CWS -"So You Think You Can Dance!" Contest with Style

Hello Everyone!  Remember me, Becky Kénaan, your runway "run-away" reporter for CWS? Ha! You don't, do you?  Well no problem, I am reporting it! 

Ladies, do you recall your early days learning ballet?  I can still remember my first ballet class even though I was only 5 years of age. I know exactly what my ballet teacher told me, what I was wearing, etc.  It's beautiful how we remember everything about those moments that changed our lives.  I can still remember my teachers commanding voice that resonated "Toe, ball, heel. Heel, ball, toe." 

But this was something that I could do - point and flex my feet to the music. It was a simple beginning, but it made sense to me. We moved from the floor to the barre, to first plies and plies in first, second, third and sixth. Concepts of turn-out and tendu were introduced and learned. Everything new we did was so exciting! "Present yourself!" I can still hear her cry out to us, and then jokingly say "Don´t show off your boobs (save this for later). Use your jambes, pieds, talons, bras, épaulement, head and eyes. Own your dancing body, and then own the stage!" 

Well, I have to admit watching the CWS Event "So You Think You Can Dance!" brought my mind back to those wonderful days. The thrill of watching was the same - It was like turning the first page of a newly-discovered fashion magazine!  It also marked the first time for me to observe the contestants Isabelle Mavendorf, VikkiLynn Caproni, FreedomRock Rhiadra, Clint Quandry, Zig rich Zsigmond, Agee Canto, and AngelRaella Shelman all shake up the SL Fashion and Dance world with their fabulous ballet dance routines and amazing ensembles!  A far cry from what I experienced as a child to say the least!

Did you know that only six (6) of these remaining contest finalists will return next week for another shot at the coveted award of winning this SL crown. Week to week the "So You Think You Can Dance!" contestants will compete to impress the judges and the audience at the CWS Fashion District in order to make it to the final round and ultimately win the competition. And every week one contestant with the lowest combined judges' scores for their performance will be sent home with their pixelated outfits, makeup, and glitter. Boo Hoo! Their lives will be changed forever by this dance contest! (Just Kidding). 

My heart jumped for joy watching these performers present their gorgeous arches, heels and legs and upper body in such grace and harmony with the music they selected. They truly engaged both my attention and imagination.

Isabelle Mavendorf performed first. Her dance combined that of both classical and contemporary ballet movements and told of story of a love lost in reality, but not in the heart, rather a love of a lifetime... and how time and distance cannot fade its existence. She wore a beautiful strapless laced bodice ballerina outfit in white and accented lavendars in sheer white hosiery and ballet slippers.  A dazzling performance that brought applause after applause.

Next up, VikkiLynn Caproni introduced herself and presented a mixed ballet choreography to harmonize with the music in an absolutely beautiful flowing lavendar gown garnished elegantly with traces of white carnations.  Beautiful in every category!

FreedomRock Rhiadra then performed a Classic Interpretive ballet dance wearing a sequence black & white trimmed vee neck shirt with very nice ballet tights (hehe) and white dance ballet slippers.

Clint 'Casanova' Quandry (clint.quandry) danced as "The Thief of Hearts." He quoted saying that if I may paraphrase "that love is a many splendor thing... but when a thief steals your heart, and refuses to give it back, love can cause tears."  Well let me tell you, I shed tears of both delight and passion crying during this wonderful performance. His Machiavellian performance brought out large cheers and applauses during his wonderfully choreographed ballet. 

Zigafigmond danced as first a stunning Fairy Dancer in black latex with a spiked and shimmering metallic blue headdress, and then magically transformed to ballet short tights under glittering stars and particle effects with his stunning glare star ball. 

Angel Shelman sauntered gracefully up to center stage and performed "The Purpose of Art"  ballet theme.  Anyone that saw the movie "Titanic" realized that she was adorned with "The Heart of The Ocean" emerald as worn by actress Kate Winslet in the movie.  I absolutely loved her grace and style.  

Last but certainly not least, Agee Z Canto appeared wearing soft pink gown, adorned with beautiful wings laced with soft fragrant roses and a feathery touched hat. You could see in her ballet routine how much she loves sharing her passion for dancing and the arts.

