So you want to know who I am, since what I said doesn't appear to be enough.06:04 Jul 29 2009
Times Read: 959
I don't really have any good photos anymore to tell the truth nor do I wish to take anymore really but here are two fairly recent ones but both were taken with a webcam and aren't too clear. My hair is now so long I can sit on it. It is natural blond but I lighten it a little. Most know me as Lady Nightdancer but others know me as Lady Saraphiel or Saraphiel Morningstar which is much newer. My House is Arcadia Bloodmoon and I also since around the millenium have the Temple of Lucidity. Actually there is a longer name but I would rather not say. I belong to many groups including one I am part owner which is the Vampire Nation or Vampiresnest; a Council. I am a member of Dark Nations, the Coven of Darkness, Temple of Lost Souls and some other organizations. I am not active in the scene but have been in the culture itself. I am a retired writer.
Here is my community bio that appeared in the GraveYard Press. Normally I am shy but talkie and generally tolerant of most things but I can sense when people are doing things and have been able to do that most of my life. It's not fun to know someone is being other than nice. Lady Adriana is my mentor from Louisiana, formerly of New Orleans but the storm destroyed her home and she lives outside the city a few miles.
A Tango with Lady Nightdancer
By Deacon Gray
Over the weeks, months or years of reading this and many other forums perhaps you, like I, came to realize that I really didn't know much about the selected elders of the community. I wanted to learn more about them, so with the creation of the Graveyard Press I saw a chance to be nosy and talk to some of the elders a little more close up and personally. One of those elders was one of the first I met was Lady Nightdancer (ID Musette).
My first interaction with Lady Nightdancer was in the middle of a fairly lively debate in a forum that she moderates, and sits as an elder, called the Vampire Nation. She currently is very active in the community and though known by many names she is respected as one of the true community elders and leaders.
GYP: Hello Lady Nightdancer and thank you for allowing this intrusion.
LN: Greetings Deacon, I’m happy to oblige you.
GYP: Can you tell me a little about yourself? Where you were raised, and what your influences were?
LN: Well to be perfectly honest, I’m a Navy brat. I was born on a Marine base called Camp Pendleton and we lived about 100 miles from there near a navel Hospital where my dad was a corpsman.
I grew up in a small town where the industry was basically growing citrus fruits. I was very quiet then, of course I am not now at all but back then I was and I always had my nose stuck in a book. I read about the occult. I read about the paranormal and was interested in the nature of things since very little.
Well I studied ballet and tap when I was a kid as well as baton twirling and did march in parades. I learned to play piano which I have now forgotten for the most part. I loved to dance and I was involved in singing. Actually I wanted to be a professional singer when I was younger. Though I was very shy, I was always an indoor person and not very social.
The big change happened while I went to a local college majoring in music (for vocalists) and Psychology. I got married and divorced and eventually moved to Orange County. There I got involved with a metaphysical channeling group called “Infinite Seekers” and various other people involved in the Psychic field. I was lucky enough to meet Isabel Hickey just prior to her passing who wrote Astrology: A Cosmic Science but when I saw her she was lecturing in a small bookstore in Buena Park on Huna.
GYP: Who was one of the most stand out people you remember?
LN: I met a lot of other people but what really sticks in my mind is meeting Robert Anton Wilson. My group “IS” did LARP with him based on his Illuminatus book. I never did know why or how they met him but I was called and came down two years consecutively to help with this game until his daughter died and he moved to northern California.
To be honest I was sort of dumbfounded by the whole thing and until I came online I had no idea how much he was revered in some circles and all this talk about Popes. I use to run into them in magickal groups and found out he was responsible for all that.
I had to giggle, as when I met him he was always in a suit and very business like and professional. I saw no humor in him at all. I actually had only read a portion of one of the books. This was very illuminating when I came online and found his name came up in quite a few conversations. I was like, well I know him, lol.
GYP: If you don't mind me getting personal for a second, what are your personal interests? What kind of music do you like, and how would you describe yourself?
LN: Asking me what my personal interests are is a dissertation in itself. I do hold great stock in astrology and I have Gemini rising. I am interested in just about anything, but mostly those things of the unknown that defy most people’s sense of reality, as we know it.
I know at times I have fascinated and even slightly scared people I have talked to but I never knew what it was because outwardly I am very vanilla. I am also very blond and my hair reaches my waist and I get told all the time I don’t look my age but what’s in a number?
I love sci-fi and horror so I always watched those types of movies and read that type of book or non-fiction in the area of researching the unknown. I was interested in everything Ruth Montgomery wrote.
