Professional Choreographers Research Articles

Data-Driven Computer Choreography Based on Kinect and 3D Technology

As a form of artistic expression, dance accompanied by music enriches the cultural life of human beings and stimulates the creative enthusiasm of the public. Choreography is usually done by professional choreographers. It is highly professional and time-consuming. The development of technology is changing the way of artistic creation. The development of motion capture technology and artificial intelligence makes computer-based automatic choreography possible. This paper proposes a method of music choreography based on deep learning. First, we use Kinect to extract and filter actions and get actions with high authenticity and continuity. Then, based on the constant Q transformation, the overall note density and beats per minute (BPM) of the target music are extracted, and preliminary matching is performed with features such as action speed and spatiality, and then, the local features of the music and action segments based on rhythm and intensity are matched. The experimental results show that the method proposed in this paper can effectively synthesize dance movements. The speed and other characteristics of each movement segment in the synthesis result are very uniform, and the overall choreography is more aesthetic.

Research on the Application of Intelligent Choreography for Musical Theater Based on Mixture Density Network Algorithm.

Musical choreography is usually completed by professional choreographers, which is very professional and time-consuming. In order to realize the intelligent choreography of musical, based on the mixed density network (MDN), this paper generates the dance matching with the target music through three steps: motion generation, motion screening, and feature matching. The choreography results in this paper have a high degree of matching with music, which makes it possible for the development of motion capture technology and artificial intelligence and computer automatic choreography based on music. In the process of motion generation, the average value of Gaussian model output by MDN is used as the bone position and the consistency of motion is measured according to the change rate of joint velocity in adjacent frames in the process of motion selection. Compared with the existing studies, the dance generated in this paper has improved in motion coherence and realism. In this paper, a multilevel music and action feature matching algorithm combining global feature matching and local feature matching is proposed. The algorithm improves the unity and coherence of music and action. The algorithm proposed in this paper improves the consistency and novelty of movement, the compatibility with music, and the controllability of dance characteristics. Therefore, the algorithm in this paper technically changes the way of artistic creation and provides the possibility for the development of motion capture technology and artificial intelligence.

THE MEANING OF INTRODUCING OF THE STANDARDS OF THE HIGHER EDUCATION IN THE AREA OF EXPERTISE 02 “CULTURE AND ARTS”, SPECIALTY: 024 “CHOREOGRAPHY”

THE MEANING OF INTRODUCING OF THE STANDARDS OF THE HIGHER EDUCATION IN THE AREA OF EXPERTISE 02 “CULTURE AND ARTS”, SPECIALTY: 024 “CHOREOGRAPHY”

Inspired or Inhibited? Choreographers’ Views on How Classical Ballet Training Shaped Their Creativity

ABSTRACT Classical ballet training has been criticized for prioritizing technical excellence over creativity, despite 21st century dancers needing to be strong in both aspects. The aim of this study was to investigate professional choreographers’ views on (a) how ballet training inspired vs. inhibited their creativity and (b) potential gender differences in this regard. Eight choreographers (50% female) participated in semi-structured interviews, with transcripts analyzed using thematic analysis. The key theme was created from accounts of how ballet training impacted on interviewees’ Intrinsic motivation to create, fed into by experiences of Autonomy, Variety and Opportunities. Experiences of significant autonomy thwarting were considered to have inhibited creativity; this was one of several areas of gender difference, and a reason for participants to pursue choreography rather than stay employed as dancers. In following the emergent Recommendations for schools, it is possible that Intrinsic motivation to create could be better nurtured in ballet training.

TRAINING OF PROFESSIONAL CHOREOGRAPHER WITHIN THE CONTEXT OF DEVELOPMENT OF MODERN EDUCATION IN UKRAINE

Considering changes which take place within the society, taking into account the development of technologies and the integration of our country into the world educational environment, training of professional choreographers of the artistic-pedagogical direction requires transformation. The cultural-educational integrating process provides the implementation of the European norms and standards into the system of national educational, basing on the combining of fundamentals of the system of high education, renovation of the content and forms of organization of educational process.The article deals with the burning problems of the professional activity of the professional choreographer and his professional qualification structure of training. The author has analyzed the scientists’ research works who researched the problem of formation of professional readiness of the future specialist of the choreography profile. The work determines and reveals the main vectors of the successful training of the future choreographer according to the tendencies of development of modern education in Ukraine: euro-integration and multi-culture of the high education; providing of the education’s quality and correlation with the society’s requirements; the competent model of the professional’s training; the priority of the professional-oriented technologies of teaching; the motivation of the successful employment; saving of the national traditions of education.Within the article there were determined the problematic moments of the professional training of the high education’s applicants. There are given examples of the experience of work of teachers and pedagogues of choreography disciplines of Berdiansk state pedagogical university, which provide the training of the competitive graduate within the context of the Euro-integrating processes. It underlines the importance of the implementation of the professional-oriented technologies into the educational process of high educational establishments and institutions, the transferring from the subject-centrism and the motivation for the successful education.

