Re: pantha

James Frankham (james@frankham.demon.co.uk)
Sat, 22 Aug 1998 11:06:08 +0100

Hi Sophie

I too saw Millenarium performed at ThePlace.

In terms of 'technology.on.stage' there were a couple of data/video projectors and some big.sounds. However, I don't think for a minute that you were dealing with technology in terms of cool things that go *ping* on stage but rather as a generator of movement material and a conceptual base for the
performance. It was interesting to see technology presented this way - that is process, not product/presentation. It came across to me as a piece about technology/cyberspace rather than a digital performance per se.

Being new to dance I enjoyed the material and the performance though struggled to get a grip on the semantics. The architectural events on stage were interesting as objects though I didn't feel they were engaged in any way by the mover(s). The projections onto these 'objects' were definitely 'cool'
and moved in and out of phase with the sound ... but again I didn't see a strong connection between the imagery and the movement in front. Perhaps you were playing on that. I had more success reading the chereography when I set it apart from what technology there was on stage. Perhaps it would read
even more clearly as a piece about technology if the hi-tech components had either a clearer connection to the movement material or were abandoned altogether. A lo-tech performance about the hi-tech. I would like to see it again and get a better understanding of the piece.

James

sophie hansen wrote:

> Dear Nick,
>
> I would be very interested to hear more from you about your perception of The Millennarium. Prehaps there is an expectation that technology should be evident on stage in gizmos and effects rather than be informative of the process of choreographic creation, as is the case for Random Dance Company.
>
> I would be really happy to elaborate on the company's use of technology in performance and suggest that you either mail me some questions, or take a look at that Spring ReLoaded video and then get in touch if things are still unclear.
>
> Good to have the feedback and I'd be very keen to hear from anyone else who has seen the work.
>
> Sophie Hansen
> --
>
> On 21 Aug 1998 10:09:07 -000 Nick Rothwell wrote:
> >> I work wiom Dance Company in London and there is a commerciailable
> >> education video made for their Spring ReLOaded seres our last
> >> touring production, The Millennarium, in which the artistic
> >> Director, Wayne McGregor talks about his approach to technology in
> >> dance.
> >
> >I saw the performance of this piece, and I saw very little technology
> >in it. And yet it was touted as a dance technology project so clearly
> >I missed something. Could you outline how technology was involved?
> >
> >--
> > Nick Rothwell, CASSIEL contemporary dance projects
> > http://www.cassiel.com music synthesis and control
> >
> > "Welcome to Moscow, Mrs. Gandhi." -- Leonid Brezhnev to Margaret Thatcher
> >
>
> Free web-based email, Forever, From anywhere!
> http://www.mailexcite.com

===================
james.frankham >> big.bang
architect.interactiveArtist.webAuthor

mail: one@earthcorp.com
web: http://www.earthcorp.com/one
iphone: extemporo@pub1.ipn.vocaltec.com
ICQ: 14492371