The day began with an interactive opening ceremony. We chanted ‘I- yeh-ooh’ as we followed Dr H Patten and Peter Badejo up the stairs to the Aldridge Studio for the welcoming speech. We were told to celebrate ourselves as individuals as well as appreciating the presence of those around us. Karen Gallagher encouraged us to adopt the ‘power pose’ suggesting that how we hold our bodies impacts our minds, a scientific finding. Gallagher continued then to express the issues with the use of technologies in terms of the goldilocks effect. This suggest that anything we post on social media or even through texts and emails, we can edit our language to the way we want to be perceived by the reader. In relation to dance, through digital viewing, people can copy techniques even if they don’t fully understand the language and meaning behind the movements. This is problematic because they don’t understand the deeper and philosophical reasoning for behind basic techniques. Despite these negatives, there are many advantages to having dance accessible though technology. Although it can’t replace live performance, it can facilitate resources for those who can’t access it.
I then attended a talk, ‘Using the Digital Age to Tell the Human Stories of Dance’. The first half of this discussion was taken by Adesola Akinleye alongside Gonzalo Preciado-Azanza who was able to be there with us via skype call. They spoke about how choreographers use technologies to create work that stretches out beyond the ability of the human body. With a focus on Bill T Jones, Adesola and Gonzalo explained how many of his dancers had experienced trauma which made him look at the meaning of living. In order to make his ideas more effective, Jones used new technologies of lights, set design, sound and costume in order to enhance the dancer’s body. This offered a medium between dance and science. Teaming together, Adesola and Gonzalo used digital communications to create a short dance piece. They used algorithms which they suggested only worked because of their shared understanding of similar cultural interpretations in relation to their dance techniques. I found this so interesting as it challenged the future of dance by showing how collaborations can work in order to create art. The distance between them was used to their advantage as it was a clear theme of the piece.
After lunch, I attended a discussion about the visibility and representation of dance on screen. Susannah Simonds spoke about the company Marquee TV which is a platform on which viewers can access full performances and recordings of arts through paying a subscription. Having arts on demand takes them out of the theatre and puts it on screen, making it very accessible. It additionally creates opportunities for artists, choreographers and filmmakers. Archives can be created which can be used for learning, linking the need for arts to stay a part of the national curriculum. For this to be ensured, resources need to be easily available for both teachers and students so work can be analysed as well as enjoyed. This led onto a presentation by Ghislaine Boddington who works for Body-Data-Space. This looks at the physical self and relates it to our data selves suggesting we have a physical connectiveness through technology. Specifically, digital intimacy was touched upon which I found interesting as a digital dancer named ‘Orla’ was created and involved within live performances. Having a virtual presence on stage creates another level to the art that can’t be shown by dancers alone. Fascinated by the link, I would normally associate technology outside of the performance space but this really shows how there is no restrictions on theatre and it is becoming more and more creative with a mixture of professions all collaborating to produce diverse work.
To end the day, I took part in an Interconnective Training masterclass took by Robert Solomon. This technique focused on movements coming from the core as well as our kinaesthetic perceptions. We started by feeling tension in upper body parts including hands, elbows, shoulders, neck and face, driven by holding in our core, then comparing the feeling with trying to engage these body parts without core activation. This highlighted the importance of using our centre in order to produce powerful movements. Following this, we were taught some floor barre exercises. This focused on our legs and feet. Using extensions and plié as well as ankle mobility, we performed a series of motions that enhanced our turn out. I felt these exercises worked on hip rotation as well as being strengthening. To finish, we leant a short routine that focused on direction and transference of weight. Challenges came when we were asked to perform it double the speed and then with a partner performing it to opposite sides. To finish, Solomon spoke about the importance of the dance space and how it can impact out creative processes, containing energy in the studio space. I found this masterclass gave me a different outlook towards ways of working, in particular the importance of using strength gained from core control.
Answering Chani Allott’s quire, I have found that practitioners within the industry are more open now to using digital forms to enhance performances. This is changing traditions and it is becoming a norm to investigate the use and opportunities technology can create within the arts. This link between dance and technology is important to advance the ability of the human body to create pieces of art that exceed historical expectations.
If anyone has any more questions and quires that they would like me to investigate, please comment below and I will try to answer them within the next two days.
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