Ghost in the Machine
Concept
Many factors prevent performers from being in the same space as each other. Political status, lack of funding, accessibility issues are just a few factors that hinder travel even in the best of circumstances. "Ghost in the Machine" is a duet between two dancers across space and time. It is an exploration of the novel possibilities of expression and experience when participants can't be together in person.
How it works
Using body tracking technology, a live dancer controls the diffusion of a projected particle cloud. The faster she moves the more the particles resemble a human form, summoning the absent dancer through her movements.
Kinect for Windows v2 was used for recording body data and for live body tracking. The JavaScript library p5.js was used to draw the particles. Kinectron was used to process the raw Kinect data.
Context
Presented as a part of the NYU Tisch Dance & Technology showcase, May 12, 2018.