The evolution of professional contemporary dance in Burkina Faso

Burkina Faso is renowned within international dance circles for its vibrant dance scene. It is the origin of several accomplished and widely touring performing artists as well as a growing number of upcoming dancer-choreographers who want to engage in a professional artistic career. Yet, the existence of the profession of an artist, let alone of a professional choreographer, is not a commonly recognized social fact in this country. Against this background we trace the historical evolution of the dancing profession in Burkina Faso. Focusing on Ouagadougou, we analyse how the contemporary dance field has developed in this specific location as a transnationally connected social space that forms part of a global art world. We analyse its multiple institutional linkages with other spaces highlighting the concrete actors who have contributed to the establishment of dance ‘as an art and a profession’ (Sanou 2008, Afrique Danse Contemporaine. Pantin: Centre National de la Danse, 43) in this country. Thereby we underline the ambivalent role of the state, which remains an indispensable interlocutor not only in the process of recognizing artists’ official status and providing access to public infrastructure but also in establishing schools, which have become important institutions mediating the relations of the art world of contemporary choreography with its social environment.

Choreographic and Somatic Approaches for the Development of Expressive Robotic Systems

As robotic systems are moved out of factory work cells into human-facing environments questions of choreography become central to their design, placement, and application. With a human viewer or counterpart present, a system will automatically be interpreted within context, style of movement, and form factor by human beings as animate elements of their environment. The interpretation by this human counterpart is critical to the success of the system’s integration: “knobs” on the system need to make sense to a human counterpart; an artificial agent should have a way of notifying a human counterpart of a change in system state, possibly through motion profiles; and the motion of a human counterpart may have important contextual clues for task completion. Thus, professional choreographers, dance practitioners, and movement analysts are critical to research in robotics. They have design methods for movement that align with human audience perception; they can help identify simplified features of movement that will effectively accomplish human-robot interaction goals; and they have detailed knowledge of the capacity of human movement. This article provides approaches employed by one research lab, specific impacts on technical and artistic projects within, and principles that may guide future such work. The background section reports on choreography, somatic perspectives, improvisation, the Laban/Bartenieff Movement System, and robotics. From this context methods including embodied exercises, writing prompts, and community building activities have been developed to facilitate interdisciplinary research. The results of this work are presented as an overview of a smattering of projects in areas like high-level motion planning, software development for rapid prototyping of movement, artistic output, and user studies that help understand how people interpret movement. Finally, guiding principles for other groups to adopt are posited.

Am I screwed if the choreographer isn't my BFF?

Author(s): Elster, Jaime | Abstract: When casting, professional choreographers often prefer dancers they know, or ones they have worked with before. In universities, however, should the same situation apply? Is it worthwhile to audition if you haven't gotten to know the choreographer outside the theatre? Dance majors are often told they need to network and get to know choreographers in order to be cast, yet these skills are not taught. Could such skills be taught along with performance and choreography?

Un estudio experimental sobre la influencia de la música en la coreografía: movimiento y espacio

En este estudio experimental investigamos la relación entre música y danza a partir de cuatrofragmentos musicales compuestos por Pep Llopis para espectáculos de danza. Participan dos coreógrafos profesionales ajenos a los espectáculos en cuestión y sin información sobre el origen o la intención de los fragmentos musicales. Los coreógrafos trabajan de manera aislada y sin compartir información. Primero, cada coreógrafo hace una escucha previa de cada fragmento, y verbaliza las evocaciones sugeridas (imágenes, sensaciones, etc.) y los movimientos y desplazamientos visualizados. Se le encarga concebir una coreografía improvisada que, en una sesión posterior, se graba en vídeo. Se procede a un análisis cualitativo detallado sobre el vídeo, con la ayuda de una segunda entrevista a los coreógrafos. Se realiza un análisis cuantitativo del espacio y de los elementos técnicos: espacio ocupado, direcciones y mirada,tipos de desplazamientos/dinámicas, recorridos/trayectorias, alturas/niveles, peso, ritmo y energía corporal. Los resultados muestran una influencia estadísticamente muy significativa de la música en los elementos coreográficos (altura, peso, forma corporal, ocupación espacial, recorridos, pasos) independientemente de las evocaciones internas de cada coreógrafo. También destaca una influencia en la posición/dirección respecto al público y dirección dela mirada.

Identifying choreographic knowledge: choreographic techne and phronesis

This paper presents the core findings of a doctoral study conducted between 2009 and 2013 on teaching and learning the creative process in dance composition. Choreographic knowledge that enhances the technical and creative aspects of choreography is examined and interpreted on the basis of Aristotle’s techne and phronesis. The research tracks 10 professional choreographers, of whom 5 were selected from Korea and the remaining 5 from the United States, using qualitative research methods through the phenomenological approach. Choreographic knowledge identified through the components of choreographic techne and phronesis is clarified in three dimensions: choreography in form, choreography in context and choreography as metaphor. The study culminates with suggestions for further research and for practical implementation.

