The following methods were used for choreographic collaboration and exchanges. They took the form of both feedback and creative product inducing. In these methods, the participants were not using the digital exchanges to collaborate on a project, but rather as a method for providing feedback to one another.
These feedback methods opened the door for respondents to rely on modalities not limited to verbal. Sometimes the most meaningful feedback was not from the spoken, but to the way, for instance, a drawing captured an essence of the work from a visual rather than verbal vantage point.
Virtual Attendance
Off-site viewers tune into a rehearsal using video conferencing platforms or livestream options. The off-site viewers attend the rehearsal virtually, in real time. As they watch they use iPads or sketch pads to make their notes, particularly through drawing and visual response. After the rehearsal, in real time, the notes are shared with performers/artists serving as a feedback and discussion tool. In a livestreamed session, respondents can use the comment function to dialogue with other off-site respondents during the session, and then use video conferencing for dialogue amongst people from multiple locations.
Distance Dance Exchanges
Intentional asynchronous choreographic exchanges between two or more participants within a set time parameter. This exchange is reliant on each participants active engagement in creating responses. The goal of the exchange is to serve as a collaborative process to create choreography, that could be developed towards group or solo projects.
Distance Dance Exchanges was the central idea for Exquisite Corpse, which was then developed for classroom application in Miller’s course, “Choreography: Developing Physical Ideas for the Stage.”
Creative Response as Feedback
In this method, respondents respond to an event that is past but has been posted for access, for the purpose of getting feedback. Respondents create an artistic comment to the video post. This commentary can take the form of a movement composition, visual form (drawing, etc), poetry, sound or music. This exchange provides a different kind of feedback to the choreographer, as they artist sees how their work has inspired an other creative output. The choreographer might find themselves delving further into their work based on the response, perhaps gathering ideas for costume, scenic, prop, text or sound design. The respondents might find themselves inspired to develop their response into their own creative work, independent of the source material.
Miller and Richardson-Deppe Applications 2017
The Digital Bridges to Dance project was physically located at Grinnell College for the summer, with Charlotte in residence at the college. Taking advantage of Celeste’s off-campus touring schedule, we used the following projects to develop and apply DB2D methods across geographic distance.
Women at Waters Edge/Mujeres al Filo del Agua: A collaboration between Dora Arreola (Artistic Director Mujeres en Ritual Danza-Teatro; and Associate Professor School of Theatre and Dance, USF), Miroslava Wilson, artistic director Péndulo Cero of Tijuana, Mexico and Celeste Miller. Funded by a National Performance Network Creation Fund award, two face-to-face residencies initiated the project. May 26- June 5 Miller and Wilson joined Arreola’s company, Mujeres en Ritual Danza-Teatro at the Rosarito Cultural Center in Rosarito, Mexico. July 1-6 the three artists came together for a residency at Grinnell College in Iowa, and Charlotte was able to attend.
Methods used: Virtual Attendance with Visual Notetaking, Distance Dance Exchanges, Creative Response as Feedback
Additionally, Charlotte and Celeste devised several tasks, through the aegis of Digital Bridges to Dance, in order to develop and test methods under consideration for potential use.
Edges: As an initiation into our work together, Charlotte and Celeste met at an iconic Grinnell College location, a stone sign located at the corner of 6th Avenue and East Street. Setting up iPhones for video capture, Charlotte and Celeste engaged in a timed improvisation on the brick structure, around the theme of “edges”. Our task, individually, was to mix the video to create an edit of the material for shared posting.
Methods Used: Distance Dance Exchange
Exquisite Corpse: Based on the collaborative Surrealist poetry/drawing game, and inspired by filmmaker Mitchell Rose’s Exquisite Corpse, Celeste and Charlotte agreed to a five-day exchange while Celeste was at the American Dance Festival then Grinnell, and Charlotte was in Grinnell and Minnesota.
Methods Used: Distance Dance Exchange
Michael Richter Rehearsal: Michael, a long time colleague of Miller’s, lives in La Paz, Mexico. Celeste and Michael continuously explore ways that they can give feedback to each other’s work. In this instance, Michael was seeking feedback on a theatre project he is working on with two La Paz colleagues. Celeste and Charlotte Skyped in from Grinnell to attend the rehearsal and provide feedback.
Methods Used: Virtual Attendance with Visual Notetaking
