SENSORIUM
2020
Presented by the Texas State University Department of Theatre and Dance in Distorted Reality - a virtual showcase of dance presented by the BFA performance and choreography seniors.
Choreographed by Eric Acuña
Starring Rishon Harvey and Madelynn Mesa
Sound Design: Sa Ra Parks and Eric Acuña
Video Editor: Eric Acuña
This project explores the intersection of video and choreography through a first-person viewing (FPV) technology experience in collaboration with Texas State Dance Department. Sensorium is not about any particular subject but a flow of processes, where the subjectivity of the dancer became part of that flow-an improvisation directed at recreating the human sensorium through the act of viewing the 'self' and performing with the 'other.'
The present moment is exaggerated with a twisted entanglement of the three cameras to denote the cognitive drag created by the breakdown of technology, external movement, and unification of space. The FPV video presents a visual impression of space, replicating Reality through a screen. The choreography is measured in a five rhythmic approach to movement based on connection, special awareness, and the body's intellect, both symbolic and improvised. Sensorium references the perception of motion, or "seat of sensation," where our senses are in constant flux, creating and reinterpreting the environment within which it pre-forms.
This work was showcased as part of Distorted Reality, a virtual showcase of dance presented by the BFA performance and choreography seniors and by the Texas State University Department of Theatre and Dance, Fall 2020.
As part of this work's goal, an installation and viewing experience was proposed as part of the TXST BFA 2020 Thesis exhibition titled: Conversations With the Void.
sen·so·ri·um
/senˈsôrēəm/
noun
noun: sensorium; plural noun: sensoria; plural noun: sensoriums
The sensory apparatus or faculties considered as a whole.
"virtual reality "
An improvisational performance centered on a collaborative dance between mind, body, and understanding.
The dancers are instructed to follow their intuitive impulses. They are instructed to feel the body as one part at a time, moving slowly and with little tension; articulating movement according to the guidance provided through their senses.
The second section develops into the performers being able to move all of their body parts with the same absolute slowness; their original positions evolve from lying to standing.
Section three discusses the body's ability to respond to each other in a faster, and less tense way. This rhythm is activated by intensifying the sound, expanding the perception of space.
A fourth section of this score gives movement a wide range of possibilities, allowing an automatic response to proximity and an interpretation of purpose and reason. Dancers are now capable of changing tension levels throughout the entire scale by using all their natural senses.
This final section exemplifies the dancer's ability to concentrate and understand movement articulation, tension levels, and speed. It develops into a harmonious flow of activity and sensation among the dancer, location, and awareness. This exhausts them back into moving slowly, with little tension, and feeling the body as one component at a time 🔄 .
The whole body as a vehicle of perception and communication, complementing or even providing an alternative to the optical vision.
Through the lens of First Point of View(FPV) headsets, the effects of technology alter the perception of light.
The medium is the message, and the potential for an awakening of anesthetized senses lies as much in the use and content of the technology as it does in its form. "
-e.a
Costume and Silhouette Design
As a way to explore the idea of 'passing' light through a medium, I created a costume that referenced refracted light in a wave pool of oscillating ripples. Since the perception of each dancer depends on light, it was important for these movements to create their own ripples, waves, and rainbows of light.
Sound Recordings and Listenings
Sound samples and adaptations from everyday experiences, including the mechanical nature of the camera and the mysterious hum of space. This production aimed to highlight the absurdity of auditory perception. In this composition, sound, music, and noise formed Sensorium's supplementary discourse, captioning movement both within and without.
Movement Studies and Rehearsals
This video shows the POV from each dancer during the performance. The camera on each helmet signals a feed which then delays movement in the POV goggles, capturing and preserving the event as a form of visual notation.
Installation of video work for the Fall 2020 BFA exhibition at TXST university.