Bringing virtual dance to life

VDEP Event (2021)

The Virtual Dance Exchange Project (VDEP) is a collaboration with Shana Simmons Dance and Karen Alexander from XRconnectED, aiming to bring new perspectives on movement artists through 360-degree advancements in technology.

An idea born during COVID times, the project allows viewers the potential to experience the thrill and beauty of dance anywhere, anytime, thereby preserving this delicate artform despite unanticipated and unprecedented societal changes. Moreover, the depth of the project was expanded by highlighting social issues affecting dance communities, such as diversity in professional performers and striving for equity within dance communities.

In VDEP’s inaugural year, the project focused on three choreographers, Bianca Johnson, Chrisala Brown, and Shana Simmons, each of whom created pieces for their dancers that were specifically designed to be experienced in a 360-degree medium. Further, each was filmed in a unique Pittsburgh location, adding to the synergistic energy of the final pieces.

Scenes were filmed at authentic sites such as the remnants of a steel mill, afront a vibrant mural in a repressed neighborhood awaiting revitalization, and within the shell of a rundown and abandoned church still echoing the vitality of its past congregation.

These lively locations added key atmosphere but also presented challenges. At the church, we made sure to clear hazardous debris as well as time the shoots for maximum light streaming through its gorgeous stained glass to illuminate an otherwise dim interior. Meanwhile, the old steel mill is part of a public park and thus we had to work with the natural goings-on there, such as a surprise pop-up event the morning of the shoot.

Similarly, the mural is a public space, and in both public locations we found that curious on-lookers approached from all angles, none the wiser that our camera was recording literally all of them. Fortunately, these interactions were a welcome chance to introduce the technology to new people as well as cultivate public enthusiasm about the project!

Using the 360-degree camera for dance provided an interesting opportunity for new creativity as well, both in choreography directed towards the camera in novel ways, and in experimentation with placement of the camera to inventively capture the movements. In particular, a slightly overhead angle was utilized at the church, allowing an elevated yet more immersive view of a section of dance involving colorful sashes swishing and interweaving until the dancers were coalesced in front of the altar.

Thanks to the 360-degree nature of the camera, all non-dancers were entrained by having to find creative hiding places during each take, and because all crew, choreographer, and dancers were universally professional and prepared, each shoot was a joy of collaboration, the results of which will be available in an online premiere event on October 1, 2021. Find more information about the event on Shana Simmons’ website.