I went to Star Trek Conventions and I loved the show Beauty and the Beast and have collected memorabilia from that show including my favorite script. I went to other conventions, such as Fangoria and met a lot of people. I had always wanted to meet Clive Barker but something always got in the way of doing so and my other quest more recently is Criss Angel. I’m dying to meet him.
I have studied all sorts of metaphysical, what I term, sciences such as astrology etc. I’m pretty adept at meditation and visualization. I was very involved with Spiritualists up until about 1980 something. Now it’s sort of a sideline interest. When I lived in San Diego I was a member of IANDS (International Society for Near Death Studies). I have always been interested in near death experiences, UFOlogy and abductions. I was a charter member of the Planetary Society started by Carl Sagan. I’m interested in Cosmology as well as Archaeology findings, religious studies, Ancient cultures and languages. I’m presently trying to learn Esperanto. I just don’t have enough time for everything.
As far as more mundane things, I have collected stamps most of my life and no, not off envelopes. I collect mint stamps. I also collect foreign coins on occasion and (beanie babies). Don’t tell anyone I told you. I collect angels, faeries and lighthouses. When I was in my own place you would find them all over and in every room. They were there with various Egyptian pieces as I love Egyptian lore and artifacts especially Scarabs. I am also fascinated by the Mayans. My patron Goddess is Sekhmet and I use her on occasion magickally.
GYP: What about Music?
LN: Musically I like just about everything except the old Country western pieces and Rap. I like some things no one in this Community I doubt would like such as Josh Groban and Michael Buble and others of this ilk. I like the older heavy metal bands, as my brother is a bass player and use to jam with Sammy Hagar. He came out of our area. I like Dargaard and Opeth a lot and most of the groups like Disturbed, Static X, Saliva, Avenged Sevenfold, 30 Seconds to Mars, After Forever, Sara Barelles, Lacuna Coil and so many others.
I have collected some of the older Gothic music such as Bauhaus but realized they are an acquired taste, I use to attend Contemporary Christian concerts but those that were associated mostly with the Rock/metal bands. I am not a Christian by definition and am more into Universalism if you were to pin me down. I don’t know, I guess I believe if one is communing with a “God” aspect it is a personal thing and I don’t like to define it by religion which is organized and I see the organization of a natural state to be corrupting. I told you I was outspoken.
GYP: When did you realize you were a vampire, when did you "Awaken"?
LN: I never had an awakening per se. Not like most associate as an awakening. I think with the organization of the Community people can identify with certain circumstances in their lives much easier. I was just a weird child. I would say I sort of evolved. I was thinking about religion and the meaning of things when I was under kindergarten age. I thought to myself, “is this all there is to life”. I felt doomed when I would come home from church, as I knew I could not make the grade on perfection and I simply did not believe half of what I was told. It didn’t feel right to me from a very early age.
I felt like I was being indoctrinated and I came to a realization about myself. This person, this body is not me I am “behind the eyes”. This is how I recognized it. I would never have back then in early 50s, called it “Vampyre”. I doubt anyone would have but I went through a lot of emotional upheaval because I felt out of place and I never fit in no matter how much I tried. I was always the weird one. I knew things most my age couldn’t even grasp and would likely have thought boring. I was never a kid.
GYP: So what type of vampire are you?
LN: Type of Vampyre? I always find that question amusing.
You see this is another soapbox issue with me because I think we try to figure out this by how we feed and I personally find it annoying. Why do I have to be a type? I am what I am but if you insist, I call myself, pranic/empathic. Not to be confused by the mistaken idea that pranic has something to do with sexuality as it does not. I am an energy feeder; sexual, emotional and what some term “god energies”.
GYP: Right, some call that “Eros Type Vampires.” Pranic feeding is something else isn’t it?
LN: Well they are both energy feeders, and one could refer to me as succubus-like, I guess, even if I have a different way of expressing it due to the generation I come from. I do have a latent tendency to feed off someone if depleted, as normally I do not take energy from aura fields or blood. I have learned to control my unconscious activities in that regard. Because of my metaphysical background it is spiritually abhorrent to me to do that. It’s just not part of my aesthetic.
I think these things have a lot to do with environment and origins. We simply don’t know enough about this to say much other than I’m drawn to feeding in such and such a way and if the Community wants to use that to label each other, so be it. I just don’t personally.
GYP: How long have you been in the vampire community and were did you start?
LN: Ah, in the Community. Well here comes this age thing again. When the Goth subculture became active, it was my kids that were interested in that, in the sense that they had friends in it. In the 70s and 80s I was working and raising children and involved in psychic training. I bring up Goth because in every history you find they will say the Vampyre subculture is a subset of the Goth movement, which we all know is not correct.
