danceroom Spectroscopy

Glowacki, David; Tom, Mitchell; Joseph, Hyde; Tew, Phillip; Thomas, Lisa May

Abstract

danceroom Spectrosopy (dS) is an acclaimed interdisciplinary digital arts exhibition and dance performance inspired by the scientific study of microscopic phenomenon. The project has formed a major attraction at premier international cultural settings since 2012.

Presenting fundamental research in an interactive, immersive and aesthetically compelling format, dS invites participants to literally step into and play with a rigorous atomic and molecular dynamics simulation. The system captures participants using volumetric cameras and interprets their movements as ‘energy fields’, which are embedded within a cloud of particles that is rendered and projected in real-time. This connection between macro- and microscopic worlds gives participants a unique opportunity to experience and consider the invisible chaos and perpetual dynamism that exists in all things.

Mitchell developed infrastructure connecting visuals and sound, including novel sonification algorithms and sound design strategies accompanying the exhibition and performance. He also contributed to the overall thematic and aesthetic components of the project including the co-development of nonlinear processes enabling the choreography, visuals and sound to accommodate a certain amount of implicit chaos that emerges from non-deterministic generative systems; a novel approach that was named intuitive entropy.

The project, including Mitchell’s contributions, was funded by ESPRC, Arts Council England, The Watershed, The Royal Society of Chemistry and NVIDEA. A selected list of venues where dS has appeared since 2014 includes, Barbican Arts Centre (UK), ZKM, Karlsruhe (DE), We The Curious (UK), Z-Space, (US), Stanford University Arts Gallery (US) and The Old Vic (UK). In addition, the many facets of this novel work have been documented in six manuscripts and book chapters citing Mitchell as co-author. Additionally, the project and has received five awards including a UK National Research Engagement Award 2014 (Established Project category) and an Honourable Mention at Prix Ars Electronica (Hybrid Arts).

• Digital Artefact Type: Other
• Conference Name: Multiple events
• Public URL: https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/1436295
• Related Public URLs: https://www.danceroom-spec.com