Think

This class deals with finding inspiration for Steampunk costuming. It is often easy enough to recognize when we see it, and what it isn't when we see it done badly. But often when asked what it is people cant quite define it. That is because it has a wide source of historical and cultural material to draw from, as well as its fantasy aspects.  Lord Ramirez will explain how to draw from these sources to create great steampunk looks and concept ideas.

After reading some books, you may suspect that the writer is a sadistic bitch/bastard, but just like with any good scene, don't you feel great afterward? Who are the best "tops" in our field? Or are writers masochists, who love to suffer through everything their characters do? Some would say you have to be a glutton for punishment to be in the writing business...  So, who's right? Are writers tops or bottoms? And is the relationship between writer and reader essentially a consensual contract? Discuss.

We're having a panel on pirates. Why? Because we can. Please bring rum to ensure a rollicking good time. We may award a prize to the best-dressed pirate crew to attend! Why are pirates so hot? I don't just mean popular, I mean HOT. Current research shows the most infamous pirates in the Age of Sail were kind of like the rock stars of their era, rebels who threw off the strictures of society and were icons of sex and drugs and rock-and-roll (except that they didn't yet have rock-and-roll, unless you count the nautical kind). Do you count Han Solo in the pirate vein, or not? Was there a real Captain Jack Sparrow and why are we continually attracted to the bad boys who break the rules?

So, you are a writer, or want to be, but this whole getting published thing...? Kind of a puzzle. Come as our panel of pros how it all works. How do you market yourself? Is your job done once you sell a story to an editor? What happens then? What do you need to know about ebooks and the changing marketplace? Do you need your own website? Do you have to "tweet"? How do contracts work? How ca a writer make sure they don't get scammed? Come with your questions, or just listen to our horror stories of Publishing Gone Wrong.

Constantine's adoption of Christianity as the official religion of the Roman Empire after 313 set Western culture on a path away from sensuality and toward the degradation of our bodiliness.  With the rise of our modern commercialism-dominated patriarchal society, the erotic became defined in terms of profit and divorced from human needs and feelings.  This panel will strive to reclaim Eros and return to it the qualities of compassion, thoughtfulness, consideration, nearness, feeling, care and intimacy, hope and transcendence, and the pleasure of relationship which have been lost to Eros over the centuries:  Eros in Mother Earth, Eros in Original Blessing, Eros in panentheism, and the source of Eros in our Quadrune Brain; ecstasy without guilt. It has been said that, "the sensual passions and mysteries are equally sacred with the spiritual mysteries and passions," and "we can no longer remain afraid, ignorant, or superstitious about the mystery of bodiliness, for in that mystery lies still other spiritual mysteries."  Come join us and find out!

 

People interested in participating as co-panelists are encouraged to contact Richard directly at alaricrh@charter.net

Yoga is an ancient form of meditative physical fitness. Deemed by many as the “perfect” form of exercise, yoga strives to connect the physical body with the mind and spirit. There is an emphasis on the chakras and their meanings in old yogic philosophy as well as modern day asana practice. The second chakra, is located in the low abdomen. It governs sexuality and reproduction. A peaceful and fully functional second chakra results in creativity, flow and sexual harmony. We will take part in a deep yoga practice including meditation, breath and energy work. This will assist us in focusing our minds and balance our second chakras, working to reduce negativity like apathy, guilt and addiction. Bring a yoga mat or towel and a bottle of water. This is a clothing optional workshop.

Learn basic moves used in belly dance that you can use at a drum circle or at the club.  This class is fun for all ages, sizes and body types.  Even guys can belly dance!  We'll talk a little about the history of Belly Dance and Tribal Belly Dance work on a few short combinations that you can take home an practice.

Building on belly dance moves many dancers have experimented, and started new trends, in the belly dance sub-cultures.  From ATS to Steam Punk we will explore what makes good fusion and how blending costuming, music, movement and expression can make a fabulous statement or a tremendous flop.

TammyJo "gives good voice." Come hear this mistress of BDSM fiction entrance you as she reads from her work.

Miranda Austin, author of Phone Sex: Aural Thrills and Oral Skills, reads real life tales of wild, weird, and wonderful kinky phone sex calls. It might turn you on, but you'll definitely laugh.

Two of the educators in our Kink Track are also creative writers. Each will read selections from their work.

No matter what genre you write, sometimes your plot is going to take your characters into a sex scene. In some genres, like erotica and erotic science fiction, the sex scene is required, while in others, like much urban fantasy, the sex is integral to the plot and can't simply be hidden "behind closed doors." How do you decide what level of explicitness works? How do you keep the language from either devolving into crudeness or coming out sounding medical? What do you do when a character of yours has a kink or a sexual preference you don't share? There's a lot more work involved in making them arouse the reader than simply insert-tab-A-into-slot-B. What's the secret in writing a real turn-on scene that advances the plot and story while making your readers grab the nearest available partner the second they finish reading it? What are some common mistakes, and how do you avoid them? If you feel like your sex scenes just lie there and think about shopping, this is the panel for you.

Salsa-- the combining of European and African cultures and rhythms in 1950's Cuba erupted as the fiery and vibrant dance known as salsa.  Eventually spreading to Puerto Rico, Latin America, and the US, Salsa music was popularized by world-famous musicians such as Tito Puente and prominently features the conga drum and elements of other dances such as Mambo and Rumba.

