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Cyber Human Characters and 3D Worlds

In order to address the process by which cyber human characters and 3D worlds inform and become informed by choreography and mediated performance, we must first consider the following – mediated performance/responsive environments, sensory based systems, and how these are fed by the performers/dancers personal physical sensorium 'presence'. These variables serve as the primary conductor of the movement to movement experience including both how the physical presence in the environment is affected and or is affecting the animated cyber characters/3D worlds and how the physical and the virtual intertwine and co-exist.

By taking the unique opportunity to explore these systems over a two week period (the workshop), attendees (and their computerized cyber counterparts) tended to push the boundaries of what is perceived as humanly possible to new, (not preconceived options) significant, visually striking, shapes/movement sequences. (Yacov Sharir)

Questions and Answers:

Question #3: Is a cyborg performance character an extension – physically or psychologically or behaviorally- of the human person who puts the information into the computer? Or does the computer re-order or change the programmer’s intent? To what extent is the final cyborg performance character the human programmer’s creation?

Answer #1: First of all my definition of cyborg is far broader than a computer generated animation. My definition certainly extends to human performers as well. Dance and dancers have been cyborged or hypermediated since the invention of the camera. The capacity of the intelligent stage is an evolution of this, blurring the boundaries between live and mediation. Therefore in the case of Yacov’s animated cyborg characters. In a sense they begin as an extension of Yacov. However, the animation do take on their own personae as the work evolved. Once the character is fully evolved this is pulled into a rehearsal process with human dancers, who attempt to learn from the cyborg dancers. In Yacov’s creative process, there is continual remediation. Baudrillard might call this, simulacra. However, I am resistant to this because the information is continually transformed. It is not a merely a mirroring of media. There is interaction between humans and media and the results can be art as well as an enhanced creative process. (Apryl Seech)

Question #5: When considering the interface between a cyber-human performer and the computer that process information, what are some performing situations in which you might choose one to control the other? Why would you want to do this? How much control?

Answer #1: Overall I think I would opt for interaction between the two. Even if one aspect appears to be dominant, there is always interaction as well as acts of subversion, blurring boundaries between the controllers and controlled. (Apryl Seech)

Question #6: Describe how working with animation software has informed your movement invention and choreography, and how do your movement and choreographic preferences inform your animation work?

Answer #1: When i'm choreographing on human bodies, the impetus for movement sometimes comes from breath and sometimes comes from an idea I force on the body. The former is easier to make on a human body as well as it easier to perform. When working with animation software, there is no breath so organic looking movement is much more difficult to make the dancer do.(Rhea Speights)

Answer #2: Simply put, learning a dance from a computer was an experience! I think one of the best pros from such a means is that the dancer is given a visual suggestion, whether minimal or explosively exaggerative, from a computer animation and forced to problem solve how about would one need to move in order to imitate such movement. It almost becomes a whole new learning process, in which we explore and become more aware of our bodies limitations and potential.
Conversely, we can shape a direction within an animation that suites our own choreographic interests - therefore resulting in a more tailored animation that can still function as an inspirational source for your particular taste. (Ricky Alvarez)

 

Images

cyborghhhhCyber Character by Yacov Sharir

 

 

another cyborgCyber Character by Yacov Sharir