First rehearsal for the grand finale was Saturday and there is a rising sense of anticipation among the finalists. Twenty-two beautiful, stylish, graceful and motivated ladies… and there can only be one Miss Virtual World.

Miss China, Sora Tatham

Sora: I run Agata Model Agency in SL. I put a lot of effort into introducing non-Japanese brands to Japanese and introducing high quality Japanese brands to the non-Japanese residents in SL. Most of the regular fashion shows in SL are held when it’s very difficult for Japanese to go watch. For those brands that I work with, I also help developing vendor posters for their stores. I also train models who can address the above needs and also create poses and shapes.

Kate: What tools does do you use to create poses? Are eastern poses different from western poses?
Sora: I use Poser and Avimator (avimator is freeware – ks). All use the same programs. As far as arm pit poses are concerned, the Japanese culture never cared about that more or less for gowns. In Japan, we don’t wear formal much. Most fashion is casual. I learned that arm pit poses are a “no-no” now that I have more exchange with non-Japanese people.
Kate: Interesting! I was under the impression Eastern culture was much more formal than Western culture.
Sora: Well Japanese are nervous in some areas and strict but as far as formal western gown goes, we don’t have established customs to wear much formal wear (dresses) so we were not aware of the etiquettes for gowns.
Kate: The same way western models would not know the rules for wearing kimonos.
Sora: Yes, yes with kimonos we have very strict rules and we need to use completely different poses and walks. When it comes to kimonos, I think these things will be even more strict than what the Western culture has for gowns so maybe in that sense, kimonos for us is the same as dresses(gowns) in the West
Kate: And you are attempting to bridge the gap between East and West?
Sora: As I said in the first part, I am trying to introduce non-Japanese brands to Japanese residents in time zones that they can actually come to the shows. And the opposite to show Japanese brands, thru an attempt to show brands in time zones that each side can attend and I show Japanese brands in the shows too. The Agata Models have come to Kay’s classes at Mimmi’s academy where she had classes in Japanese, informing them what the West would like to see and how they could contribute as models from the East. The concepts of this East Meets West Show were developed here. My exposure and exchange with non-Japanese people has increased a lot since I became a Miss Virtual World finalist. So it has become easier for me to get more non-Japanese to attend my shows.
Kate: From one who has spent days wandering through Eastern sims, I can tell you easy access is important.
Sora: The show venue is made like a mini-mall. Vendors are set up for the guests to buy on the spot if they wish.

Kate: Congratulations on your splendid showing in the MVW Orient Express photo competition. Should Miss Virtual World be more inclusive of different cultures?
Sora: One thing I really felt strongly is…. in Japan, every citizen has to study English for 6 years. I can read, but I really felt the need to be able to speak the language better. I still have difficulty following what is said.
Kate: You are not alone; sometimes I have no clue what Frolic is saying…
Sora: Most Miss Virtual World events are in a time zone that is very hard for people in the East to attend. The time of the events is also something I would like to see changed. East is not just about Japan. If we can incorporate other countries in the East, that will be great, like India too, when events are being planned. Realistically, Japan is the total opposite when it comes to time. Europe and USA can handle this by shifting the time a bit, but Japan is half a world away, so hard it’s to be included. Japan is an isolated country surrounded by sea (and language and alphabet and time zone -ks). It’s always been isolated from way back in its history. It’s hard for Japanese to be open and outgoing; they are very shy as they have kept their isolation for so long.
Kate: Shy?
Sora: Yeah, maybe Japanese are more introverted its not that they think they shouldn’t self promote. I was very shy too until I became a finalist. The other girls in the pageant have helped me a lot and I have been able to come out more in public in Japan (in RL). We often think its not good to “stick out”.
Kate: Is this why computer translators don’t work on Japanese to English? The language is nuanced, where as English can be spoken with a hammer and tongs?
Sora: Japanese is much nuanced. For example, at Miss Virtual World events, there is so much I want to say but the only translation I can find is THANK YOU. So I keep saying ty ty ty all the time!! I am in fact, trying to say something slightly different. All the nuance is lost (different types of thank you that do not translate – thank you – hang in there, thank you – I will appreciate your help, thank you – I wish you good luck, etc. -kf).
Kate: In a way, Miss Virtual World is giving you an opportunity to express yourself without words in a nuanced, Japanese way, without words, with your style alone.
Sora: Aaah yes maybe that’s true. I put a LOT of effort in expressing my style in Miss Virtual World.
Kate: This Eastern perspective may be strength, an advantage over Western finalists who hope to find a way to influence the judges more directly.
Sora: Yes. There is one more thing Miss Virtual World has taught me. Japanese are so rigid in their thinking.  Not creative. We tend to think “inside a box”. I felt a BIG surprise to see how the other finalists were creative and “out of the box” in how they style and also the size of their thinking scale they can think in a much bigger scale than us Japanese. We tend to get “too small” or “too rigid” which may not translate on a big stage. For example, at the Halloween challenge, I thought you couldn’t be creative. I was thinking in line of what Halloween is from what we usually see. I was so surprised to see how the other finalists were so creative in their styling. And the same goes for everything we see.  We (eastern culture –ks) need to learn to be more dynamic!
Kate: What are your thoughts and feelings about the grand finale coming up; are you ready?
Sora: My preparation for the Grand Finale is moving along. I have my costumes ready, almost ready. On the inside, I’m still nervous and anxious. Japanese are SO bad at expressing themselves. It’s hard for them to say “I am so and so”. I think the Q&A part may be very hard for me. More so than my nervousness, I am looking forward to it.
Kate: Any advice to next year’s applicants?
Sora: Miss Virtual World is a pageant that looks at not just the beauty of avatars but it’s a difficult one to handle unless you are “polished” comprehensively such as being good in your styling sense, choice of pictures, posing. Although I have an agency, there is a lot that I am not yet good at myself and I have learned a lot over this past two months.  It has also been a great learning trigger for me to be with the other finalists and all this will help me in my modeling career in the future.

Special thanks to Kay Fairey who took time out of her busy schedule to provide her services as a translator and to Sora Tatham for her honesty and directness during the interview. I really felt that I gained something unique in sharing time with both of them.

The Grand Finale for MISS VIRTUAL WORLD 2010 will be held at the Patch Thibaud Auditorium on December 19, Saturday 11AM SLT. There is nothing else like this in Second Life. See you there!

Kate Stockholm is a featured columnist for Best of Second Life Magazine, a retired SL Mentor and a Miss Virtual World Organization executive. She was last year’s Miss Sweden and winner of Miss Congeniality.

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