A Night in the Garden // Immerse Yourself in Fashion and Masquerade
An Immersive Fashion Experience and Masquerade Ball // Friday, October 14.
A Night in the Garden is an experiential fashion event and masquerade ball that offers guests an immersion in artistry and imagination unlike anything the Hostess City has ever seen.
This event features a runway fashion show, aerialist, burlesque and magic performances, and music from live local bands and DJs along with entertainers from NYC. The evening is meant for indulging in escapism as avant-garde costumes and masks are encouraged. Prepare to dance the night away at this uniquely Savannah event.
South sat down with some of the designers, performers and DJs ahead of this magical night which unfolds at Trustees’ Garden on Friday, October 14, 2022.
Photography: Caroline Knopf // Backdrop: Mark Stetler fine art pinhole image Hair and Makeup: KS Luxe Artistry LLC // Dress: Roz Morris Jr.
Roz Morris Jr. / StoneLords
A contemporary concept shop, art gallery, and design studio created by Roz Morris Jr. that features unique international clothing lines and fine art.
Q+A
S: Who and which things are the inspiration while creating a design?
RM: I get a lot of inspiration from film, history, art, and music.
S: What is your favorite part of your job?
RM: Those golden hours in the morning at 4 or 5 am, when no one tries to contact you, and I can work on the creative part or at least lay there and think about it.
S: What are you looking forward to most about A Night in the Garden?
RM: Seeing all the wonderful performances, runway show, and what the crowd will be wearing.
S: Advice for those considering a career in fashion?
RM: Just be kind, compassionate, and creative. The Devil Wears Prada doesn’t have to be your reality.
S: What is fashion for you?
RM: Fashion, to me, is always evolving, but true style is enduring.
S: How do you stay updated with the trends in the fashion industry?
RM: By reading, looking, and observing.
S: How would you define your personal style?
RM: Ready for a victorian funeral and a jog up some stairs.
S: If you were standing in front of 80,000 people, what would the message be that you would like to leave with them?
RM: Who needs a hug?
Stonelords
415 Whitaker St., Savannah, GA
912.777.5932 | stonelords.com
Performing for the Keyhole Cabaret in San Diego, 2012.
International Burlesque Performer / Flame Cynders
The starlet that would one day become the alluring Flame Cynders began her journey into performance by studying classical ballet, tap, and jazz dance beginning at the age of 4.
Q+A
S: What is your favorite part about performing?
FC: I love entertaining through sensual movement and storytelling. I also love that performing burlesque has allowed me to travel the world, performing and teaching.
S: Where did your stage name come from?
FC: I was scouted to be a burlesque performer for Big City Burlesque. My name was given to me in 2002 by Kenton Mcghee.
S: What was your first foray into Burlesque and what was it like?
FC: The first time I started rehearsing and eventually performing, it was clear to me that this would be a passion I would continue as long as my body would allow it.
S: What made you want to do Burlesque?
FC: The stage is where my love is. Performing in front of an audience in that I can interact with my gaze or just a leg peel is intoxicating.
S: What do you do to mentally prepare to perform?
FC: Before I bring my mind to the stage, I try to put it in a state of sensuality so I can lure the audience into a state of desire.
S: What do you do to physically prepare to perform?
FC: I have always worked out through dancing, pilates, and Spin classes. Before performances, a lot of rehearsal goes into each act.
S: What is the most challenging thing about performing?
FC: Making sure all the costume pieces work as they should is my prop.
S: What are you looking forward to most about A Night in the Garden?
FC: I am excited to bring my classic burlesque acts to a grand event. I hope the audience falls in love with Burlesque and has the most fantastic experience.
S: What has been your greatest challenge as a burlesque artist?
FC: The most challenging thing about performing for me is staying relevant. I have been performing Burlesque for 20 years, and social media has exploded. I work full-time and have a family, yet I still perform occasionally. It leaves little to no time to promote myself.
S: Is there a particular person who inspires you, or do you look to for inspiration?
FC: There are so many that inspire me as a performer. I would say the first of them all is Cyd Charrise, a 1940s Dancer and actress. A few burlesque community performers also inspire me: Jessabelle Thunder, Ursula Undress, Kitten Deville, and many more.
S: What is the weirdest experience you’ve had at a show?
FC: I am not sure if I would classify this as weird, but not expecting it. I saw a burlesque performer do a fan dance to car alarms as her music.
S: What do you want to get across with your work?
FC: That entertainment can involve little to no clothing and still be tasteful.
S: How do you know if an act is “working”?
FC: If I can engage and captivate the audience, I know that my show is working.
flamecynders.com
Sleepy & Boo
Sleepy & Boo’s undying passion for underground music pervades everything they do. The production and DJ duo are prominent figures in the New York dance world, having held residencies at some of the city’s most storied nightspots, in addition to making regular appearances in Berlin, the West Coast, Miami and Ibiza.
S: Tell us about your journey and how did you start DJing?
S+B: We’ve always been music and nightlife fans, and DJing is just something we were both drawn to. We discovered this mutual passion was something we wanted to pursue as a duo. We got started playing small bars in New York, and from there we evolved into throwing our own parties, and then we started booking out of town guests and doing regular nights at more established New York clubs. Our progression was always very organic, DJing together is something we just love doing, and we’ve embraced every opportunity we’ve been fortunate enough to receive.
S: Who is your biggest inspiration in the music industry?