Hustle-- Based on older dances such as the Mambo and various Swing styles, The Hustle originated in Hispanic communities in New York City and Florida in the 1970s and exploded worldwide after it's appearance in the 1977 film 'Saturday Night Fever'. It can be danced to Disco, Funk, and most up-beat Pop music and was the most popular partner dance from the mid-'70s to the mid-'80s so put on your funky shoes and hustle on down to class!

Most people think that "burlesque" means female strippers walking a runway to a bump and grind beat. But that only fits the form in its declining years. At its best, burlesque was a rich source of music and comedy that kept American audiences laughing from 1840 through the 1960s. In this class you will see pictures, video and Big Mamma D giving you the real history of glitz, glam and girls who grind.

 

This seminar is an introduction to creating new characters and bringing character based costumes to life through the use of makeup. Learn how to transform your features and mold yourself into any character imaginable all with a few tips and tricks from Beauty Expert Andrea Mast Kessel of Andrea Makeup Artistry. Bring pen, paper questions and tons of creativity!!! When in comes to character creation…..the possibilities are endless!!!!

 

A recent news story reported that  "only 30% of all Warcraft Trial Accounts make it past level 10".  This class is intended to help the newcomer to WoW get the most out of the game.  We'll give you some tips to get you out of the starting zones and some ideas to really jumpstart your game play.  This interactive  class is not just for the newbie though - the more experienced folks will be asked to contribute their ideas and tips.  Maybe we'll all learn something new about the game that has over 11 million subscribers worldwide.

The polyamory lifestyles are gaining more and more attention, from both the media and the world of academia.  With the more attention, comes more access to those who may be interested in incorporating Poly-concepts into their relationship.  This panel will combine the whys and the hows of Polyamory and include down-to-earth advice about making it work.  The panel will being with some general information and progress for a guided discussion so we can all learn and build connections together.

Who loved watching James Marsters and John Barrowman fight and then seal it with a kiss?  That's not the only person Jack would flirt with, snog, or go all out with.  He's the omnisexual man.  Discuss this great character with us and give your opinion on the possible Fox USA version.  Will we continue to see someone who's sexuality is no shame?

If you've got ink, piercings, or something else then this is the place to discuss why you've done it, and what it means to you. This will also be a round table discussion on how body modification has evolved over time and society's current viewpoint on it.

Come and learn the basics on how to brew your own beer, Meade, or other wines. Stick around to taste some homebrew and compare it to commercial products, a $10 donation to our charity gets you all you can imbibe.

Once again the Whose Line tournament appears at Frolicon, take what you learned at the panel and put it to good use. There are only six slots this time around, so make sure you sign up. No holds barred in your comedy style, and no subject is taboo.

Spooky old houses, decayed factories, forgotten hospitals and lost locales.  We see them out of the corners of our eyes during the commute to work, the morning jog, the trip to visit relatives and more.  If your curiousity & interest peaks when you see them; if wonder how others had lived, worked, fought, healed or died in an area - you aren't crazy.  You share a facination with abandoned places.  There are entire communities of like minded people who explore, photograph, create art from or document the beauty and character of everything abandoned.  Many fetish photographers have happily use abandoned buildings for shoots.
 
Wait a sec though, wandering into an abandoned site isn't easy, safe or sane you say?  Without a little thought before hand, abandoned site exploration can be dangerous.  Nails, chemicals, wildlife, structural collapse, and other people all present dangers in entering any site.  The trick is in preparation, respect for the dangers and not being aware of what your getting into.  Photographers JJ MacCrimmon and Photognome will take you on a discussion of abandoned site exploration, photography and more.  Subjects to include: recon, safety, tresspass vs permission and much more.

The Frolicon photo staff and fellow photographers present topics beyond the basics of photography. Topics include portrait photography, lighting, models, pin-up photography, convention photography and more.

Everyone loves a stirring tale of lusty erotica, something that fills the loins with fire and rips the bodice right off. Now it's time for you to put it together. Bring your best writing chops
(or just your most torrid ones) and get ready to assemble the most scandalous bit of pr0n ever to fall out of an orifice not attached to Brittney Spears. Several big honkin' coloured markers and pads will be provided. This is not a team building exercise, unless you're squadding up for the cuddle party or Dungeon.

Naked Yoga is a Frolicon tradition. Must bring a mat or towel, you must be naked, no late entry allowed and no voyeurs.

 

Anime has gained a growing following of academic researchers over the past decade. Come find out what scholars from literary critics to sociologists are saying about anime.  Then, we'll talk about the panelist(s) own work and find out how you too can study anime as serious, degree-earning research.

"This is a reprisal of the underground yaoi panel that is held every year at the Animazement anime convention in Raleigh, NC - the one that doesn't appear on any program book there. Here we'll talk about canonical and recent titles, why we love them, and discuss some recent scholarly writing about us yaoi fans. Squealing and cheering are optional."

Catgirls, elven strippers, space vixens and more! Learn how to take photographs of your lover and turn them into the stuff of your own wet dreams. Have a specific fantasy image you'd like help with? Email seminar@amul.biz with topics suggestions, and we might work on realizing your fantasy/sci-fi imagery together!

Start to wok on your Frolicon Easter Bonnet for the contest on Saturday night. We will bring extra bonnets, but you can bring your own. You can supply half of the materials for you bonnet, and we will supply the rest.