Birds, Bodies

Birds, Bodies / Emergence II

a dance performance that lies somewhere between improvisation and choreography

(Premiered: 3 March 2005)

Eight performers will generate new performance work in real time using dance, movement, confession and reflection orchestrated by simple rule systems. Their work will interact with an audio-visual matrix of sampled feedback of the performance happening mixed with moving images that echo the emergent nature of the event. This Vj/Djing will also be hooked into the rule-based network that runs the performance and uses the latest digi-performance software Isadora. For more information about this work see http://www.unsafesound.com.

Choreographer: Jane Turner
Performers: Alexis Bradburn, Tor Spencer, Sam Bell, Emma James, Katy Mutton, Amelie Chevalier, Albertina Marfil, Suzy Harvey
Sound & visual designer: Nick Rothwell
Theatre workshops: Luke Dixon
Vocal workshop: Daniel Biro
Cameraman: Chris Frazer Smith

Emergence is the manifestation of complex patterns resulting from simple rules. Seemingly random groups of elements, for example, migrating birds, groups of dancers, or musical notes, self-organise in unpredictable ways creating dynamic patterns. Emergence is a scientific theory that has particular relevance to interdisciplinary practice and research as it describes systems that organise from the bottom up, are subject to local interaction, feedback and indirect control.

More information on the London Metropolitan University site.