Paper Reading #5 - Exploring the design space in technology-augmented dance

Comments
Stephen Morrow
Pape Youm

Reference Information
Celine Latulipe, David Wilson, Sybil Huskey, Melissa Word, Arthur Carroll, Erin Carroll, Berto Gonzalez, Vikash Singh, Mike Wirth, Danielle Lottridge, CHI 2010 Atlanta, GA, April 2010

Summary
This consortium of authors here are putting together a project that combines technological aspects to different dance pieces. Different choreography was created for a special show and then first combined with 3D gyroscopic mice. The dancers held the mice while dancing and this data was then sent to a computer that could output a unique visualization on a screen that was projected behind them. This was very much a prototype because having to hold the mice did not allow the dancers to do certain moves since they needed to support themselves with their hands. Also the 3D data was sent to the computer in a 2D data stream so 3D positional data was not possible to use. However, later they created a small, vastly improved, wireless 3D sensor that could be combined into the dancers clothing. The group has a website showing some examples of ideas here.

Discussion
I found this project to be very interesting on how it was trying to expand on an old art form. If done correctly, a "painting" could be created for every dance show that has ever been made. Ideally this would be almost the same every time it is done and could add much needed interest to the waning field of classical art. I know for a fact that there would be many against this type of expansion on art or at least while the technology is in its infancy. I, however, would love to see the abstract nature of the visualizations clash with the very precise dance moves that must be pulled off. I remember going to an orchestra concert a few years ago where they tried to show visualizations of the music being played live. Many of the older generation tried to find something wrong with it including how the projector noise was distracting significantly from the show. This idea is interesting and is needed for art to evolve into the next era.