I know they are now closely linked together but they aren’t the same. If I went out to dance and so forth I wouldn’t have gone to any place like that, as it was a hang out for people much, much younger than I was, and it was very underground. I wouldn’t have looked for it. I instead was involved with the occult/metaphysical community.
In that time period I was actively beginning to hone magickal skills, all else was what came naturally to me with no effort. One of the previous Elders called me witchy, which I found interesting. Those I was with were not like me really, but it was the only place I could find where I remotely fit.
I discovered the internet and met people online and joined egroups and became familiar with people and spoke up and people became familiar with me. As to how long, I honestly don’t think of myself as having ever been in it, in the sense of socially. I am more of a serious person and into attaining knowledge more than social aspects of things. I didn’t think of it that way.
GYP: Interesting, did you hold any positions or conduct any projects?
LN: No as I said I didn’t belong to any of those types of things. I belonged online to many groups and Vampyre Magick for a long time but my focus was more in the area of magick and the occult and not the social underground communities.
I opened a vampyre chat room and met people online whose focus was that direction and I ran into Rev Dr Vamp Goddess here and there but we never got to know each other really until we were both in the VN and locked horns, lol. I did go to Pagan meetups in San Diego for awhile with my youngest daughter and met various people there. I stayed away from the Vampyre ones as it seemed to draw High School kids who were just interested in the lifestyle and glam of the Vampire.
GYP: What about since then? Before you joined the Vampire Nations what other people, places or groups had an influence on you, and helped mold your current views within the vampire community?
LN: Well I knew my niche was this “community” but I was quite frankly put off by a lot of the drama and politics of it so I stayed out of it. My lifestyle at the time did not leave me time to even worry about socializing or doing much more than surviving. I did go on occasion to LA and hang out at the Bhodie Tree.
I collect books. I got into bodywork and am a trained massage tech and instructor and attended a lot of alternative health expos and Psychic Fairs. I was always more the type of person who lived in their mind. I went into LA and went dancing back in the 70s but never saw anything like Goth or Vampyre down there anywhere.
I remember going to a club upstairs of a hotel I believe, with carved monkeys everywhere but I don’t remember the name. I went to the Whiskie. I use to go to Redondo Beach and Marina Del Rey to a club called, “A Clockwork Orange”. Many new bands would play there and on one occasion I ran into Alice Cooper there sitting a couple of tables over from myself and the man I was with. Most of what people think of as the Community is relatively new. There are a few people in early forties but most who are barely in their 30s,seem to be those that people look up to as the “Community” and the societies, Houses, Havens, clans and organizations they have created. But is it really? It’s like Wicca, modern age ideas. I don’t relate to all that but I accept it to be something that people identify with.
GYP: How long have you been in the Vampire Nation?
LN: I have been in the Vampire Nation right about at its inception in 2004. I belonged to another group that the co-founder had. As well as I belonged to many other online Vampyric, Occult, Magickal groups as I had many Ids by that time and I had them focused for certain organizational endeavors.
GYP: What made you want to become an elder for the Vampire Nations?
LN: At first I didn’t want to be involved in the management end of things but more in the creative end. I then saw who was in the Elder Chairs and felt I needed a voice in what was being created in the group. Perhaps, the voice of reason.
Actually bring an aspect in for those of us who are older and don’t actively participate in the “scene” end of things; a voice coming out of the wilderness so to speak. Besides I had a lot of organizational background and Occult studies and other things in my repertoire.
GYP: What projects within the Vampire Community have you had a major hand in, and which one did you like the best?
LN: I stay out of the affairs of other groups because beyond my own House, Arcadia Bloodmoon, that was strictly created for Vampyres and teaching each other and social activities in the Western part of the United States. I find I can only constructively focus on one organization at a time.
I have sort of left that on the back burner to focus pretty much solely on the Vampire Nation’s goals and activities. I love the creativeness of this group as it attracts many people from all over with their own philosophies from many organizations on various levels. This can only be a good thing. It enables us to be more accepting within our own culture and to connect us in a very positive way. It helps to show those who are not of this culture we are a serious group and not a passing phase.
No matter how we dress, or our individual beliefs, one thing stands out above all else, WE are all vampyres or associated kin and we all firmly believe this to be fact. Therefore, because of our beliefs and sense of what we are we come together and organize for the greater good. We come together because of who and what we are no matter our differences, age and background. We have some very interesting cross correlations with other belief systems and/or states of being. We want to be heard and being a major part of the VN gives me a great opportunity to participate with a Community that is coming into its own.
