the video below –
~ Eva

A message, a piece of the soul shared with such profound emotion.  I’m speechless.

The morning feels magical, sipping that first cup of coffee as I slip into this world and onto my piano bench.  Did you know it’s not hard to create a music book of your own?  Mine changes sometimes, filled with different piano pieces, selected based on how I feel, what I’m drawn to.  Fifty or so different pieces at my fingertips.  It soothes me, inspires me, helps me ease emotions that sometimes overwhelm me.  You do know I’m a Scorpio right?  Passion is part of my nature.

Someday I will bring this passion into RL – even took a few piano lessons recently.  Found it stressful, pushing myself to accomplish more and more before the next lesson.  Obviously not a way that clicked with me to learn.  Still working on an alternative… or a shift in my pattern of thought.

My thought of the day:  People won’t remember what you said, they’ll remember how you made them feel.

I don’t mean fawning over them, like those dudes in 5th element “green…so green…super green”  Like they matter, that you are listening, you hear them, you see them.  It’s so easy sometimes, to get so wrapped up in things, that sometimes I leave others hanging – or I retreat into my shell, under my rock as my mind processes all kinds of things.  As He-Man always said “knowledge is half the battle”.  Knowing…and naturally flowing…aware.

Creative ideas flood through me, but gently, like little wisps.  In this amazing creative world, are there things that interest you, do you have your own wish list of things you’d like to learn, to do?  I’m inspired by anything and everything, some things I appreciate greatly without a desire of my own – such as painting, others stay with me – such as photography, making effects, music editing, more expressive dance.  Feel and flow.  Some things are more vague, knowing that there is more I don’t even see yet.  As I listen to the piano, I let the universe take its course, let things, let inspiration evolve as it will.  The muses dance in my head as my eyes drift over my inspiration list, knowing that I’ll keep moving forward.  That is one of the most amazing things about this world – the possibilities to explore, to create, to experience, to live..and to dance within art.

May the muses be with you this morning –
~ Eva

Check outside tonight and you’ll see that big beautiful moon!  I do believe it’s the height of energy, the culmination of things and yes – can make us a little crazy and restless!

I even referred the almighty google and found this – “However on a full moon day as the moon frequencies are more active, a heightened activity of the mind is observed as explained above in point 2. Depending on the types of impressions from the sub-conscious mind that are activated, the heightened activity can range from heightened random thoughts to heightened mind activity of specific thoughts.

For example, a person who is a writer and is focusing on some book that he is writing is more likely to get heightened thought activity mainly pertaining to the book and creativity in writing style. These types of thoughts will arise out of the talent centre. Hence he may find that he can write prolifically on a full moon day.” ~ http://www.spiritualresearchfoundation.org/spiritual-problems/effects-of-nature-and-environment/new-full-moon-effects/

Woot!  Maybe now I can get over the creator’s block I’ve had on a dance I’m working on!  Ever see the final product in your head..vaguely…but not sure how to get it there?  Yep – that’s where I am!

It helps, to wander around the web a bit – mindlessly think, see what catches my eye.  What about this?  I kind of like this, but what song would fit?  What is the story?  Why is there a ribbon tied on the moon?  And notice the only color is her red bowtie and the bow in the dolls hair.  Do you see the moths?  It reminds me a bit of the wedding scene in  a veeerrry old Jack and the Beanstalk – circa 1974.  (I’m not THAT old – reruns!)

Perhaps I’m drawn to it because I feel a personal connection to it, an empathy with her.  The dances you love the most – ever wonder why you chose them?  Do they speak to you?  I have almost no limits in what I create if I’m inspired.  I embrace the things that “make a good dance” but sometimes choose to smash right through them, consciously.  I still consider the audience, their interest, but in the end I also create for myself and my own pleasure.  The buzz of standing back and saying wow, the buzz of performing and just seeing the dancers breath and come to life.  Pouring my energy and soul into what I create – laughter, magic, drama, tears, hope, sexiness, power.

I have “wins” and I have “wtf???” too.  Not everyone will get me, and I’m totally ok with that!  Often I’m my own most strict critic – and I think this is important!  Dances may end up in my re-work pile, or sometimes shoved waaaaay back in the closet with the scary dolls and spiders.  Always, though, there was something gained by creating.

I realize that when I struggle the most, it’s from a fear of failure.  It’s when I let go and let the creative process take over that some of my best stuff comes to life.  Do I still tweak it?  Oh yeah, but the bones the pieces all come together with less stress.  My INTJ brain loves to spin, think of new things, new ways, new ideas…but sometimes slow and steady win the race – and finishes the dance!

Sooo….how do you eat an elephant?  One bite at a time…

It’s a great night for dancing naked in the full moon – and creating with passion!

~ Eva