The Moulin Rouge

The Moulin Rouge

Every now and then in 3DXChat, a venue rises above the noise , not just with aesthetics or music, but with atmosphere, story, and soul. The Moulin Rouge, helmed by the talented Icarus and his equally dedicated partner SportySun, is one such place. For years, it has welcomed visitors almost every Saturday into a world of carefully choreographed performances, stunning lighting, and a sense of community you don’t find just anywhere.

What began as an idea and a build “just for her” has become a creative cornerstone within the 3DX universe. Equal parts theatre, nightclub, and gathering of kindred spirits. We sat down with Icarus to uncover the story behind the scenes, from lighting rigs and rehearsals to naked Homers and Blues Brothers. Join us as we pull back the velvet curtain on one of the most iconic experiences in the world of 3DX:

How did the Moulin Rouge come to be? What inspired you to create it in 3DX?

I’ve been opening in-games rooms for about 12 years now. I always had the idea to design the Moulin Rouge room, but I had no concept for it. Initially my idea was to design a room just for my friend SportySun. Sporty is like the engine behind it all. Her idea was to do events inside the Moulin Rouge.

When the room was ready, we tested for about one year on how a concept could work. We opened the room every Saturday. Sometimes a long show act, sometime no-show acts. Sometime no DJ. Finally, we figured out that this concept we had worked pretty well.

We’ve been open since November 2023 now, in total 1,5 years.

What kind of experience are you aiming to give visitors?

Maybe something like a family feel, of course with an exciting “note” of eroticism, good entertainment and something personal. Good music is of course also part of it.

What was your biggest challenge in building the Moulin Rouge?

It took me over 6 months to build the room. I used pictures from the real life Moulin Rouge and tried to design it a little bit realistic. I think building the stage was a big challenge, it consists of over 300 individual lights. But a room is only as good as the people who are in it.

How do you choose the DJs that you collaborate with?

Lots of DJs I know from the past. And from time to time I do give rookie DJs a chance. We have some rules about which music works and which music does not work with the room concept. We have something like a DJ briefing. For example we feel that pure techno, trance and hard rock/metal/heavy metal does not work very well with the Moulin Rouge. But we want DJs to be creative and play tunes/mixes that match the Moulin Rouge in their minds.

Could you tell us a little about the acts that perform in the Moulin Rouge?

The shows are the big difference with all the other dance groups. Most crew members of the Moulin Rouge are with us, because of the acts. The crew decides which shows they want to perform.

It is important that the Music matches the theme of the show and that we are able to create good outfits for it. We have two people who take care about the outfits: xxinxaa and AnjaLiese. Sportysun and IreneJensen find the music for it in 320kbs quality. Sometimes when there is enough time, we practice parts of the show during the week. It is all teamwork and we are so happy to the have the Moulin Rouge crew.

In general, the first show is always the “can & can” act every Saturday. This is followed by two more, which we have to develop as described above. Difficult to say what my favorite is. I think “Rocky” was great, but there are so many great acts. Once we did a Blues Brother Event with related DJs and show acts. That was just stunning!

Do you have any plans for special events?

From time to time we do try or test some changes. In general we try always to be flexible. We have to because the Moulin Rouge concept is pretty chaotic in general, even as the crew and the DJ are in the same group chat. Maybe we will do a whole evening event with one theme, like “Star Wars” like we did in the past.

The preparation for these events are very time consuming. There is a lot to be coordinated, because every DJ is directly involved to coordinated which individual song is played and this must match with the act we have to develop. You need a DJ, who does like to play those theme related tunes/mixes or are even able to perform them. The crew needs to like the theme of the event and then the work starts for us.

What would you recommend to new people trying to start a room?

A room is not all, you need to be connected with other people. You need a well designed room and a concept for it. You need a concept for the music as well.

Do you have any closing remarks or comments?

A heartfelt thank you to the wonderful and lovely Moulin Rouge crew! You are the soul of this room: without you, none of the unforgettable nights at the Moulin Rouge would be possible!

Behind the lights, music, and sensual flair, the Moulin Rouge is more than just a room, it’s a collaboration of passion, detail, and a shared love for performance. Icarus and the entire MR crew pour heart and soul into every Saturday night, crafting not just shows but memories. Their attention to atmosphere, creative direction, and commitment to doing things differently sets an example for what 3DX can be.

With special thanks to Icarus.