March 14, 2006

Rough Draft of Outline: Chapter on Interactive Dance Performances

Now that I've started to interview dancers, choreographers, researchers, new media artists, software developers and others, I have a pretty good idea of how I'm going to structure my chapter on interactive dance performances in my upcoming book "Dancing into the Future."

This is chapter 11 when you're looking at the Table of Contents. But I increasingly think that this chapter will actually be its own free-standing publication because of the many topics that I'll be covering. If it's a separate publication, I'm not sure how I'll sell it yet. I might just sell it in digital format through Amazon.com.

Before breaking down this chapter's contents, I'd like to thank everybody I've spoken with, emailed with and, in rare instances, met with for sharing their insights and experiences. As I attend more conferences, performances and other events I hope to meet everybody in-person soon.

Here's my first shot at this chapter:

Table of Contents

1) What is an Interactive Performance?
2) Types of Interactive Performances
3) Theories and History
4) Software, Computers and Technology
5) Interactive Performance Profiles and Case Studies
6) Your First Interactive Performance
7) Training Dancers and Choreographers
8) How to Watch and Participate
9) Research and Development
10) Directory
11) Terminology

Title: Interactive Dance Performances

1) What is an Interactive Performance?

What is an interactive dance performance? This is not an easy question to answer. But I can't proceed with this chapter without nailing down this concept. For the most part, when I use the term "interactive performance" I'm referring to a dance program where a dancer has direct control, with the help of digital technologies, over some element of a performance beyond his or her own body. Or, alternatively, a dancer responds in real-time to some non-scripted event or movement that is generated with the support of digital media and other technologies.

Just to offer one of many possible examples, if a dancer wears a flex sensor on his or her elbow and the movement of this sensor activates specific musical sounds that the audience hears, then this would be a type of interactive performance.

On the other hand, if a dancer is performing on stage and a video is projected onto a screen at the same time, this by itself is not an example of an interactive performance if the digital tools are not being used as the basis for choreographed or improvised creations or interactions that take place in real-time.

2) Types of Interactive Performances

There are many types of interactive performances and the range of possibilities will continue to increase at a dramatic rate as new software, computers and other technologies are introduced.

Here are some of basic performance types I'll cover:

- Telematic performances that unite two or more locations in real-time

- Embodied or dancer-controlled performances where a dancer through sensors, wearable computers, motion tracking and/or motion capture creates scripted or unscripted output in the form of audio, video and imagery.

- Collaborative performances between dancers and "independent-minded" virtual avatars and/or robotic machines that feature improvisation and spontaneity between the two.

- Immersive virtual environments where the movements of a dancer or dancers are captured in real-time and re-created in a virtual, possibly distributed, landscape.

- User-created, influenced or modified digital dance performances whereby Internet and/or computer users play an active role in determining the progression, mix or other elements of a performance. Such programs can be referred to as hyperchoreography or mashups.

There are many other possibilities and I'm sure I'll create new categories and redefine the existing categories above as I progress.

3) Theories and History

My goal is not to delve too deeply into the theories and history of interactive dance performances.

But for the purpose of clarifying these types of performances, I am going to explore some key concepts and historical influences that are important to understand in order to appreciate the integration of technology into dance performances.

For example, ideas such as embodied and disembodied as they relate to performances that rely upon technology are important to grasp in order to understand the choreographic and creative process. Hopefully I'll explain these ideas in a clear manner - even for those with no background in interactive performances or the theory of performance.

4) Software, Computers and Technology

In this section, I'll include profiles with pictures and screen shots of software and technologies that are often used as part of interactive performances.

Among the tools that will be covered include software for controlling interactive dance environments, motion tracking and motion capture technologies, camcorders and video editing software, sensors, wearable computers and many other tools.

5) Interactive Performance Profiles and Case Studies

Now that we've taken a look at the different types of performances and the technologies used, the next to step is to explore real world examples of interactive performances.

In this section, you'll find profiles and case studies of dance companies from around the globe who have created a range of interactive performances. My goal is to both highlight the people who create and perform in these programs and to illustrate as many examples as possible of different types of interactive performances. I'll include a good number of pictures in this section. And I'll try to include direct links to video clips so you can watch examples.

6) Your First Interactive Performance

If you've never incorporated interactive technologies into a dance and you're interested in doing so, where do you start?

What I'll do to answer this question is write about the easiest way to get started and the least expensive approach as well. For instance, it is a lot cheaper to start with motion tracking, which you can do with a single camcorder than motion capture, which can be very expensive and require considerable technical expertise.

In some cases, you may want to pursue a completely do-it-yourself approach, which could entail creating your own sensors and digital MIDI converters and customizing interactive performance software to meet your specific needs. But you also may choose, instead, to locate new media artists, software programmers and technologists with whom you can work to create your performances. In either case, I'll provide some guidance and a list of contacts.

7) Training Dancers and Choreographers

As more dancers and choreographers get involved in interactive performances and new media, an important question arises about what types of new approaches are needed in the training and education realm.

The use of interactive technologies often requires a different mindset and approach to dance. So for this section, I'll interview professors of dance, choreographers, dancers and new media artists to find out what thoughts they have for preparing dancers for interactive performances.

8) How to Watch and Participate

There are a number of ways that dance enthusiasts can enjoy interactive dance performances. Sometimes the viewing experience is passive and other times the process is highly participatory. So how a person watches and/or enjoys the performance is dependent upon the type of performance and the level of participation involved/allowed.

In the first scenario, we are more or less talking about live performances where a person attends some physical location to see a performance - could be in a theater, one of a series of interconnected locations for a multi-site performance or a site-specific work. These "live" interactive performances may or may not involve audience participation. In most cases today, such performances do not involve direct audience participation, but this is likely to change as communication technologies continue to breakdown barriers between the professional performers and audience members.

The second scenario is when a dance performance - I use the term "performance" in this instance in a very broad sense - is enjoyed, created and/or influenced by a viewer with digital tools, usually while connected to the Internet. Such performances may be called hyperchoreography or mashups - but there are many possibilities and not yet that many examples.

9) Research and Development

There are hundreds of research projects taking place all the time at the intersection of dance and technology at universities and research centers. In this section I'll write brief profiles about some of these projects in order to highlight some of the interesting developments that may one day end-up being incorporated into live or virtual performances.

10) Directory

The directory section will include listings of contacts, resources and links in a number of areas related to interactive dance performances:

- Dancer, choreographer and dance company profiles
- Dance professors, researchers and instructors
- New media artists, technologists and programmers
- Software programs, computers and technology

11) Terminology

The terminology section will include definitions for words related to interactive performances in the following categories:

- Interactive performances
- Theory and practice
- Software, computers and technology

Well, that's my first rough shot at this chapter. Please feel free to share any comments or critiques - I appreciate the feedback.

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