Unassuming Forms, continuing the exploration of how technology and performance intersect. During my time at UMD, I was awarded a Technology Grant for the Dance Department, which enabled us to acquire Rokoko Motion Capture suits. These suits were pivotal in the creation of Unassuming Forms, a piece reflecting on themes of surveillance and spectacle. 

 

Collaborating with three dancers, I experimented with choreography that began as everyday movements, mimicking audience gestures, and evolved into expressive, exaggerated forms while wearing the motion capture suits. The work transformed the theater lobby into an interactive experience: cameras captured simple audience gestures—like looking at their phones or placing their hands on their hips—which triggered dynamic projections in the foyer. Using computer learning and programming, these audience gestures activated projections of abstracted digital dancers, visually linking their actions to the performers. The resulting digital bodies, layered and multiplied, created a rich tapestry of motion and form. 

 

I am deeply grateful to Kate Ladenheim for her major contributions to this project. Working closely with her was instrumental in bringing the piece to life, and her expertise and insights greatly enriched its creative direction. This piece became a reflection on society’s shared learning—intentional and subconscious, purposeful and abstract. Ultimately, it explored how we influence and learn from one another.