GYP: Are you currently working on any projects that you would like to share?
LN: There are always projects and ideas going on in the VN or relating to it and hopes to fulfill some of them. The problem is personal life, family and situations encroaching time. It’s very difficult sometimes.
One has to be very committed. I am trying to finish something I began two years ago and that is to create a Library where those in our subculture can go and find answers, resources and interesting articles. At the moment I am working on a project called The Graveyard Press. If you are reading this you know about it.
I love to write and research. I like to write stories, poems and informational articles and resources of interest. This has been a worthwhile experience, as we have allowed those in the community, a certain percentage to participate in our Ezine. We hope this will breach the gap and bring us all together to accomplish projects. It’s fun, challenging and rewarding.
It took us a year to actually get it up on the internet. It wasn’t until we met an amazing lady named, Deallas that all of us were able to make this vision a reality. I know it will only get better and better as the zine is known and people send us their thoughts and articles to print. We really want to showcase those of our community. We are a very creative and talented bunch.
GYP: What do you find the most difficult part of being an Elder in the Vampire Nation?
LN: Remaining neutral on all occasions because I do have viewpoints of my own outside the standards of the organization. It is also difficult making some people understand the set up of the group, and that we are of many philosophies, Houses and organizations. We don’t try to define what everything is so precisely but let people explore it in an email group civilly.
GYP: What advise would you give to a newly awakened vampire?
LN: Stay calm. Don’t buy into everything you read and hear. Explore how you are feeling through groups or friends you know that are established in the Community and then look more until you find what you feel fits with your circumstances. Only YOU can truly know what you are. It’s confusing and for some perplexing and scary but anything new is. You will be surprised; doors will open to you that you have never expected. It’s the way of the vampyre.
GYP: Over time you have had to deal with some pretty hard cases. Instances like disrespect, threats, fighting on the forums and major disruptive personalities. How do you deal with those issues?
LN: It really depends on the circumstances. I write to them and try to explain the rules of the organization if it’s a first instance. If it has been a few times and this person is basically someone who loses it once in awhile but is reasonable they get moderated. Some people come in with a “look at me” attitude while professing others are doing this and they have a long signature line announcing who they are each time they post.
I’m not talking about the usual ones you see with most but big bold ones while they post and say very rude things. These are the types of people who will get banned after doing this a few times. They tend to wait until they are no longer on new member moderation. I do not know why there are some that have to make a statement via mean spirited posts and condescending, patronizing statements other than they have to be chaotic/negative feeders that get pleasure out of doing so. It disrupts the group but many times Moderators can’t win. You have those that are saying why do you let this get posted while others are crying free speech. I think people have to be realistic.
The laws are more stringent and we cannot allow any libel on any of our groups. Our policy for threats on or off the main board if it stems from conversation in the Vampiresnest will be treated seriously and we will report to the proper authorities. We cannot allow anyone to threaten members with bodily harm. They will be banned. Many times when it escalates a lot, it goes to the Elders board for a view of procedure and if there are inflammatory remarks on the posts that seem to be escalating in kind, I call for Bloodwaraxe, First chair of the Guard.
GYP: Ok enough of the grilling. I have some more personal questions if you don't mind sharing. Do you have any pets and if so what kind and what is it named?
LN: I have had many pets over the years. My fondest pets were Sable and Sweetie. They were two pet rats that I would play with when I lived in San Diego. I had to give them back to the people who gave them to me because my job was keeping me away from home.
Rats are social creatures unlike hamsters. This is why I had two of them. They do get lonely and they are very smart. Domesticated rats are clean and as smart as a dog. If you get them young they can learn to come when you call them and tricks and be a lot of fun. They usually won’t bite unless you are foolish enough to stick your finger through the bars of the cage. They have to be taught the difference between food and fingers. I have had many cats, a dog growing up and many, many fish. I like bettas. I have had a bird or two but at this point I have no pets of my own but my daughter has two cats here that are Bengal leopard breed of tabby. Kakini which means socks in Hawaiian because she has white feet and her Mother who was named Wooky but my daughter calls Momma. Unfortunately even though I love cats, I am allergic to them.
GYP: Are you married…single…committed or still flirting?
LN: That would be telling! Actually I am in perpetual separation that should be remedied soon and I’m in the midst of wannabe relationship with someone slightly over three years who I am committed to.
GYP: Thank you for your time, and commitment to the community. Is there anything more you would like to share?
LN: Just be tolerant of the differences in our Community. Don’t believe you know all there is to know and treat others with the respect you would want for how you see yourself. Embrace the darkness but don’t succumb to it.
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