MindFluctuations Co-Authored by Tania Fraga, computer artist from Sao Paulo, Brazil, and Maida Withers, choreographer and dancer from Washington, DC Good afternoon. Ten years ago I participated in the ART conference in Sao Paulo, Brazil with a live performance, an excerpt of Dance of the Auroras – Fire in the Sky. In this poetic voyage in space from the Sun through Earth’s auroras, a dancer performs while using a wireless mouse to manipulate in real time large-scale projected cyber worlds – 3D virtual art by Tania Fraga, computer artist from Sao Paulo, Brazil. I am honored to be here today for the 16th international conference to present aspects of MindFluctuations, a 90-minute opus, an interactive performance work. This collaboration of dance, neuroscience, 3D projected computer art, and live electronic music continues my lifelong fascination as an artist with the connection of the human body and mind to interactive technology. My dance works rely on the deepest connection of the mind and the body, both in creation and performance. While we are accustomed to engaging with expressive aspects of the performer, MindFluctuations goes further in visualizing the expressive self. Speaking casually, MindFluctuations gets information from inside the dancer’s head as you have seen demonstrated by Tania Fraga here today. Signals from the neural headset, worn by a dancer, interface with the processes of the 3D virtual artworks by Tania Fraga in the computer. The impact of these interactions is projected in real-time into the performance arena, further exposing the performer’s expressive self. In MindFluctuations, nine dancers from Maida Withers Dance Construction Company in Washington, DC performed with eleven virtual worlds created by Tania Fraga. One dancer in each section wore a neuro headset. Two headsets were available to provide for transitions necessary for the computers to recognize the new person wearing the headset. Five of the nine dancers wore a neuro headset during the performance. Before entering on stage, the dancer confirmed that a solid connection had been made with the computer located in the wings. Dancers had rehearsed with the headset and computer during rehearsal so they were recognized by the computer. Careful placement of the neuroheadset was important to the strength of the transmission from each dancer. Some dancers had stronger transmission than others.
MindFluctuations is one hour and 15 minutes in length. I will share with you a six minute video excerpt of the live performance at Lisner Auditorium in Washington, DC on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of the founding of Maida Withers Dance Construction Company. The video of last six minutes and 30 seconds and features excerpts of Part I through Part XI. Part I: The Egg, a trio by three women Part II: Blackness / the Underworld, a quartet by two men and two women Part III: Obsess, a light hearted quartet by three women and one man Part IV: Turned Away, a duet by two women Part V: Is Anyone Out There? a trio by two men and one woman Part VI: Trip / Boundaries Drawn by the Company Part VII: Offering, a solo by Maida Withers Part VIII: Monster Within, a solo created and performed by Anthony Gongora with a head piece designed by sculptor David Page Part IX: Virtue Exposed, a quartet by two men and two women Part X: Whiteness / Transcendence by the Company Part XI: Panspermia / Seeding the Universe by the Company The amount of time each dancer used the headset, the computer, and projector seemed to impact on the outcome and effectiveness of that dancer in performance. The decision to create a large-scale production influenced the choice of dancers performing set choreography rather than improvising to interact, perhaps, more authentically, with the virtual worlds. Experimental, interactive artworks such as MindFluctuations are “demanding” as methods and expectations vary in science, art, and technical fields. However, the body, the mind, and technology can find a truly extraordinary symbiosis.

TACIT ENGAGEMENT IN THE DIGITAL AGE A joint conference by the ‘Re-‘ Interdisciplinary Network, CRASSH (Center for Research in the arts, Social Services & Humanities and AI (Artificial Intelligence) & Society Journal CAMBRIDGE, UK June 26-28, 2019 MINDFLUCTUATIONS  Maida Withers “CONSIDERATION OF A GROUNDBREAKING DANCE SPECTACLE EXPLORING NEURAL CONNECTIONS” MINDFLUCTUATIONS, a bold interactive virtual journey … Continue reading MindFluctuations-AI-performance-talk/ →