The Body Beyond Movement: (Missed) Opportunities to Engage with Contemporary Dance in HCI

Abstract

This paper argues that a significant paradigm change in contemporary dance can offer further opportunities for HCI researchers interested in embodied interaction and interactive system design. Based on the analysis of 42 HCI papers in our data set, resulting from searches in two computing research libraries, we suggest seven thematic categories that reflect how HCI researchers have been engaging with contemporary dance. Moreover, we propose a standardized usage of contemporary dance terminology in HCI literature, and discuss the current state of engagement with publications from the field of performance theory. We identify three opportunities for HCI, which can arise through further engagement with the knowledge produced in contemporary dance and performance: to engage with the field of embodied interaction from the perspective of performance research and theory; to employ contemporary dance methods and practices in HCI research; and to integrate contemporary dance choreographers and performers as researchers in interdisciplinary projects.