Darkness Seduced - A Poem by Becky Kénaan

"As darkness seduces our love and our fate

We struggle our flesh to meld as we mate

Your love brings color to my streaks of grey,

beckoning your seeds as I give myself away

As you cover my body with your sensual kisses

Your touches fulfill my most intimate midnight wishes

My hips beneath you motion and keep

Finally dawn's passion cries out, our bodies now weep

A moment's intoxicating embrace we now share

As we become one in womb's most inner lair

Nay, this bond grows deep within us more

As we lay as one summoning our inner core 

Once again life is reborn into the night 

With darkness' veil, its mystery, and delight"

VERO MODERO STYLING FASHION EVENT at CWS

To say the least, it was a breathtaking experience to see first-hand the stunning new wardrobe collections by VERO MODERO.  Modeled by Classic with Style, people around the SL world are already talking about the fabulous designs that were featured during this "Simply the Best" styling event. 

Bouquet Babii, Owner and Designer of VERO MODERO, showcased an array of her latest fashion trends and individual designer collections.  I found the ensembles absolutely fabulous!!!  They were at once femininely stylish and sophisticated, combining classic and contemporary seamlessly into the beautiful shapes of the models from CWS.  There was a focus on neat, grown-up pieces - Beautiful gowns, skirts, pants, smart blouses, shirt-waists, an ingeniously wrapped waist-cut fur coat, and dresses that all combined to make this truly a very special and unique fashion event. 

I absolutely loved the playful LA PANCA in gold - An amazing set that included a sexy and seductive black lace bikini top visible under a shimmering gold texture with a black prints mesh wide V shaped bodice top complemented by gold leggings. 

On the other end of the fashion continuum was the beautifully flowing GINTO GOWN that featured a bra shaped straight bust line top with highly detailed gold textures topped by an elegant golden patterned cape that gracefully covered the shoulders then extended down to the floor line, flaring with such delicate grace that added to and complemented so wonderfully the gorgeous silhouette of the model.

I would also like to give special mention to the expert beauty, accessory and hair styling efforts displayed by all of the CWS models, their trainers and runway coach who once again all worked tirelessly behind the scenes to best showcase the VERO MODERO fashions & trends on the Classic with Style runway in perfection and grace with exquisitely seamless choreography.

Having Fun Learning  as this is my first course create a blog

UCWS and the Blog Creating Class!

I just went to the Face and Body Paint theme.  I was truly impressed to see both the level of detail and the diversity in style from the models I observed while attending.  I therefore choose this pageant as my homework assignment.  I could not leave the event without talking about it.  My God!, I even went out looking for body paint this morning before class to see what I could do personally!  What better way is there, other than experience it for yourself and to dare challenge your fantasy of ideas by painting yourself as a true form of self-expression? I knew at that moment I would become addicted to this new "temporary" art-form.

Never prompting to have my own tattoo in rl, I was a bit skeptical to come to the event last night, thinking of it as probably just another display of overdone body sleeves, over-tattooed breasts and lower back tramp stamps .

In my mind, less has always meant more from a sophisticated point of view (when looking at a model's makeup as an artform).  In the past, I have always looked upon tattoos as being a bit  "trampish" and a sign of  promiscuity.  Call me conservative or old fashioned, but with most stylish outfits (besides a dress), just bending shows the tattoo design to the world and thus distractive to the overall ensemble and your silhouette.


But this event was very different.  Unlike the stereotypical body tattoos that we have all come to love and loath, I discovered that this pageant was a free exercise in body painting - one that embodied being sexy, fun and absolutely rebellious!

It calmed me to realize that this was "painting" the body as an art-form.  Unlike tattoo and other forms of body art, body painting is temporary and a very personal form of expressive creativity.. Being painted onto the skin instead of tattooed, in rl it may only last for a period of only several hours or at most a couple of weeks.  (Ha Ha!...So don't fret Mom & Dad!) . I also found that the body paintings were seemingly very resilient to stretching and distortion, and thus very forgiving from a photographic standpoint.

It has been said that body painting is designed or created by the forces of natural selection as the means to reach a specific altered state of consciousness.  There were no finer testaments to that theory than what my eyes were treated to see last night. Both Summitt Beaumont: and Narcisissma fashion body and face paintings best exemplified that level of extraordinary consciousness - Retro-Flower children transcending the psychedelic boundaries of the past  1960's Hippie culture into something vividly fresh and fun!

In the realms of pure fantasy, I was completely enthralled with both LadySunFire Erin and Timberlynn's creations.  The array of simple flowing colors that Erin chose to best express her interpretation of "Imagine," - Fellon Celt's abstract design that covered, caressed, and complemented her lovely silhouette.

Perhaps my favorite was Timberlynn's creation.  I believe that there is garden fairy in all of us somewhere - to be given wings to soar and fly in God's beautiful gardens and heaven while being soothed by mystical music and bathed in a display of nature's ever-listening flora.

In summary, I found the event to be very inspirational and a true tribute to CWS, their instructors, and principals.  Simply The Best!