Re: animations

Robert Wechsler (R.Wechsler@rzmail.uni-erlangen.de)
Mon, 7 Jul 97 22:48:31 +0200

snip
>
>anyways, someone please explain why this lifeforms software exists?
>
>nik
>

nik,
as a choreographer with some limited experience using LF, both for a
choreographic task, and also for an animation task (and none wi poser), i
can offer my observations:

the ability to work independently with time factors, physical shapes and
movents in space, is extremely useful. I found the entire program a snap to
learn. the shape generator particularly is so wonderfully logical, i think
most dancers appreciate this.
it did not despite this, turn out to be very useful for me. merce
cunningham seems to use it largely as a kind of randomizer, allowing him to
work on, say, the arms without regard to what the legs are doing. (ie to
avoid any patterns he may have concerning what arms "go" with - feel right
with, what legs). my application was a complicated repeating pattern of 5
dancers. i just wanted to see the thing, see what modifications i might
want, without having to teach the dancers to do the damn thing. i viewed
the stage from above, and had the five figures glide around one another.
results: marginally useful. i ended up having to teach the dancers the
part anyway to find out what i wanted to know. I also "choreographed" a
short piece for projection and simultaneous live performance. I once saw a
dance piece performed only as an on-screen event (using LF). woof.

i'd be interested to know what uses other dancers have found for it. ???

As i said, for choreography i had trouble finding much use for it in the end.

-robert

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Robert Wechsler and Helena Zwiauer Phone: (49) 911-397472
Palindrome Dance Company Fax: (49) 911-397472
Johannisstr. 42 / 90419 NŸrnberg

HTTP://OURWORLD.COMPUSERVE.COM/HOMEPAGES/PALINDROME

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