Combining the strengths of UMIST and The Victoria University of Manchester Stereo Bodies: Choreographic Explorations between Real and Virtual Spaces The Key Team: The University of Bedfordshire/Ersatz Dance Company; Helen Bailey, James Hewison, Amalia Garcia The University of Manchester; Martin Turner, Anja Le Blanc, Andrew Rowley De Montfort University; Howell Istance, Nathan Jeffery and Cherie O'Connor and the Access Grid Support Centre

4th September 2006DRHA '06 Dartington2 Stereo Bodies  Project Origins: – New Virtual Gardens – Stereoscopic Projection within the next generation of Video Conferencing (CSAGE JISC funded Virtual Environment) – DIRAViS – Dance In Real and Virtual Space an arts/science collaborative practice-led research project within IOCT (Institute of Creative Technologies) at De Montfort University.  Initial Aims: – Explore the cross-disciplinary notion of ‘presence’ – Explore the possibilities of integrating live performers within 3D virtual evironments

4th September 2006DRHA '06 Dartington3 Inside Realitysoftware beingused by Earthscientists in theVIPL RobGawthorp New Virtual Gardens Past: Extensive experience of Scientific Visualization within large scale Virtual Environment Centres/e- Science systems. Scientific “Presence”: is the ability to appear to be within your environment – understanding the data or setting to a higher level

4th September 2006DRHA '06 Dartington4 New Virtual Gardens Emphasis: extending the Access Grid environment with new collaborative immersive stereoscopic features. Access Grid is the next generation of Video Conferencing. photo by CarlBentley 2004

4th September 2006DRHA '06 Dartington5 New Virtual Gardens Key Aims: Create a forum for exploiting skills and tools used within VECs for the Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences. PerformingArts – VEC2004; 2D stillfrom testpiece ©DMU

Combining the strengths of UMIST and The Victoria University of Manchester What is the Access Grid? “Video Conferencing on Steroids”

4th September 2006DRHA '06 Dartington7 What is the Access Grid?  Large-scale display – typically a whole wall  Multiple video streams from each site  Natural, full-duplex audio with echo cancellation  An “Advanced Collaboration Environment”  Uses IP multicast for video/audio  Open Source software; commodity equipment Usually, but…

Combining the strengths of UMIST and The Victoria University of Manchester What Can I do with the Access Grid?

4th September 2006DRHA '06 Dartington9 What can I do with Access Grid? A 12-site meeting between UK nodes

4th September 2006DRHA '06 Dartington10 What can I do with Access Grid? Performance Art

4th September 2006DRHA '06 Dartington11 Ersatz Dance and DIRAViS Ersatz Dance:  Practice-led research & professional practice  Collaborative projects with Artist- Scholars in dance, music, video/digital animation and creative writing. DIRAViS:  Cross-disciplinary research in dance and computing science  Integration of live dance performance and 3D virtual environments.

4th September 2006DRHA '06 Dartington12 Stereo Bodies Problem encountered during DIRAViS research in 2004: How to locate the dancer within a virtual 3D environment without disembodying or translating the motion from the dancer’s body through the use of motion capture?  Stereoscopic video & Access Grid  5 modes of integrating stereoscopic video and the Access Grid into choreographic practice

Combining the strengths of UMIST and The Victoria University of Manchester Stereoscopic Modes for Choreography? – and the use of the Access Grid.

4th September 2006DRHA '06 Dartington14 The 5 Modes of Stereoscopic Choreography  Additional mode of documentation for the recording and archiving of live dance performance  Further possibilities for the creative use of visual technology in both screen- based and live choreography. 1. Single stereoscopic recording of live performance. Stereoscopic recording requires the use of two synchronised cameras

4th September 2006DRHA '06 Dartington15 The 5 Modes of Stereoscopic Choreography This use of stereoscopic video challenges spectator’s pre- existing frame of reference (the 2D video image), and allows the perception of the spectator to draw on the kinds of responses usually associated with the viewing of live performance. 1. Single stereoscopic recording of live performance. University of Manchester VIPL – Visualization Lab, August 2006

4th September 2006DRHA '06 Dartington16 The 5 Modes of Stereoscopic Choreography  Master class performance verification A common teaching metaphor uses accurate reproduction of movement material, copied from an expert in the learning and teaching of dance material. The use of stereoscopic video in this context provided an enhanced understanding of space for the learner. University of Bedfordshire – July 2006

4th September 2006DRHA '06 Dartington17 The 5 Modes of Stereoscopic Choreography Live performance in computer generated 3D controlled animation environment. Initially started in 2004 as DIRAViS. There are two performers; the dancer and the computer animator who is driving the VR simulation. This experiment explores the concepts of ‘improvisation’ and ‘performance’ as trans-disciplinary activities. 3. Improvised duet performance for dancer and computer animator De Montfort University, July 2006

4th September 2006DRHA '06 Dartington18 The 5 Modes of Stereoscopic Choreography Both ‘performers’(the computer programme operator and the dancer) adopted a generative role in both the producton of motion and space. The interrelatonship of virtual spatial pathways both in terms of spatial design and motion Physical ‘contact’, the illusion of touch between the real and virtual contexts.  Improvised duet performance for dancer and computer animator. This experiement established the choreographic ideas used to explore this relationship further in a composed rather than improvised context. They were:

4th September 2006DRHA '06 Dartington19 The 5 Modes of Stereoscopic Choreography  Live performance of pre-choreographed material within a 3D recorded environment This is a version of the previous procedure but there is only one performer and it explores the effect that this interrelationship can have on traditional understandings of both ‘liveness’ and space/site in performance.

4th September 2006DRHA '06 Dartington20 The 5 Modes of Stereoscopic Choreography  Live dance performance across the network. One performer is stereoscopically recorded and transmitted using the Internet to a second performer, who is positioned in front of a stereoscopic screen viewing the first performer in stereo; with resulting feedback to the first performer. Access Grid screen capture – spaces at De Montfort University, August 2006

4th September 2006DRHA '06 Dartington21 The 5 Modes of Stereoscopic Choreography Space 1. High quality Stereoscopic Recording Stereoscopic Projection – Passive polarized system

4th September 2006DRHA '06 Dartington22 The 5 Modes of Stereoscopic Choreography Space 2. Stereoscopic Camera Rig. for Access Grid (Vid. Conf.) Dual Screen projection feedback: 1) self referential and 2) choreographers viewpoint

4th September 2006DRHA '06 Dartington23 The 5 Modes of Stereoscopic Choreography Access Grid Annotation Tools Compendium Mind-Mapper Tool Memetic TimeLine Synchronisation University of Manchester Access Grid playback and annotation (Memetic VRE JISC funded) – August 2006

4th September 2006DRHA '06 Dartington24 Stereo Bodies Contact us: Martin Turner, Visualization Team Leader University of Manchester Helen Bailey, Principal Lecturer in Dance University of Bedfordshire