보아의 K-Pop 넘버원 댄스 핵심동작의 생체역학적 분석

Abstract The purpose of this study was to investigate biomechanical factors on key motions in K-Pop dance(BoA’sNo.1). A professional choreographer who was BoA’s K-Pop No. 1 dance participated in this study. ROMs(range of motion) of shoulder and elbow joints in AP direction were greater than other joints. Those of trunk and pelvis inML direction were the greatest of other directions. The velocity of CoG in SI direction was greater than other directions, and also max angular velocities of shoulder, elbow, knee, and hip joints in AP direction were the greatestof all directions. But ROM and angular velocity of ankle joint were very small. Max rotational powers of shoulderand knee joints were larger than other joints. Key Words ： Biomechanics, BoA’s NO.1 dance, K-Pop dance, Moment, Power * 이 논문은 2014년 제52회 한국체육학회 학술발표회에 포스터로 발표한 내용을 수정, 보완하였음을 밝힙니다.본 연구는 문화체육관광부 및 한국콘텐츠진흥원의 2014년도 문화기술연구개발지원의 연구결과로 수행됐음. * Corresponding Author : Young-Kwan Jang(Kangwon Univ.) Tel: +82-33-570-6585 email : ykjang@kangwon.ac.krReceived January 22, 2015 Revised February 10, 2015 Accepted February 12, 2015

ФОРМУВАННЯ ЕТНОКУЛЬТУРНОЇ КОМПЕТЕНТНОСТІ МАЙБУТНІХ ХОРЕОГРАФІВ

In the article the problem of forming ethnocultural competence of futurechoreographers in higher educational establishment is examined. Preconditionsand socialpedagogical principles of ethnocultural competence of choreographerare reasoned. The structural components of choreographic preparation, that assist becoming of competent and professional choreographer, are distinguished.

モーションアーカイブと3DCGを用いたコンテンポラリーダンスの創作実験

We developed an interactive system, “Web3D Dance Composer (WDC),” which allows users to create dance choreographies by using a dance motion data archive and simulate them with 3DCG animation. In this research, we conducted two evaluation experiments on the choreographic creation of contemporary dance to evaluate the capacity of the WDC as a dance creation support system. First, we conducted an experiment on choreographic creation for a professional choreographer and proved the usability of the system. Second, we conducted an experiment on training students to create choreography. The results of an evaluation by eight students confirmed that the WDC has the usability and potentiality for producing unpredictable movements and aiding in the learning of a new choreographic process.

Choreography Styles in Figure Skating

AbstractFifty‐eight figure skating trainers from fifteen different countries acted as volunteers in this study on choreography styles. The styles were based on reports of artistic‐creative strategies in composing music, drawing, writing poems or novels, and in making dances. The prevalence of the Mozartian (at the onset the choreographer already has a more or less complete plan in mind), Beethovenian (the choreographer does not start with a complete plan, but instead focuses on a succession of single and detailed elements) and Avant‐garde Style (instead of starting from the music, as the impulse for creating movements, trainers choreograph straight from movement ideas) is 77.2%, 56.4%, and 16.1% respectively. The results from a CATPCA reveal that the features, associated with the three choreography styles have loadings on two dimensions, one representing features predominantly belonging to primary process thinking (Mozartian), the other representing features predominantly related to secondary process thinking (Beethovenian and Avant‐Garde). In the discussion attention is paid to 1) why the Mozartian and Beethovenian are more popular than the AvantGarde Style, to 2) the universal quality of artistic‐creative styles in a wide range of artistic endeavors, and to 3) the differences between elite, runner‐up, and novice trainers on experience, on using the assistance of a professional choreographer, and on using the Avant‐Garde Style.

Choreographic Cognition

The process of inception, development and refinement during the creation of a new dance work is described and explored. The account is based on annotated video of the professional choreographer and dancers as they create and sequence new movement material, as well as weekly journal entries made by one of the dancers. A 24-week chronology is reported. We analyse the choreographic process using the Geneplore model of creative cognition as an organising framework and identify generative and exploratory processes including problem finding and problem solving, metaphorical thinking, non-linear composition, and multi-modal imagery. An analytical tool adapted from the discipline of music analysis is used to explore relationships between recurring themes and visual, visceral, spatial and tactile images. Ideas for experimental work relating to choreographic cognition are discussed.

The Root of Dance Therapy: A Consideration of Movement, Dancing, and Verbalization vis-à-vis Dance/Movement Therapy

How and when does dance become therapy? And why is there a need for such intervention? The author, one of the great choreographer Balanchine's prima ballerinas and a professional choreographer in her own right as well, ranges far in seeking societal as well as individual causes for the creation of a new psychotherapy. She uses her passionate adherence to dance per se as a vantage point from which to view humanity's trials and tribulations. She also opens a door into the realm of professional, performing dancers who wanted to give their dancing to the world. Her ironic wit takes note of the nondancers who want to be dance therapists. She also draws a loving portrait of one of the originators of dance therapy in the United States, Marian Chace, who became her friend and mentor.