[rohrpost] ICH² – Intermedia dance performance for planetariums

[tom duscher]

Invitation

ICH² – Intermedia dance performance for planetariums

The intermedia dance performance ICH² faces the challenge of the  
digital theatre and combines dance theatre with immersive and  
interactive 360 degree motiondesign.

The Premiere of ICH² will be held on June 08 at 7:30 p.m., Mediadome  
in Kiel, Germany.
Further performance dates: June 10, 11, 18 and 24, beginning at 7:30  
p.m.
For more information and ticket reservation please call +49 (0) 
431-210-1741 (Tuesday to Friday, 8:30 - 11:00 a.m.) or visit the  
performance-website: www.ich-quadrat.de (English version soon to come).


Project Description

ICH² (Me to the power of 2) is a ReACT collaboration of the Muthesius  
college of art in Kiel (www.muthesius.de), especially the Digital  
Media/Intermedia department of Prof. Tom Duscher, the ballet from the  
city of Kiel with the director and head of choreography Mario  
Schröder as well as Eduard Thomas, director of the Mediadome of the  
University of Applied Sciences in Kiel (www.mediendom.de).

ICH²  is a unique installation for an extra-ordinary space: a  
planetarium including a 360 degrees moving image projection. State-of- 
the-art projection technology is merging with dance theatre and  
interactive media into a fascinating wholesome piece of art, is  
modifying it and allowing a completely new kind of production: dancer  
and media together create an artistic environment that involves the  
audience in a new way. The impact of the imagery and the intensively  
short proximity of the performers, forms a high level of immersion.  
Hardly has a visitor been closer to the dancers. This turns standard  
planetariums into experimental Digital Theatres, in which man and  
technology are part of a unique experience of symbiosis.

The main area of research for project ReACT was the advancement of  
real-time tracking-technology in regard of the spacial and technical  
characteristics of planetariums. While usually linear image sets were  
shown, the use of reactive software allowed interactivity and  
manipulation of the projected content.

Concept: With the help of installed cameras and sensors attached to  
the performer’s body, movements in the space can be tracked and  
transmitted to a computer system based on vvvv, a toolkit for real  
time video synthesis.
A specially programmed software interprets the dancer’s movements in  
real-time, which in turn is then projected onto the dome as  
interactive projection and stage backdrop. This allows to create a  
digital double of the dancer: Motion Tracking as duplication process.
This sensory tracking system is used as well for the audio part of  
the production. The acoustic input is used as impulse for the digital  
image generation so that the visuals are synchronized in real-time.  
In this way a reactive visual and audio world is created, that  
synergetically re-interprets the image and audio composition.

performance-website:
www.ich-quadrat.de