Five tango touch experiments were conducted on the iStage using the new XOSC couture sashes. The five movement modes were all variations on the basic modified embrace in which the dancers are connected through arms intertwined and resting on one another's shoulders. Dancers were instructed not to look at one another (except in the 5th experiment). In all cases, there were two roles: the leader (initiator) and the follower (responder). There was no music during these experiments. Special thanks to Sharon McCaman for her participation in the dance experiments, and for her mind-blowing expertise in movement as well as willingness to provide feedback regarding the experiments and the sashes. The movement modes were:
1. Free form (initiator initiates movement and responder responds).
2. Strong leader, follower rebels.
3. Weak leader, follower follows.
4. Consciously trying to synchronize.
5. Have fun with it!
Preliminary YAW data from the XOSC devices is plotted here using MatLab for each of the 5 modes. For each mode, there are two graphs: normalized time series data, and frequency response.
Additional analysis will include looking at the differences in frequency response between the two dancers' signals, and evaluation of observed perturbations with application to dynamical systems theory. Prof. Moustaoui is evaluating some prior data using his FORTRAN programs to develop an analytical approach that can then be applied to this new data.
It should be noted that the XOSC data is very much like audio data that could possibly be evaluated real-time within Max using audio signal processing objects. Once we have an analytical process for evaluating the data, I will set up the system within Max and verify that we can use that tool to provide real-time information.
Crazy thought: Spoke last evening with Oana (sp?), a videographer who specializes in dance, and asked her about using video feedback as a way of creating (and destroying) patterns based on dancers' movements. She said she's done this twice in the past and it was very interesting and resulted in some beautiful images. I'm seeing dynamic movement of the collective body through extended touch as an instrument that dancers can play to create/destroy video patterns through feedback. I think this is significant because this is not simply using video of the dancers and applying feedback, but rather it is about using the touch connection between dancers to create/destroy images. In this system, a single dancer, or a group of dancers who do not touch each other, would not create/destroy anything. Pattern creation/destruction would occur and be representative of synchronicity/nonsynchronicity because (for example) small perturbations in a dynamically stable system would have minimal impact and patterns would form, whereas perturbations in marginally stable or unstable systems could result in rapid divergence of forms. The nature of these patterns are intrinsic to the movement of the dancers; they are created by the physics of their movement. The creation/destruction of the forms are completely deterministic, non-stochastic, and yet wholly unpredictable.
Crazier thought: Imagine a public space where people come into physical contact in a safe and socially acceptable way (dancing) and they are able to play with a system that creates/destroys beautiful images based on how their intentions to move through touch are performed. What would the clothing look like and feel like that would allow them to move freely and yet convey the information to the system? How would the experience of this environment inform and transform the participants and their relationships to one another, even strangers?
OK, enough musing...here's the preliminary MatLab data: