Dancing With the Avatars?

In my Internet holiday party video posted yesterday, I talked to entertainer and entrepreneur MC Hammer about his new online dance start-up called DanceJam.

At one point, I kid him, noting, “You can’t dance on the Internet.”

So, of course, it took about two seconds to get an email on the subject decrying my ignorance, including a link to Second Life Ballet’s first production from about a year ago.

Called “Olmannen,” it uses original animations, music and choreography, put together by a choreographer and director whose Second Life name is Inarra Saarinen. And, apparently, the virtual-reality dancers are real ones manipulating the avatars.

While I am not a big fan of Second Life, this is oddly riveting and works well in the avatar medium.

The SLB’s newest production is, no surprise in this holiday season, “The Nutcracker,” which just premiered in Second Life and runs through January.

Here’s “Olmannen,” in two parts:

Part 1

Part 2