A contemporary dance performance radicalizing the human body in the virtual world. This international and interdisciplinary research project explores the dancing body through technologies including motion-capture technology, VR, and digital avatars to wield a narrative between man and machine. The work seeks to question the human body’s engagement, sensorial response, and viewership in the fields of virtual design and dance.
Golem pioneers using motion capture technology to stage a dance live onstage and in VR viewable from anywhere globally. The performance features the Optitrack motion-capture system with VR headsets used in the performance and in the audience.
In the performance, a single dancer wears a motion capture suit and interacts with a live rendering of her body as an avatar in VR. Projecting the virtual environment onstage, the supporting dancers navigate this bi-world journey, grounding the physical body. The choreographic experience amplifies the technical output, bridging the virtual and physical world of Golem for the audience.
The spatial design of the audience inspires viewership between the live performance and VR version. Headsets are placed around the room with the virtual environment and dancers live-streamed alongside the physical theater. Audience members switch between viewing modes during the performance.
In Golem, the live body dances alongside its virtual double, mirroring movements and inviting scenes where the avatar dances differently from the live performance. The design of each avatar embodies the emotional resonance present in the live dancer, shifting states to emulate the narrative journey.
This is a collection of taxonomy terms that allow a type of immersive or XR performance to be categorised.