The lunch room at the Netherlands Media Art Institute. Photo: Thomas Lenden
The fourth and final Lab took place 12-18 April 2010 in Amsterdam at the Netherlands Media Art Institute and followed by a summary session organised in the Hekmanfoyer at the Stadsschouwburg Utrecht in the context of Springdance during Saturday morning, 18 April. The summary was followed by an afternoon conference titled “choreographic objects revisited and after life of IMK” co-facilitated by Lab guest James Leach who also conducted interviews with each research group.
In Lab #4, the AHK_Dance research team was busy with preparing and giving feedback to the NIMk and EG/PC groups. In addition, the team worked on the preparation of their proposal for the continuation of their research into the use of media tools in dance education. They found much common ground with the model being prepared by the NIMk group and were able to incorporate this structure into their proposal for research in the Afterlife phase of the IMK. They were excited by the possibilities presented by the new work in interactive feedback and creative play/development in the installation of the EG/PC group. This raised new lines of interest for the future. Lastly they consolidated ideas for continuing and strengthening uses of media tools already present in their work as dance educators.
Peter de Vuyst, AHK_Dance student testing the DS/DM Installation. Photo: Thomas Lenden
In February 2010, the EGPC research team met and worked together in a pre-lab week where the received feedback from Lab #3 could be implemented in the installation. Aiming to arrive at a final version to test during Lab #4 , the pre-lab focused on the development and implementation of received feedback from the AHK_Dance team around the installation. During the pre-lab decisions were taken on the final structure of the installation, format and role of the ds/dm glossary and on tasks and methods for working. The installation content was divided into analysis, visual and sonic feedback and interface design and videos.
During Lab #4 both parts came together revealing some complicated performance issues, that ended in the decission of distribution of the different tasks on a small network of two machines. While in the first demo-version of “dsdm” installation was able to run on one laptop, the professional level required two computers. One computer running the interface with side-displays and wheel mouse and the second computer dealing with the motion tracking and analysis as well as taking care of the Infrared camera and displays on main screen.
Bertha Bermudez demonstrating the side-displays. Photo: Thomas Lenden
The testing done during Lab #4 did not allow a full interactive test of the installation, but all four “scenarios” from the ds/dm interactive installation: A-workshop B-learn C-cutomize D play/create, interface menu and wheel mouse, emotive icons, redefined gesture analysis and visual feedback were tested by students (2 from previous labs and 2 new members) and teachers of AHK/dance team. The testing produced satisfying results making the egpc team confident about the finalization of the installation that will take place using a research lab from the TKB research project (member of International Associates Network) in Portugal. During this final gathering a small manual for the installation will be designed. The aim of this manual is to provide not only a help to use of the interface, but also the final result of the ds/dm glossary further developed within Lab #4.
Maaike Bleeker and Laura Karreman in working space at NIMK. Photo: Thomas Lenden
Maaike Bleeker and Laura Karreman of the Utrecht University research group finalised the book proposal they has begun working on in Lab #3 deciding upon a working title “Embodying the Archive” and selecting the dance projects to be included in the book. The next stage will be to collect abstracts from the key authors and submit the proposal to publishing houses. The book is anticipated to come out in early 2012. In addition, the team began work on plans for the Performance Studies International conference #17 which will be held 25-29 May 2011 hosted by the Utrecht University which will also provide the Inside Movement Knowledge project an opportunity to disseminate the final results of its research.
Gaby Wijers and Vivan van Saaze in working space at NIMK. Photo: Thomas Lenden
The NIMk research group delivered a first nearly 50 page draft “Introduction to concept documentation model” to all lab participants on 8 April 2010 and arranged meetings with each group for feedback during Lab #4. Additionally, they organised a first meeting with designer Stephen Serrato (designer for the [NOTATION] journal you can download from the sidebar on the right) to work on visualisation for the model.
