Learning how to deal with new technologies

         As dance artists, we are accustomed to working with our bodies, feeling sensations, listening to the music, moving into the space and interacting with other people on stage. I could say that we are more “physical” people. We need to know very well where we are performing; in this way we are comfortable dancing and acting for our audience. We are interested in feeling and moving our body, internalizing the music and being aware of our surroundings. We like to control our environment. Our natural environments since we were kids are the dance classroom and the theater. Both of them are big spaces to move where you can easily establish with whom you are physically connected (colleagues, audience, teacher, choreographer, musicians). Inside those places, we are able to control and get to know what our dance atmosphere is. However, when this familiar and comfortable environment suddenly changes, we are going to have a weird sensation, a sensation of instability.

       Multimedia collaboration and interactive internet distributed performances are complete new environments for many dance artists. Working with new technologies in order to create performances and artistic products is a relatively new field for choreographers, teachers and dancers. Everything is challenging and demanding in the process of getting to know new and useful technological tools. Working with wires, computers, screens, cameras, mixers, microphones, internet connections, softwares, and many others could be frustrating some times. Mostly, understanding how they work could be unpleasant too. Everything related to new technologies is beyond the “physical connection” that we like a lot. We do not have the control of our artistic environment anymore. The place is new, the way of connecting to people is new, the way of interacting with other artists is new, they way of feeling the music is new; and moreover, the sensations in our bodies will be new when we dance with other people through internet. Now, fear appears. Will I be able to express artistically in this completely new and technological surrounding?



        The course of acquiring new skills is a  kind of demanding for any person. In this process, many doubts could arise especially in artists ‘minds because we are questioning all the time about the validity of our work. Will I be able to master these proceedings in order to gain new ways of expressing my artistic ideas? Could I express my thoughts using new technologies? Will I understand how these devices and software work? How will be the relationship with other artists through internet?  As I wrote above, dancers like to control their environment. It is important to us to understand how our body moves, how to use dance technique, how to listen to the music, how to express our feelings to the audience. Therefore, the first step to become comfortable working in Collaborative projects in the performing arts, using new technologies, is to comprehend how they work.