"Re-": react, reflect, recount, reflex

A bit about our project, Re-:

Inspired by SiCa’s theme of Memory and the work of Frieder Weiss, we are working on a collaborative work between dance and an interactive motion tracking video system that will be performed as part of the Dance Division’s Student Works Concert on May 13, 2011 at 8:30pm and 10:00pm in Roble Gym. With Ali and me serving as both choreographers and dancers, the work’s foundation will be rooted in dance. An interactive computer system designed by Hunter will be strongly integrated through the use of live motion tracking technology and projection. To our knowledge, no work of this kind has been created at Stanford ever before. While dance is frequently performed on the typical stage venue and interactive sound and video systems are developed separately at the Center for Computer Research in Music and Acoustics (CCRMA), this will be the first time that the two creative mediums join forces.

This unique partnership between dance and technology will generate an interesting dialogue on the idea of memory. On one hand, the overall conceptual basis of the work is cause and effect. The learned choreography that the dancers perform acts as the cause that stimulates the motion-capture system and affects the nature of the images projected onto the screen. In this way, the dancers represent memory while the projections make those memories tangible through visual abstraction. Additionally, the narrative context for the work will further explore memory. Although the choreography will not tell a linear story, it will subtly evoke the idea that the performers are reminiscing on memories of the past. The projections might include images such as water effects that reflect pictures (representing memories) which the dancers distort by using their movements to stimulate ripples throughout the projection.

This affiliation with memory is echoed in our project’s title, Re-. Through the process of developing the outline for this work, we were consistently using words containing the prefix “re-”: react, reflect, rewind, recount, retrace, reflex, etc. We then came to realize that, by definition, the prefix “re-” attaches the theme of memory to nearly any word that it is paired with. Thus, we have decided to title the project “Re-” because of the fact that this work will provide a multidimensional commentary on the theme of memory.

Progress Update:

While we have made a lot of progress so far, there is still a lot of work to be done before the May 13^th performances. Due to the fact that this is much more complicated that a typical dance work, most of our group meetings have been more about planning logistics than actual dance rehearsals. For instance, we had to meet with the Dance Division’s facilities manager to ensure that our equipment would meet the fire codes to Roble Gym and that we would not blow the fuses to the dance studio. Ali and I also met with the four other choreographers who will be presenting work in the performances to discuss the format of the evening. Our group also struggled for a little while as we tried to figure out the best way to obtain two 7x10 foot rear projector screens that would stand on their own.

Meanwhile, we found a great music artist (Chris Carlson) who is currently composing the score for our work. Hunter is busy working on some fantastic projection images. Ali and I have made good progress in the studio, but we still have a long way to go. Here’s a quick glimpse of what we have so far: