PROJECT HYPERESSAY #2: The Final

In this project called Touch, Angeline Young in the USA together with my classmates and I in Singapore were performing dance in live broadcast. What makes Touch different from other performances is Touch allowed performers in different geographical regions to perform together by ‘placing’ us in the digital world called the third space. The third space is created by Randall Parker, using Adobe Connect and other digital softwares, and to the audience, they would see an ‘unseparated screen’ having both the performers in Singapore and USA.

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For this project, I played a role as a warrior in the narrative of the performance. She breaks the stereotype of warriors, who are usually males, and together with her troops, she defeats the evil.

However, I was not just performing a choreography. I was involved in the making of the movements as well as designing, and making my costume from scratch.

As the Touch plans were introduced to us, we were first assigned to write our own concept, or how we saw Touch in the form of a story. My concept was The Touch of Destruction, inspired from the idea of human’s optimism and pessimism as well as David and Goliath. In my narrative overview, a touch from the tiniest man could destroy the biggest enemy as long as he has the will. From these narratives, our teachers decided our roles, and I became the warrior. Hence, I designed my costume based on Japanese warriors – that is my own preference to choose Japanese culture – create the war-ready choreography together with Angeline. When the choreography and costume were ready, we had several full-dress rehearsal. In addition, , I am proud that during our process, the whole class once did an online workshop for a symposium in London.

A lot of researches have been done for Touch. Prior to this, we ought to learn and analyze the essence of digital performances and arts such as The Big Kiss by Annie Abraham, RIOT by Mark Napier, and Motion Control. From these, I learned how a manipulated visual, even glitch we saw the screen could affect the feeling of the viewer and could be a source of amazing creativity. It gives me the overview on how to ‘interact’ with the camera when I was performing.

For the preparation of costume, we learned, through our researches (biometrics, sensing garments and smart textiles) how fashion is actually more than just a wearable. It is a breeding ground of innovations; fashion is not just to make you look good. As a result, my costume has technology in it: LED lights. However, the technology is not as innovative as the researches as I am still a newbie at doing fashion and technology at the same time.

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Made of plastic bags and with lights underneath. The lights would fade or blink at different timings.

Uniquely, our, or at least my choreography, is not derived from an existing dance movements but myself. The movements were harvested from my natural maneuver when I express myself, tell stories and react to something/someone. What is really beneficial from making a choreography this way is it becomes easy to remember and immerse yourself in the character.

Well, however Touch is, seriously, not easy to produced. The first issue that I personally face is the making of the costume. How to turn on and prepare the sewing machine? How to turn these fabrics into my desired costume? How to code a Lilypad Arduino in order to make turn lights on? Lastly, how to arrange an electrical circuit on a piece of clothing without breaking them while dancing? To be honest, the costume-making is a gigantic challenge because I started from a big zero.

Another issue that we faced together is the interaction between us, the camera and Angeline. Different lighting and angles would affect what was shown on the screen. Different blend modes could either make or destroy the look and performance. Countless trials and errors were done to get the desired mode and mood of the screen. Sometimes, unfortunate technical faulty and delay would affect our tight schedules as well.

First rehearsing with the music
First rehearsing with the music

Eventually, we managed to examine and solve our challenges. We made challenges into priceless learnings.

In fact, this module is an Open Source Studio (OSS) class, where a lot of gradings, documentation and even teaching-and-learning activities were done via the internet. We posts our assignments: researches, essays, and projects on the school’s OSS site so that both teachers and fellow classmates can read and learn from each other’s work. And I am indeed surprised by how useful this learning process by reading other people’s work. I remember I learned how to write a good research ‘blogpost’ from Yuhao and Charlene’s, how to create unique colors on the LED lights from Tiffany’s, and how to boil fabrics from Gladys’ and Xin Hong’s. It was so surprising that “hey, our friends are so resourceful, awesome! I don’t have to google on myself anymore” as the useful contents in their posts are already ‘filtered’, and hence trust-worthy. So, yes OSS, if one knows how to make use of it, would learn a lot more things in a shorter time as well as form a stronger bond with other users. In fact, OSS somehow ‘taught’ me how to manage a blog/website, which is a fantastic bonus skill.

In conclusion, I had a lot of excitements, hardships, fun and lessons from this one module. There are still rooms for improvement for the class but it is definitely one of the most resourceful class I have ever taken.

To end this hyperessay, I would like to say my gratitude towards Randall Parker, Galina Mihaleva, Angeline Young, Naga, Alvin, Cameron and Cooper for making this opportunity an unforgettable and precious experience. I am so addicted to fashion-making now!

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Project Hyperessay #1: Concept Statement/Narrative Overview

“Virtual embrace in the third space” is a concept in which two or more persons, who are in different spaces and locations, are to be placed together in a virtual, digital space. Their interaction in the digital space seems real. However, without the limitation of physical bodies and space, that interaction can be in the form of something impossible to be done in real life. Hence, “Virtual embrace in the third space” makes what is impossible tangible and seemingly real. However, the virtuality of the interaction should not be taken lightly, because it may evoke feelings in the audience; just like what Susan Kozel said, “seeing is feeling.” And I would like to let the audience see and feel “The Touch of Destruction.”

Seeing is Feeling

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What if a single touch could destroy you? What if, simply two hands could confine and bar you?

In the first part of the performance, I vision one dancer, in grey or ashy blue robe, to be fully on the screen (half or full body) and surrounded by two big hands (much bigger in scale compared to the dancer). Those hands would confine the dancer, not allowing the dancer to free himself from being on the screen, and then they would disturb him. Different fingers ‘touch’ the dancer, and lights on his costume would turn on; the dancer would move in a way that he struggles with his surroundings, and in pain. Then when the two hands are being put together and ‘crush’ the dancer, a glitch on the screen would appear. Dramatic sound effect (e.g. war music) would accompany this part. It ends with the dancer laying on the ground, exhausted.

david-versus-goliath

However, it would not end there.

What if a single touch from the tiniest person, could destroy the giant? What if, you are actually stronger than you think?

For the second part, I imagine it to start with glitches, and a different dancer, dressed in white long dress, would be at the place where the first dancer was laying down. The dancer would fight the big hands which are surrounding them. He would still be crushed, but not getting exhausted. More lights are turned on as he move faster, stretching his body and limbs to different direction. Eventually, the hands will retreat, but one (or more) big face(s) would appear from the centre, going to swallow the white dancer. However, with all his might and endeavour, he is finally able to defeat the evil ‘giant’. The whole second part would be accompanied by victorious war sound effect.

The whole performance would end with the grey and the white dancer to be in the same space, dancing a slow contemporary choreography. The grey would dance at lower level than the white one, and at times they would collide and pass through each other. Towards the very end, both of them will merge as one, face the audience, and glitch will appear.

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The story behind this idea is about the pessimistic and optimistic sides of human. Sometimes, we let what is not real (worry about the future, negative thoughts) to destroy us and our present. However, sometimes, we have the gut to face what seems to be impossible to conquer, but emerge victorious in the end. The lesson is what is tangible (size of a person, the achievements, the grades, the past experiences, etc.) does not always determine our ability at the moment. Think positively and do not shrink – that is what we should do when we face a bigger enemy or rival. In the end, nothing is impossible, both in real life and virtual space.