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What is involved in selecting Dance and Technology Option 1: Choreographing the Virtual Body?
Candidates who select this option will need to have strong composition skills to create a dance work in a virtual setting. As in Major Study Composition, candidates may select to create a work for two or three dancers.
To compliment their composition skills, candidates will also have knowledge of choreographic software such as DanceForms, which simulates a dance studio and performance space using animated dancers, and be familiar with the interface and basic functions of the application.
For students selecting this option, the Stage 6 Dance syllabus states:
In this study, students will explore the use of computer software as a choreographic tool. As they explore the use of computer technology as a medium for artistic expression they will develop skill in the use of 3D animation software. They will investigate the relationship between the real and virtual body and the application of computer-based technologies in the works of professional choreographers.
Dance and Technology Option 1: Choreographing the Virtual Body
To begin the discussion on Dance and Technology Option 1, we will refer to the following work by a past HSC candidate.
SPACE
View the following excerpt from the beginning of the work before responding to the task below.
Please note: the audio has been removed from this work due to copyright restrictions for online viewing.
Identify one of the key shapes used by one of the dancers in the above excerpt.
TASK - Space
Create a new animation in DancerForms (opening the application will automatically open a new animation) and place one dancer onto the stage (Figure/New Figure).
Double click the dancer to open the Studio window.
Manipulate the body of the dancer to recreate the shape from the work that you identified.
In the Score window, move the cursor along to select a new frame by clicking on the next frame number at the top of the Score window (for example, move from frame 1 to frame 10).
Return to the Studio window.
Manipulate the shape of the dancer to create a shape that compliments the previous shape.
In the Score window, move the cursor along to select a new frame (for example, move from frame 10 to frame 20).
Return to the Studio window.
Manipulate the shape of the dancer to create a shape that contrasts the original shape.
TIME
View the following excerpt from the end of the work. Note the way timing has been manipulated between the two dancers.
TASK - Time
Create a new animation in DancerForms (File/New Animation) and place two dancers onto the stage (Figure/New Figure). By default, the dancers will be positioned in the centre of the Stage.
Separate the dancers by moving one dance to another location.
Double click one of the dancers to open the Studio window.
Manipulate the body of the dancer to create an interesting shape.
Go to the Score (Window/Score) and move the cursor to a new frame by clicking on another frame number at the top of the Score window (for example, move from frame 1 to frame 10).
Return to the Studio window.
Manipulate the shape of the dancer to create a second shape for the same dancer.
Repeat this process until you have 4-5 shapes for the dancer.
Play your animation to ensure that the transitions between the various shape that have been generated by the program are smooth.
NB: You may need to adjust the number of frames between each shape to assist with the timing. This can be done by clicking on a frame in the Score window, and pressing the Space bar on your keyboard.
In the Score window, click on Frame 1 and draw a selection around all of the frames that have the shapes that you created.
Click on Frame 1 and draw a selection around all of the frames that have the shapes that you created.
Copy the selected frames (Edit/Copy).
Move the cursor to the second dancer in the Score window.
Select a starting frame for the movement of the second dancer that is different to the starting frame (Frame 1) of the first dancer, for example Frame 20.
Ensuring that the cursor is placed at the selected frame for the second dancer, paste the frames that you copied from the first dancer (Edit/Paste).
Make any adjustments to the timing of the second dancer so that the dancers are performing in canon.
Play the animation and make any adjustments to the timing of the second dancer so that the dancers are performing in canon.
DYNAMICS
View the following excerpt from the work before responding to the task below.
TASK - Dynamics
Write a short paragraph about your observation of the use of dynamics in this excerpt of the work. Consider how dynamics and time have been manipulated in the relationship between the two dancers. Use examples from the work to support your response.
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