The Wii Dance workshop was inspired by the demonstration of Frank Baldé (STEIM). Jazz ballet teacher Melanie Sloot and Patching Zone coach Berit Janssen developed this workshop to explore the creative possibilities of Wii motes as music instruments for dance performances. In this course participants had to explore how movement could be turned into sound using Wii motes. The result of this workshop: the development and performance of an interactive dance performance in the Theatre.
Unlike a regular dance workshop, does the Wii Dance workshop make use of motion tracking technology. Motion tracking technology is a type of technology that registers movement using a certain medium (in this case, Wii motes). The registered movements are send to a computer which turns these signals into sound. Bodily movements are in a way converted into music.
The first workshop (November 25) session chiefly about experimentation. It became clear that the underlying software required further development and that an older age group (young adults instead of kids) would be more fit for this workshop. The second session (December 15) was with a different dance group. This session showed that the motion tracking design required development, but also that the dancers should learn how to cope with the musical and motion restrictions of this technology. The third session (January 19) concentrated on choreography. Coach Berit and teacher Melanie decided that the final Wii dance presentation was going to be integrated into the final dance performance (i.e., a huge dance performance of all the dance classes of the CKC). This decision made their Wii Dance work more concrete which had a positive effect on the conceptual development. In the mid summer break (e.g., Krokus holiday)they refined the choreography and fine-tuned the technology. Finally the fourth session (Mai 14) was the general rehearsal for the final performance in the big Theatre. Songs of Lady Gaga and Destiny’s Child were mix and incorporated into the choreography. The final performance (June 11) in the big Theatre was big hit! A harmonious and melodious performance was created which impressed the audience. A performance where mannequins in a shopping mall come to life!
Duration:
November 2010 – June 2011
Workshop Programme:
November 25, 2010: 9 participants (age 9-10)
December 15: 8 participants (age 16+)
January 19, 2011: 8 participants (age 16+)
Mei 14: 8 participants (age 16+)
Juni 11: 8 participants (age 16+)