Kostume Kult’s Virtual Black and Light Ball 2020

Kostume Kult Presents:

Virtual BLACK and LIGHT BALL 2020
~ Into The Fairyverse ~

A Psychedelic Dance & Puppetry Party

FREE with REGISTRATION at:

Join KK FB Event Page

Wade through the purple mysts where nymphs dance with gnomes, sprites and muppets – where magick flows from the elements. – where electricity sparks in the darkness and ultraviolet aids in illusion… Enter the Upside-Down-Outside-In as Kostume Kult, YOU, and, for this years theme, your little puppet friends set forth on an epic adventure into a fantastical, glowing multiverse.

DATE

Saturday May 30th
8pm – 2am EST + Afterpartying

LOCATION

The Multiverse, Electroverse, Fairyverse.  Local, National, International, transcending time zones.  We are exploring after-partying partner possibilities to keep things going around the world as the planet spins!

HOW WILL THIS WORK?

** Multiple Feeds, Multiple Zoom Rooms – Easy to Maxi Options:
Visit our site’s event page during the event to access four live experience rooms to:
1. VIEW ONLY: Watch on Twitch (non-participatory)
2. FULLY PARTICIPATE on Zoom for those with a camera to show off your Costumes and Lights
3. MAX OUT: Use multiple devices to be in multiple rooms concurrently.
Flit around like a magical fairy!

ART THEME

Black & Light Ball mixes many forms of glowing, blinking electronics with electro luminescence and black light and a wild range of costumes, performances and dance music. Originally a psychedelic take on Truman Capote’s Black & White Ball – creative ‘neon formal’ is encouraged or, to play along with this year’s theme, think fairyland, fantasy creatures, mystery and magic.

Consider your costume, character and/or puppets. What is your role in the multiverse? Who are you and what is your quest? While everyone is invited to participate as you can, think on characters and creatures from any kind of fantastical fictional work, film or literature with costumes, facepaints, masks, headgear… and puppets (!!!)… encouraged.

DECOR

Adapting to the virtual environment, we urge all to order black light bulbs/ fixtures (soon!) but also other types of party lights and effects to turn your space into a disco playhouse to dance, to stage a puppet scene and interact with the many other virtual projects that will be made known soon.

Additionally, play with the Zoom “virtual background” function for fantasy backdrops — switch them up throughout the event — and consider using a greenscreen – buy online or can make with sheets, shower curtains of by ’tiling’ green paper on a wall. Green, blue or other unique colors works best but note that crazy headgear and some colors will glitch the function and that actual decor works best.

And consider your lighting – Black light glows neon and true white costumery and body paints but white light is needed to highlight your face. Consider mixing lights (pro tip: book lights for face!) and create an environment for this and all future virtual events!

DJs in Multiple Twitch/Zoom feeds

 RENEGADE MASTERS  (SOUP NYC, Admit One Records)
THE COMPANY SOUNDSYSTEM (LTHM / 3Bridge / Castle)
EDGAR LEBRON [I FEEL / Nomadic Rabbit Holes]
XIE  [Kostume Kult/ Binative]
More TBA

PERFORMANCES

Themed performers sought! Get Involved/ Link Below
* Spotlight Dance Competition
* 11pm: Light Art Fashion Show – Power up for your 15 seconds of fame
* Midnight: Puppet Theater Gong Show. 1 minute skits… or less! Get your concepts ready, prepare to be heckled. Prizes!
More TBA

PERFORMERS

* Neon Nebula Nocturnal Host – Emcee Christopher Hardwick
* Samaraland Enchanted – A magical trip through the Fairyverse
* Liah Alonso – The Neon Gypsy Nymph Cowgirl
* Puss Rogers makes her blacklight bathtub debut!
* Rawb Lane Greenscreen Magic
* Zeroboy

INTERACTIVITY

* Games, Contests & Ludicrous Notions sought!
– Tutu & Wing Making Tutorials
– Fantasy Film Trivia Contest
– ?

GET INVOLVED

PRODUCTION VOLUNTEER
PROPOSE PERFORMANCE/ ACTIVITY

* HELP PRODUCE: Need Social-Tech Savvy leaders/ helpers
* Be a CO-HOST and help moderate/ wrangle
* PRODUCE CONTENT for community sharing
* PERFORM: Take center stage for our Fashion Show and Puppet Theater Gong Show – Or propose something else!

GET YOUR GEAR…

Order Soon! Amazon alternatives encouraged!
LIGHTING
Guitar Center
B&H Photo (+greenscreens)
RAVE SUPPLIES
Cool Glow
NEON FACE PAINT
Kryolan Professional Make-Up
DirectGlow
ART SUPPLIES
Blick Art Supplies
NEON FABRIC
Spandex House
TRIM
M&J Trimming
Pacific Trimming
COSTUMES (neon & glow options)
Elope

AFTER-PARTYING
AROUND THE WORLD

We are exploring a never-before-tried “Around the World Party” that location-jumps as the world turns… Do you have a production crew with the tech and logistical skills to take over as NYC sleeps? Become a production partner, learn how to host large-scale, virtual, immersive events and help us better connect our big beautiful burner world!

TEAM

– Producers: Dave Friedeborn, Julia Fan, Susan Chen Gene Harrison,
Joseph Fan & Raymond Perfetti
– Volunteer Wrangling: Dave Friedeborn
– Tech: Isabeau Vidal, Brandon Keeven, Michael Wile,
Ingrid Spielman, Tania Corporan
– Emcees & Main Room Performances: Christopher Hardwick
& Joseph Fan
– Experience Room Activities: Teagan Lee & Joseph Fan
– Music Curation: Gene Harrison & Kishti
– Promo: Marz Katz & Costume Jim
– Theme/Creative: Costume Jim & Mariel Zook
– Flyer: Agustin Torres
– Photography Wrangler: Tom Egan
Registration/ Donation queries: tickets@kostumekult.com

ABOUT

Black & Light Ball is an annual psychedelic spring fundraiser for Kostume Kult (Costume Cultural Society), a non-profit arts org supporting costume art, street theater and mad fun while bringing wonderful people together. BLB is a high tech themed event mixing light art and many fabulous fluorescent fashions being illuminated by a vast array of black light canons. In 2020, BLB#15 is actualizing virtually in the “Multiverse” (The prescient Burning Man 2020 theme) – pushing online connectivity and electric community interactivity to new levels — with YOUR help!… For more info, join us and/or donate to our important year-round arts/culture mission.

COMING NEXT!

June 20th – Mermaid Fishbowl
July: FreaKKshow
August: Virtual Burning Man experiences TBD
Other: Many types of online meetups

COMMUNITY CODES

True to Burning Man’s 10 Principles: Kostume Kult is inclusive, welcoming the stranger and all those who dare to participate.
Ours is a safe space open to anyone while warning everyone to *respect boundaries* and *ask first* when photographing or flirting.
Consent is key!