Re: Research on dance & tech

Joukje Kolff (lodc.joukje@dial.pipex.com)
Fri, 01 May 1998 17:26:10 -0700

Thank you, Isabel,
Joukje

ISABEL VALVERDE wrote:
>
> Hi everybody,
> Here the information asked by Jo and Joukje about The Ultimate Human Body:
>
> CD-ROM - N/A - Color -1996
> 2.0 [Mac]
>
> Survey of human anatomy, includes interactive 3D, 2D and skeletal body
> images, 170 Animations, text, illuatrations, video sequences (Quick Time),
> and a Body Quiz Challenge game.
> Systems Required:
> Mac 68040/25 MHz processor, 8MB RAM, 12MB available hard disk space,
> system 7.0 or higher
>
> You can find it at Version Megastore
> The quick time videos are of high resolution.
>
> For my performance project 'Imagine You Later' I edited a digital video in
> Media 100, using many of the footage from this CD-Rom. Actually I produced
> 5 short videos, the first only using the CD-Rom, the second surgery,
> autophsia and doctor/patient relationship, the third cyborg video games,
> the fourth sci-fi movies on cyborgs, and the fifth only three quick time
> videos from the CD-Rom again, the skul, the brain and the heart.
> These videos developed influenced by and influencing the movement
> situation being explored, starting from body interiority, the expression
> of body functions themselves, going on to questioning and commenting on
> the positive versus negative impact of the new advances on medicine, and
> in particular the objectification of the body. Here one of the performers
> simply manipulated the other. Further there is a symbolic fight between
> the performer/human and the animated figure/cyborg. At last projecting
> moving images of the organs into our bodies moving the intent was to bring
> our body into technology instead of the technologies into our body.
> An important element for this piece, as I think I mention before, is the
> use of moving screens attached to the body of the performer through a
> spatial structure, which enables them to move laterally and vertically
> depending on the performers movements.
> As it's clear the interactivity going on is only mechanical.
>
> I hope I have been clear enough although the best would be to see the
> work, which is still in a work in progress and will be developed in the
> Fall.
>
> The discussions going on concerning form/content issues are hilarious. I'm
> so glad to find out that there are several academic studies focusing on
> it.
> Yes, I join the idea that is not the technology who desumanizes but the
> use of it. That's maybe why there is, as Johannes says, some dance work,
> such as abstract choreography from let's say Cunningham, who adapt
> perfectly to the computer medium and other don't.
> But, yes there should happen a back and forth dialogue between both dance
> and the new technological tools.
>
> In a rush...
>
> Beijinhos,
> Isabel