Strings of Thought

Strings of Thought is a contemporary dance piece using interactive scenography. Conceptually, the project intends to evoke human self-reflection and its consequence on the decision-making process. This introspection also questions the duality of who we are and who we wish to be.

In the performance, this argumentation is materialized through a scenic setup of suspended cables attached to various points of the dancer’s body. They represent the abstractions of our personal dogmas, conditioning movement and dexterity. These cables have particular physical responses, working similarly to a car seatbelt - they can extend/retract and have a braking system, so that acceleration over a certain threshold will block the body’s movement.

The cables were installed with a set of embedded sensors that measure linear movement and weight, generating data to digitally control light and sound. This interactive system operates in realtime, allowing the choreography to become the motor for all the music and stage effects.

Official info

Milliways

Credits

Artistic direction: Ivan Franco and Lígia Teixeira

Choreography, Dance: Lígia Teixeira

Music, Sound design: Ivan Franco

Lighting design: David Palma, Danny Green

Original text, Voice over: Liza Wade Green

Artistic advisory: David Grubbs /PIMA MFA

Technical system supervision: António Caetano Monteiro, Pedro Branco, Nelson Zagalo, Minho University

Interactive and Technical system construction: António Caetano Monteiro, Pedro Ramôa, Vítor Faria, Vítor Neto (UM Mechanics Department) and Ivan Franco.

Acknowledgments

A MILLIWAYS co-production with Guimarães 2012 European Capital of Culture.

In partnership with 3LD Art + Technology Center and Minho University.

This project was financed by the Portuguese State Secretary of Culture / DGArtes.