Ilsley Visits Sunsations This week, Ilsley travels to warm, sunny Florida for a visit with Sunsations, a travel club in Fort Myers. As a nonlanded club, Sunsations does not own or lease any property, but members travel to various locations including nudist resorts, nudist-friendly beaches, and private house parties. Sunsations is a very active club whose membership is diverse, interesting, and fun-loving. Activities include theme parties with live entertainment, games, and contests. Sunsations potlucks are a culinary treat. The Ilsley is a traveling trophy commissioned to commemorate AANR's 75th Anniversary as the credible voice of reason for nude recreation in North America. Ilsley is traveling to nearly 40 AANR clubs and resorts across the U.S. and Canada. Throughout his tour, special themed events and celebrations are planned at host clubs along the way. The award is named for the late Rev. Ilsley Boone, the founder and first Executive Director of AANR's predecessor, the American Sunbathing Association. Boone is perhaps best remembered as the flamboyant clergyman who served as plaintiff in the 1958 case of Sunshine and Health v. Summerfield. That case went all the way to the United States Supreme Court and established, once and for all, First Amendment protection for nudist publications. Ilsley ends his tour in August 2006 at the Association's 75th Anniversary Convention at Deanza Springs Resort outside San Diego, California. You can track Ilsley's weekly progress on his year-long tour right here on the AANR website. 
Nude Sleepwalking on the Rise A UK survey of 2,800 adults indicates that sleepwalking is on the rise. Nearly half of those interviewed said their sleepwalking was due to the pressure of work and demanding lifestyles. The study found that one percent of sleepwalkers do it every night, while 12 percent sleepwalk several times each week, with just under a third simply walking around their bedrooms. But researchers found that those who sleep naked are likely to go on longer trips. The survey, commissioned by the Travelodge hotel chain, found that 16 percent of nude walkers will wander into other bedrooms, 15 percent will get stuck in the bathroom, and 23 percent will wander into a ground floor room. Travelodge representatives say that sleepwalking in their hotels is increasing. According to the Edinburgh Sleep Centre, part of the brain switches into auto pilot an hour or two after going to sleep, when first slipping into a deep sleep. The brain can manage well-learned functions such as walking, sitting, or bending despite the fact that the personis asleep. Read more at Sleepwalking. Nude Models a Hit During Fashion Week The most talked-about event during New York Fashion Week had nothing to do with clothes. Adding a new twist to this year's series of shows, the biggest attraction was nude models wearing nothing but body paint. The models graced the backdrop of the MAC Cosmetics cocktail party to celebrate the Chinese New Year and kick off Fashion Week. The elaborate makeup in the style of Chinese Qi Pao dresses took up to eight hours to apply. Approximately 15,000 editors, buyers, stylists and fashion enthusiasts visit the fashion tents each day during the week-long function, one of the fashion industry's most prestigious events. Nudity and Contemporary Dance When the contemporary dance show, "NOVA" was unveiled in a small studio on West Broadway, the audience sat close to a curtain of miniature disco balls that shimmered when touched. Dressed in two layers of bulky clothing, two dancers stepped onto a pair of benches. Two others walked on stage carrying scissors and eyed them like painters facing a blank canvas. Then they began cutting, slicing through every layer of fabric on the dancers' costumes until they were completely nude. The New York Times reports that contemporary dance and nudity is not a new combination, but in many recent performances skin has taken the place of costume. Instead of symbolizing the sexual liberation or political statements of the 1960s, the non-gratuitous nudity in this new movement has choreographers baring all to reveal something essential about the human experience. Read more at Bare Essentials.  |
