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THÆTA
Movement based interactive a/v performance - 2015
THÆTA
Movement based interactive a/v performance - 2015
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THÆTA is the third performance of StratoFyzika’s Shadows Trilogy. With new collaborations in sound and interactivity (sensors building, coding), the concept still steeped in the subconscious realms and dealing with the ego: the dark and light shadow aspects of self (as in the first two parts of the trilogy) but also on the edge of the conscious, waking self; visions on the edge of sleep, whispy light shadows, multi-dimensional geometric objects, sudden sound as if from the halls of a mind in a dream state.
This liminal zone is a state referred to as Hypnogogia. THÆTA embodies this borderland state.
All merge onto the stage, interactively; body dynamics, auditory sensations and visuals function as the culmination of parts into one constellation in live performance.
THÆTA is the third performance of StratoFyzika’s Shadows Trilogy. With new collaborations in sound and interactivity (sensors building, coding), the concept still steeped in the subconscious realms and dealing with the ego: the dark and light shadow aspects of self (as in the first two parts of the trilogy) but also on the edge of the conscious, waking self; visions on the edge of sleep, whispy light shadows, multi-dimensional geometric objects, sudden sound as if from the halls of a mind in a dream state.
This liminal zone is a state referred to as Hypnogogia. THÆTA embodies this borderland state.
All merge onto the stage, interactively; body dynamics, auditory sensations and visuals function as the culmination of parts into one constellation in live performance.
All Pictures by Dario-Jacopo Laganà
Interactive Stratum
The aim of introducing interactivity in our work is to engage a live performative environment where the movement is able to affect the sound and the image as well as with those elements. To accomplish this task in a meaningful way, something beyond a 1 to 1 connection between sensors and effects parameters should be achieved. Data is not information until it is analyzed and transformed. In this direction, different pattern and gesture recognition algorithms are applied to the values coming from the sensors in order to extract the key steps out of the choreography. This technique allows the performer to establish a set of movements to create a new language within the scope of a particular performance.
Sensing Stratum
Body-mounted sensors: three-axial accelerometers and a gyroscope, are being used as the primary sensing mechanism for quantification of temporal variations in motion and gesture. THÆTA uses a specifically designed prototype of wearable electronic devices whose main module is based on Arduino Fio, and an x-bee module for wireless communication.
Sound Stratum
The soundtrack for THÆTA is composed of abstract atmospheres and drones which at some point morph into rhythmic patterns and lead the piece to its most intense conclusion. The sonification of images and movements aims to represent the concept but also drive the experience to evoke various emotions in the audience. Some meaningful dialogue with movement occurs at precise interactive points, where the sound synthesis process is connected to the sensors' signals and the overall quantity of movement is mapped to the occurrence of sound, which shapes refinements with movement data’s details.
The main sound sources have been selected from the archives of a free experimental sound internet library, curated and maintained by Thalamus Lab, an artist collective founded by Davic Nod. The project launched an open call and many artists from different countries contributed to create a collaborative sound library called Experimental Sound Lab.
Visuals Stratum
The stage is designed by the visuals around and together with the performer, investigating the liminal zone through the use of live sketch techniques as well as morphing shapes modeling, audio-driven geometric patterns and pre-shot shadows characters appearences. The projections narrative takes the shape of a path, sinking into the black subconscious world, giving birth to a night creature, shaping its visions and then re-emerging to face the sharp cold touch of the light beam.
Over the whole performance experience, specific interactivity is being used to let gestures drive specific visual impressions. The interactive part of the visuals shows a complex system, where the interaction of a large number of individuals creates a new entity with a different behavior than just the addition of the single ones. This emergent behavior is modeled following the classic flocking rules written by Craig Reynolds in 1986 (separation, alignment and cohesion). To those we added a few more like a bounding area, a noise field or a perlin random walker.
Movement Stratum
The dancer’s torgue, bend, twisting and qualities of movement is the consequence of the mind directing the body’s reactions on/into the audiovisual environment. In THÆTA, the movement is focused on the embodiment of a character which is in contact with light and dark shadows, traveling through the hypnogogic state via an (imagined) Theta wave state. The choreography on it’s own is a movement map written through common brainstorm and then broken down into sections either with specific set choreography and/or an improvised score sometimes employing the Atavistic Technique.
credits:
Hen Lovely Bird : creative direction, movement writer /
Alessandra Leone / creative direction, visual content / www.alessandraleone.com
Davic Nod / sound design / http://www.davicnod.com/
Thomas Van Ta / creative code / www.thomasvanta.es
Giovanni-Marco Zaccaria / wearable sensors design & development
Jeanette Bruneau Rossow / costume design / http://www.treches.com/