S+B: We’re lucky to have met and worked with some of our biggest heroes over the years, and we’ve learned something from everyone. In particular, Jeff Mills is a big inspiration for us, not only is he an amazing DJ and music producer, but he’s an iconoclast who doesn’t get caught up in whatever is trendy, and he’s someone who believes that DJs can do much more than just be an entertainer. We’d have to say he’s probably our biggest inspiration, and someone we’re always learning from. But there’s so many artists who have done great things who we’ve learned from – Kaskade, Tom Middleton, Hernan Cattaneo, Jody Wisternoff, Mark Farina, Satoshi Tomiie, the legendary Frankie Knuckles, Carl Craig, Luciano, and many more.
S: What is your favorite part about being a successful DJ?
S+B: Being able to bring our music to different and new places, and connect with new people through our DJ sets. We love traveling and exploring, and having music as the vehicle to do this is so gratifying to us. We’re very grateful to all the clubs and promoters and cities where we’ve been able to play.
S: Describe a typical DJ performance in three words.
S+B: Let’s have fun.
S: What are you looking forward to most about A Night in the Garden?
S+B: We love visiting Savannah, it’s such a beautiful and captivating city, and this will be our first time DJing there, so that’s exciting for us. A Night in the Garden looks to be a really fun event, and we’re honored to be performing alongside some of the great creatives in Savannah. We’re especially looking forward to seeing the fashion designs. We love Roz and what she’s doing with StoneLords, and it’s just going to be a great and expressive night.
S: Do you have any other hobbies or passions that you enjoy in your down time?
S+B: We create and produce our own music, so a lot of our extra time is devoted to being in the studio. We have releases coming up soon on 3Bridge Records from New York, San Bolsa Music from Peru, Hypnotic Room from Japan, Jannowitz Records from Berlin, and more. We just had Miami’s Oscar G remix our track “Outlying”, which is out on Boris’ label Transmit now. Writing music is an amazing way of connecting with the international music scene, and it’s a great feeling to know that people all over the world are enjoying our creations.
S: How do you stay up to date with the latest music trends?
S+B: We spend a lot of time digging for music, going through promos, following artists and labels we love. There’s a constant stream of new music coming, so it’s a lot of fun to discover new tracks that fit with what we want to play.
S: What kind of things are inspiring your stuff at the moment, those external influences?
S+B: It’s been very inspiring to be DJing again in New York over the last year. Ever since nightlife re-opened after the Covid shutdowns, everyone has been so energetic and enthusiastic. There’s a lot of new people who have arrived in NYC, new venues that have opened up, and everyone is appreciating lots of different music styles at the same time. You don’t have to limit yourself to just one sound or genre as a DJ these days, and that opens up a lot of creativity in sets.
S: Are there any unwritten rules among DJs?
S+B: So many. If you’re playing support for a headliner, don’t play any of their tracks before they go on. Don’t go over your set time if you’re sharing a lineup with other DJs. Cooperate with the venue managers and staff if they have a request for you. Treat the equipment like it’s your own. Plan ahead and figure out the vibe of the night you’re playing. And on, and on, and on….
S: Name a record you can listen to five times in a row without getting bored and explain why.
S+B: David Bowie “Let’s Dance.” Always puts us in a good mood and gets us in the dancing spirit.
S: Name three records that have influenced your life musically, and tell us why.
S+B: Joe Smooth – “Promised Land”. A classic Chicago house vocal with a timeless message. Uplifting and inspiring. We love playing this track at the right times.
John Lennon “Imagine” – One of our favorite pieces of music of all time. Everything tells a story on this record, and the subtle production, as well as the lyrics, just resonate with us.
Prince – “When Doves Cry” – We love 80s music and Prince is just a musical icon who created so many amazing records. This one we love because it’s kind of a proto-techno record with the way Prince emphasized the LM-1 drum machine.
S: What music have you listened to today?
S+B: We like to start off our day with some meditation and mindfulness practice, so we listened to one of Begoña’s meditation sound paths this morning. They’re on our Soundcloud page, 20 minutes of ambient sounds that help us get centered.
Join us for an evening of creative performances and lavish indulgences, including a runway show by local designers, special performances by aerialists, burlesque, dancing, magic, live bands, and DJs from NYC.
Proceeds from this show benefit the United Way of the Coastal Empire.
DJ set by Jose Ray – Multifaceted Artist & SCAD Alumnus
MC Patrick Saxon – Savannah Host & Event Personality
Designers:
Ana A.
Sayler Made by Kathleen Sayler
Morgan Dallas
LaTricia Brown
The Downtown Delilahs High energy performers who take a modern twist on the tantalizing nature of burlesque and the quirkiness of Vaudeville
Rita D’LaVane – Savannah Sweet Tease – Voted Savannah’s number one Burlesque performer many years in a row
Aerial performances by Savannah Cirque
Flame Cynders – International burlesque performer returning to the stage for her comeback performance
Laiken Love & Fellowship of Love – Savannah’s premier band known for sultry and soulful performances
Sleepy and Boo – NYC DJ duo – Essential figures and pre-eminent players in the Big Apple’s dynamic music scene
Multiple VIP areas with Mixologist cocktails and hors d’oeuvres and swag bags
And a Night Market featuring local retailers and designers
Attire: Black tie with masquerade mask, creative cocktail attire or a fabulous costume
When:
Fri, October 14, 2022 / 7:00 PM
Where:
Kehoe Iron Works at Trustees’ Garden 660 East Broughton Street
Tickets:
Click here
****Ticket holders must be 21 or older. All ticket sales and donations are final.****
