PARAGONS OF DANCE

SURFING ON THE SOUND PARAGONS OF DANCE

Sita Writer

“Every soul is different, every individual will connect to a certain music genre and/or certain dance style. So it’s really about what the dancer finds beautiful that inspires their art and sharing.” - Johnny

Dance and movement can be defined in many ways in SL and RL. One of the most entrancing and entertaining creators is Johnny CEO of Paragons of Dance. Johnny has one of the most evocative definitions of what we all feel when we dance, walk, or even move, for that matter, on the grid… and so much more. “Dance is one of the highest forms of movement artistry. To me, being from Hawaii, dance is like surfing on the sound waves of music. When truly in the moment, the dancer becomes connected to the essence of the music and is not physically dependent on choreography; they become an instrument that channels their art— that is the moment you see true magic in its purest form.” Johnny believes at that point it doesn’t matter what dance style you have… rather, that dance becomes about living in the moment and sharing to create that communion between the audience and performer.

As Johnny reflects on his gaming life, he tells BOSL that he likes challenges and has been a “gamer” for years. His first game was an MMORPG, a game that he holds with a special affection, until he learned about SL— eventually. “I first heard about Second Life from two Gorean friends that were my raiding officers. But since I’m a ‘one game kinda guy’, I dismissed any notion of checking out SL.” After breaking his video gaming addiction and taking a break from screenwriting, Johnny started to dabble in SL, something he considered a harmless browser game he heard about. “Out of sheer boredom, I took a peek...and I was condemned to virtual heaven— or hell (however you look at it)! I think SL is more of an abduction. This is when I realized why the Second Life logo is a hand and an eye.”

Johnny, the genius behind Paragons of Dance, is a very visual person. As Johnny describes it, “curiosity brought me to SL, and addiction kept me here.” Johnny recalls that his first SL experience was running around the grid in child-like wonder. “The grid is like a canvas where you can create virtually anything. It is like living in a dream. After a year, I gathered the strength to leave and swore never to return.” Eventually, an RL friend asked Johnny to show him the ropes. “At first I said ‘no’,” he explains, having been worried about rekindling his addiction. “But I figured he got me my new RL apartment at a steal and it was the least I could do to thank him. Sure enough, I got drawn back in. At first, I hated him for it, but now I am eternally grateful because if he never convinced me to return, my life wouldn’t be where it is right now.”

Johnny is perceptive and saw something missing in SL in terms of movement. After thinking about it, Johnny found a way to merge his three passions: videogames, dance, and making money. “I thought to myself, if I am going to get addicted to something (like SL), I better make money off of it because I have to constantly keep myself in reality check with my mantra: ‘if it doesn’t make any dollars, then it doesn’t make any sense.’”

So, when Johnny returned to SL, he noticed that there was a gap in the types of dances offered. “There were no Latin dances, no k-pop dances, no heels dances, no American Hip Hop dances. I decided that something had to be done because this was an untapped market. I saw a huge opportunity to bring something different to the game, and that is how Paragon began.”

In a nutshell, Johnny’s goal is to bring A- list dancers that create viral YouTube videos to Second Life, making Paragon unique in SL. “As a dancer myself, I was always inspired by these real life iconic dancers on social media. As a producer of 20 years in the entertainment industry, I had the experience and knowledge on how to deal with talent agents. I certainly had all the tools. The most daunting part was execution.”

In terms of animations, Johnny is a futurist— something that is now and will always be appreciated for years to come. “Paragon is all about bringing dance to a new level with a ‘wow’ factor. This is accomplished by bringing a high-level dance

performance from pro-dancers and A-list dancers. These dancers are represented by some of the toptier dance talent agencies in Hollywood. Some are social media influencers and/or worked with big recording stars as backup dancers or as celebrity choreographers. Many of these influencers have viral videos out there, and there is a reason why they are viral. These are the bankable stars in the Hollywood dance world, as stars like Will Smith and Tom Cruise are on the silver screen.”

Johnny is constantly working to acquire the top dancers and to make the best dance animations in terms of aesthetics and technical quality. Recently, Paragon worked with a founding member of the Pussycat Dolls and her new dance troupe Cherry Boom Boom. They created a pom pom dance from their show’s dance number, along with a special HUD where a dancer can throw the pom poms. They also brought CBBs innovation to Second life— the first monkey bar dances. And this is only the beginning, because Johnny wants Paragon to continue to raise the bar and push the limits. “I don’t want to get complacent in this competitive market, and the last thing I want is our dances looking the same. Every set is as special and unique as the dancers who created them with their own style.”

People have danced before there was a word for it. Rhythmic body movements are instinctive, and Johnny has captured this. Dance connects people and springs from a personal expression and social connection to feel good. “Art to me is a never-ending search and an evolving process. I always joked that I’m just the evangelist who preaches the art of these Rl A-list dancers— the dance gods, aka ‘Paragons of Dance’. My RL dancers are the true talent and source of inspiration, and all this would not be possible without them. I’m just the visionary producer who handpicked them. Each dancer is unique and brought something different and special to the Paragon pantheon. There’s a saying in the dance world: ‘Dance is Life’, and my vision is using these high profile dancers to breathe new life in SL through dance.”

At the end of the day, Johnny is an idealist. “I want to be the bridge between the real world and the virtual world. I want to bring SL back to the glory days when celebs like Duran Duran performed here or when big real world companies like Coca Cola and IBM had a presence here. The technology has come a long way since then, and I would like to see SL become more mainstream. I’ve started to use my position with the help of my dance influencers to generate awareness about Second Life to the public. I strongly believe that Second Life and the virtual social platform is the proto-VR of the future. Although Second Life is still regarded as ‘underground’, what the general public doesn’t know is that it is ahead of its time and it’s the way of the future.”

JOHNNY