The Nutcracker in Virtual World

The Nutcracker is an odd tale of fantasy or a dream that a young girl has on Christmas night. The ballet was based on the original story, "The Nutcracker and the King of Mice" written by E.T.A Hoffman. Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky wrote the score for the two act ballet.

Marius Petipa choreographed the story into the ballet that was revised by French author, Alexander Dumas. Dumas' version is the Nutcracker that we all love.



The story takes place at the Stahlbaum home where the family is celebrating their annual Christmas party. The children are usually shown dancing while the adults visit and dance as well. Godfather Drosselmeyer arrives with a special gift for both Clara and Fritz. Fritz becomes jealous of the wooden Nutcracker present that was given to Clara, and he grabs the wooden soldier and breaks it.



Clara's gift comes alive and takes her on a fantastic dream sequence with the Mouse King and an army of wooden toy solders. The two are escorted to the Land of Sweets by the Sugar Plum Fairy and Cavalier. The characters celebrate the victory over the Mouse King with a series of pas de deux by Spanish, Arabian, Russian, and Chinese dancers.



At the end, all the flowers come out to dance the finale with the Waltz of the Flowers. The Sugar Plum Fairy and the Cavalier dance the final Pas De Deux.

The Nutcracker is usually one of the first ballets that most children and adults will see. The sweet story and charming costumes draw the audience in at no matter what age you see this beautiful ballet. Family friendly, the ballet takes you on a fantasy ride of childhood memories and fears.



Here in the virtual world of Second Life, Ballet Pixelle has recreated the charming ballet for the Christmas season. The Nutcracker was the third ballet developed for the virtual world. Each year, Ballet Pixelle expands and recreates the story here in Second Life. The charm of this ballet is not lost in the virtual; the ballet stays true and is ready to delight even those of us who have seen it in real life. Celebrate this Holiday season with this wonderful ballet!

Just like a real ballet company, Ballet Pixelle will be presenting The Nutcracker during several performances until Christmas (and maybe after!). Check their website for the show schedules. All the shows will be scheduled every Sunday at 5 pm and Wednesday at 3 pm (all times in SLT). Many thanks to the hardworking dancers in this production of the Nutcracker!

Aiyana Tripsa
Amelie Dibou
Cecilia Mistwalker
Desiree Lurra
Deyna Broek
Luci Yokosuka
Neena Botanical
Patros Zifer
Sherainbow Merlin
Skippy Flossberg
Tik Merlin
Tinka Bondar
Vivienne Darcy
Xanthi Oridium

Inarra Saarinen, Artistic Director of Ballet Pixelle
The Making of a Ballet in Virtual Space


Thank you Inarra and the cast of The Nutcracker Ballet!
Location: http://slurl.com/secondlife/Quat/32/22/107


Editor's Note: During this holiday season, try to see The Nutcracker Ballet in your own community. To save cost for your family, see the performance in the afternoon when tickets cost less. Otherwise, there is no other date night, like a night at the ballet. And, if you are impressed, then subscribe to the ballet company and support the arts!

Beautiful Moments are Magical

This place will kill you and your soul. The backstabbing, the drama of the grid is enough to chase out the strongest. There are not-so-nice people here. Some with problems so deep that one can only imagine. And, yet, I have met some of the most wonderful avis/people here in the world.



The ones I love are supporters in every sense of the word. They come through with advice and knowledge that helps with everything that I do. People here are very generous and kind. Those are the ones I gravitate towards and include in a special circle of friends.



Yesterday was magic. A dear friend, an old friend of Xavier's extended family, has given me a gift of art. The art is well-known and the artists on this grid will recognize it immediately. Lika is back on the grid building his houses. He is a builder and artist who originally created the "Cave" that we have rezzed for special occasions.



I am a very emotional person. Tears flow easily when I am presented with great music and art. Live musician, Max Kleene has moved me to tears so many times that I feel almost silly over my reaction. And, the first time I saw a Starax at an outdoor gallery, I was so overwhelmed with just the building of the sculpture itself. When I saw Ballet Pixelle's first performance, my breathe caught in the back of my throat as I choked up with tears.



In real life, the tears flow even when I listen to a youth symphony. I hear the errors and the missteps, but I feel their passion as they play. I know these young musicians are not looking for stardom; they play because they love the music. Outsider art are gems. Precious pieces done by people with no training or pretension. They make art because their souls demand it. I have been overwhelmed with this type of art.



For me, it's not a measure of technical excellence but rather the presentation and the delivery. There are many great musicians, artists and dancers in this world. But, there are only a rare few that will touch our hearts. And, that is something very magical... and when you are there at that moment, there is a sense of seeing something that no one else has experienced.



When I watched the finale of America's Got Talent, the show let me know that I am not alone in this feeling. This is why everyone in the entire world connects to certain artists. And the gift that I received yesterday was one that I had connected to the very first few months that I was on this grid.



Yesterday was pure magic.


