March 2004 Archives
I was thinking about the kind of language that we use to describe what we do, I tend to describe myself as dance researcher working in improvisation and emergent technologies. so what does that mean?
the basics: i teach improvisation, choreography, dance analysis and dance & technology i also take dance photos.
the details: my current research interests are
- algorithmic movement simulation
- artificial body intelligence (autonomous digital dance)
- motion editing via motion acquisition and re-targeting in a haptic environment
- glass bead composition
which is why it is much quicker to say dance researcher. i tend to work by a process of theorising through practice, whereby a concept is examined in a practical setting then the results used to confirm or disprove the original supposition.
recently I have become involved with young people at risk of exclusion and am enjoying the challenges and rewards that this type of work brings. but that's enough about me..
a quick update on my musing for a new type of dance notation, I have spend the weekend writing down notes and working out syntax. when I have something more organised I will post it up, in the mean time if you have any thoughts or comments please let me know
Ohio State University [osu] and the Dance Notation Bureau [dnb] have announced a conference / workshop investigating "An Intelligent Software Program for Dance Notation ... a program that contains information about the symbols placed on the page would allow for the development of programs to further dance research and education."
it sounds like and interesting project, even if only applicable to research and education. I hope that the funding is for an entire project rather than just a short term evaluation period [unlike the equally promising Software for dancers project].
If by any miracle it actually appears i'm hoping that it will be multi platform rather than just for mac [as osu's laban writer and reader are], whatever your thoughts on windows you can pick up a usable secondhand laptop for about £150, affordable for most dancers to have in the studio and notate their work as they go.
whatever the platform, it needs to be usable, so few dancers know any type of formal notation let alone are able to use it on a day to day basis. perhaps what we need is a minimal symbol, loose function, notation system that represents 'impulse' rather than 'points in space' [I don't think that motif notation fits the bill it's too infused with laban notation concepts], it would be;
- quick to write
- have simple written annotations
- include functions for paths and duration
- have a clear 'well-formed' syntax
- documented openly to encourage proliferation
- usable in handwritten [machine readable] and software formats
michael klien believes that 'strict' [my term] notation systems are great for documentation but interrupt the "creative process". I agree with michael, so don't think i'm rubbishing laban, benish, eshkol-wachman et-al but I think it is time for a fresh approach for a specific need. we need a tool designed to help us create work simply and effectively rather than a tool that try's to tell us how we should work [e.g. life forms dance, although it seems to suit merce cunningham].
but that's me for now, and i'll get to myself later on. so lastly a big thank you to Article19 for setting up this blog when they have a big site update going on.
