Dance project captures expert attention

Capturing Dance, a project at Deakin University which is using motion capture technology to 'map' the choreographic process, will be in the spotlight this week during a visit by leading arts and technology researcher, writer and consultant Scott deLahunta.

Mr deLahunta, whose visit to Australia is being supported by the British Council, is the director of R-Research, the research arm of Wayne McGregor | Random Dance, the company founded by multi-award winning British choreographer Wayne McGregor. Mr McGregor is currently in Australia creating a work for The Australian Ballet titled Dyad 1929 for the Concord season.

Capturing Dance project leader and director of the Deakin Motion.Lab Dr Kim Vincs believes Mr deLahunta's visit is an important step in developing the project's international connections.

"Scott and I met at the World Dance Alliance Global Dance Summit last year. To have someone of Scott's stature and experience visit Deakin to discuss the Capturing Danceproject will help us to benchmark the work we are doing here, as well as find out about the most advanced work that is currently happening internationally and to position ourselves with that.

"I hope it may also lead to the opportunity to collaborate on international projects," Dr Vincs said.

Dr Vincs believes motion capture technology, similar to that used to help create lifelike animated characters in films and videogames, has a great deal to offer choreographers and dancers.

"Motion capture offers dance something it can't currently get any other way and that is three dimensional imaging of a dancer's movements. In the Deakin Motion.Lab we can put a dancer into a special suit with reflective 'markers' and then capture their movement in three dimensions using an array of cameras.

"When a dancer or a choreographer looks at the data they are able to see the pure movement, without muscle, without facial expression, and examine it again and again," she said. "We are at the very beginning of this technology from a dance point of view and the possibilities are startling."

Dr Vincs will give a presentation on Mr deLahunta's visit and the work being done at Deakin prior to the R-Research Public Seminar being presented by Wayne McGregor and Mr deLahunta on Friday, 31 July at 7.30pm at Dancehousein North Carlton, Melbourne. Entry to the seminar is free but bookings are essential as seating is limited. To book contact Dancehouse on 03 9347 2860 or info@dancehouse.com.au.

Capturing Dance is a three-year project which is being supported by Australian Research Council's Discovery Projects funding scheme. Dr Vincs is collaborating with mathematician and Deakin senior lecturer Dr Vicky Mak and biomechanist Associate Professor Richard Smith from the University of Sydney on the project.