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Ballet Pixelle presents AVATARA

Ballet Pixelle presents AVATARA


Ballet Pixelle presents AVATARA, originally uploaded by rafeejewell.



Ballet Pixelle 

presents~~~~~~~~


AVATARA


Final show: Aug 22, 2010 on Sunday
5pm SLT


http://slurl.com/secondlife/Quat/32/21/107



Finale party at Alien Lounge after show
w/ dj Frank Eizenhart
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Information:



BALLET PIXELLE™ PREMIERES "AVATARA"
A NEW ORIGINAL BALLET
Second Life -- Premiere Date: June 2010


Ballet Pixelle™ (formerly Second Life Ballet) will premiere its ninth  work “Avatara” in June 2010.  Ballet Pixelle™ is the first performing ballet company in the virtual global community Second Life.  Says the Company's founder, Inarra Saarinen, “As artistic director of the Company since its inception, I have enormous pride in Ballet Pixelle™.  Our goal is to investigate and explore the interaction and intersection of physical and virtual dance.  We are excited to celebrate the future of dance.  We are dancing into the digital future!”

Before there was Second Life, there were avatars...

Avatāra (Sanskrit for "descent") refers to a deliberate descent of a deity from heaven to earth, and is mostly translated into English as "incarnation", but more accurately as "appearance" or "manifestation".  Isn't that what it would be if a virtual being became a physical being?  And if a physical being became a virtual being...

A real, physical dancer wonders what it would be like to exist in a virtual world where she could move past her physical bodily limits --- without regard to her joints and muscles.  And without physics limits -- to hover and fly at will.  Is there such a place?   Can she visit?  What a memory to hold!

********************************************************************

Members of Ballet Pixelle™ come together from all over the world, Japan, Europe, and North America.  Animations are created by Inarra Saarinen and put into dance phrases.  There are no artifical synchronizing devices and the dancers truly perform dancing with each other and the music.  Each performance is truly live and unique, and takes advantage of the characteristics of Second Life to extend the art of the ballet in new directions. “Avatara” is the ninth and newest ballet in the Ballet Pixelle™ (formerly Second Life Ballet) repertoire.  Come see it and participate in this innovative artform.

Performances take place on Sundays at 5:00pm SLT at the Ballet Pixelle Theatre
Come early because seats fill quickly.

********************************************************************

For More Information

For more information on Ballet Pixelle™, search for the group "Ballet Pixelle" in Second Life and join the group to receive notices of all performances, auditions, newsletters, and other news and invitations.  There is also a Subscribe Service in the theatre which allows you to receive notices.

Web site is: www.balletpixelle.org
MySpace page: myspace.com/balletpixelle
Facebook as Ballet Pixelle

Machinimas (videos) and information on previous ballets, information on auditions, current Company members bios and photos, newsletters, press and reviews, etc are available on these sites.

For Ballet Pixelle™ work done under the name Second Life Ballet you can search YouTube for Second Life Ballet or see the www.balletpixelle.org website.

Written by Inarra Saarinen for Ballet Pixelle in Second Life
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Raftwet Jewell in Virtual Metaverse
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the a list! in second life

OK Go - This Too Shall Pass

A good friend, an industrial designer, sent me this little video. I like it very much. It's a kinetic explosion of art, design, engineering and music. And, it's very silly and isn't meant for anything but a visual effect. I would like to build this in the virtual world! Can you imagine the scripting necessary to accomplish something like this machinery? Wow! Let's do it!



Well, it's Friday and the parties have already started. I guess I'll put on my new outfit and start the dancing animations for my avatar. I got a couple of new dances from Ministry of Motion, a great place for dancing animations. I like them, because, the dances look real... like a real person dancing instead of the over-the-top dances more designed for a professional dancer or show girl. Let's get moving... thank god it's Friday! Woot!

sl opera house presents "summer in japan"

second life opera house



sl opera house presents "summer in japan", originally uploaded by rafeejewell

Second Life Opera House is a glorious build resembling a real opera house. Lush velvet curtains and chairs decorate the place with old world textures and murals on the ceilings. Very grand, very elegantly done...

July 18, 2009, today is a special presentation by SL Opera House. Yoshiwara Okiya's Geisha Show presents "Summer in Japan." With traditional koto music and dancers gracefully waving fans and moving in kimonos, the dance was a delight to watch.



Mixing traditional strains with more contemporary riffs, the koto was ripping. I kid you not. Whoever was playing was strumming and plucking the strings as if they were Slash from Guns n Roses. Ha! Gawd, it was incredible. There was such a mix of sounds... I swore the person must have been a mash-up dj. Love it!



There was a great mix in the crowd, too from ballgowns and tuxedos to shorts and tshirts. The classics attract everyone who appreciates fine art, great music, awesome dancing and beautiful costumes. What more can you ask from a show? Enjoy it! The opera is alive in the virtual world of Second LIfe!

Raftwet Jewell, the first whitewater rafting avatar in the virtual world!
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