The Night of the Senses - 2005

Over a thousand guests and Erotic Awards finalists gathered at Club SeOne on Saturday 3rd September for a night of erotic exploration. It was our nineteenth year, and we have come a long way since we were almost the first erotic event to fund disabled people (the first being a Real People Fete in Dallas in the 70's) and the first really big erotic event in Europe (the Schnabernacht Balls of the Germany had a certain reputation). This charity event owes much to the fact that its director, Tuppy Owens gained inspiration first from Fellini (specifically his film Juliette of the Spirits) and from the erotic clubs she visited and reviewed in her annual Sex Maniac's Diary, illustrated by a previous incarnation of Erich Von Gotha, and selling over 100,000 copies a year). In particular, the Infinity Dome and Grope Box were based rooms at the Sea Breeze club in Los Angeles. Many of the features of this wonderful sexual extravagance evolved in Tuppy's mind and from all the keen helpers who have contributed over the years. Indeed, every year we gain new support from both around the world and from our guests – to transform the shell of the night club (wishing it were a forest, beach or mountain glade) into a haven for sexual indulgence, all on a shoe string.

The end result – the Night of the Senses 2005 – was carved, culminating in a last minute gush of energy before that moment when we welcomed the guests inside, perhaps feeling very shy, to meet their high hopes and provide them with the most exciting night of their lives.

First there were the world's most inventive and inspired talented people: finalists in the Erotic Awards. They were exhibited in the Gallery and the performers took part in the Awards Show on stage. Winners were presented with a Golden Flying Penis Trophy. The show was presented by disabled actor Mat Fraser and the Flying Penis Trophies presented by last year's winners, assisted by the beautiful striptease artist, Solitaire. This was the 12th Erotic Awards

ARTIST OF THE YEAR was won by The Secret Museum – a tantalising erotic maze on the web – take a peek on www.thesecretmuseum.net

CAMPAIGNER OF THE YEAR was won by the UK Network of Sex Work Projects who have just received lottery funding to set up a centre in Manchester to coordinate their work protecting the welfare of sex workers

CLUB OF THE YEAR was a toss up between Rude Revels in the Midlands, Fun 4 Two in North London and Lost Vagueness. Lost Vagueness won for bringing quality erotic performance into vogue

FASHION DSIGNER OF THE YEAR was won by fashion college leaver
Carley Hague for her deep sea bondage floating mini dresses

The FEATURE FILM winner was the delightful Spanish hardcore film Torremolinos 73 and the INDEPENDENT FILM winner was the fabulous Canadian student production Made in Secret - the Story of the East Van Porn Collective

The 2005 INNOVATION is Boutique Boutique – a new commercial initiative helping women act out their fantasies

The 2005 LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT was won by 75 year old Betty Dodson - World Mistress of Female Masturbation – who sent a message from New York to wish us many happy orgasms

Al Batros won the PERFORMANCE category with her profound portrayal of her personal erotic fantasy, enacted on a trapeze

The successful photographer Jonathan Root who has taken the sex world by storm, became PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR 2005

Britain's posh erotic photographer Bob Carlos Clark won PUBLICATION OF THE YEAR with his beautiful album Shooting Sex which features his desires and struggles

Sh! Women's Erotic Emporium was presented with the SPECIAL JUDGES AWARD -for being the best sex shop in town

The decision to award the FEMALE STRIPPER OF THE YEAR was almost more than the judges could make, but in the end they decided on Ima Doll. The MALE STRIPPER was named - Sunny / Snake Boy

Kim Smilie Kitten was crowned SEX WORKER as a result of her tesimony about her work, helping clients feel better about their bodies, especially obese men

Leona & Tommy of FuckForForest travelled from Germany to pick up their award for WEBSITE www.fuckforforest.com which is a porn site giving all its funds to save the forests

The Australian gay writer Andy Quan won WRITER OF THE YEAR and the OUTSIDERS AWARD went to the half-Greek social secretary of Outsiders' beautiful Social Secretary, Eleni Stephani who has cerebral palsy, won the Outsiders Award

After the Awards, our favourite many-times winner Mouse officially opened the Ball and everyone disappeared off to explore.

Tuppy's second secret of success is to provide an erotic dynamic where survival depends on providing the opportunity for guests to entertain and play with each other, whilst raising money for Outsiders. This year, £6,500 was raised for the charity.

Star rooms: Roissy Dungeon - an enclosure where players were given the equipment and space to live out their fantasies and the ordinary mortals watch on in amazement. Then there was the Sensuality Chamber, a vast boudoir with soft, silky surfaces and musicians serenading, jamming to the love-making. It made a most enchanting sight from the holes in Peep Alley, and was a mind-boggling experience for those inside.

This year's new spaces included the Spiritual Salon, a beautiful temple of love created by Charlotte, the female-only Breast Fondling Booth, the Room of the Senses, Kidnap Cavern, the Observatory, the Climax Clinic which featured three VX1 Female Orgasm Machines, the Extreme Sex Platform, and the Orgone Energy Accumulator.

The Night of the Senses was a maze of laughter and sexual activity all night long, with a sweet, mostly young crowd who had gathered from all over the world. There were so many stories but perhaps the most bizarre was the trombone player peeing into the Piddling Pool for five minutes while he continued to play his trombone.

One couple emailed days later to say, “It was an amazing experience, a perfect sensual evening with so many sexy and friendly people. we thought the atmosphere created was incredibly calm and non-threatening, it was beautiful. Both of us were first timers to your event and left definitely wanting more! My partner has not had any sexual experience with other couples and so this was a bit of a soft introduction to see if she felt comfortable with the situation. I guess we were both a bit apprehensive before the show but were soon at ease among such kind, erotic people. In the end, we got so intoxicated by the sexy young people around us that we ended up in the sensuality chamber having sex with each other whilst about 30 other couples were doing the same thing! It's an experience we won't forget in a hurry! So thank you. It was really liberating, empowering and left us with big smiles on our faces!”.