Dance and Technology Working Group

The Dance and Technology formed at the 2012 SDHS conference in Philadelphia. The group is interested in forwarding discourse surrounding dance and technology and the nature of the relationship in an historical, socio-political context.

Technology is meant here in its broadest sense, as it can be as simple as the first use of electric lighting onstage to the more recent mis-use of the internet to inspire choreography. Some discussion points might include:

• How has technology been used by choreographers throughout history?
• machinery in performance, past present and future
• machinery as performance
• avant-garde uses of technology (Fuller)
• mid-20th century explorations of technology (e.g. Nikolais)
• late 20th century uses of technology in performance/interactive performance (Bill T. Jones’ and Cunningham’s use of motion capture technologies)
• computer-generated music both for and in dance performance
• using the internet to research dance, wikis, factual errors, information overload
• youtube in all of its wonders as an error-ridden - yet still valuable - tool
• technology in the classroom
• the benefits and dangers of social networking and dance (twitter, facebook, youtube)
• copyright and the internet, international differences in laws
• interdisciplinary projects between engineers, dancers, and choreographers
• animation, motion capture, and robotics
• technology as a preservation tool, as an analytical tool
• metadata for performance works

Please join this working group to voice your ideas and determine the future of the group as we boldly step into the wired future.