INVITATION

TO HYBRID PARTICIPATORY PERFORMANCE

REAL VIRTUAL GAMES IN SECOND LIFE

FRIDAY, JUNE 11, 11.30 > 11.35 AM (PST/SLT)

SLURL:  Koru (216, 233, 4026) Second Life 

Part of Conference PSI 16: Performing Publics
Session 2.2 > 14.30-16.00
Panel PRIVATE and ONSCREEN:
What is at Stake in Choreographing the Public in Live/Media Works?
Place: RM558, OCAD

Choreographing the Public: Physical-Virtual Embodied Interfaces for Audience Participation in Second Life® Performance Environment
Isabel Valverde | Institute of Human Studies and Intelligent Technologies, Lisbon

Abstract
Based on my research and creative work in Second Life® in collaboration with Todd Cochrane, Real Virtual Games and more recently Weathering In, I want to share my query and open discussion about crucial issues concerned with dancing with video and virtual character mediations in physical-virtual participatory environments. The research focuses on possible choreographic relationships between participants and/through their mediated doubles or partners and aspects of the interactive/responsive work environments, which would benefit, enrich, bring agency to embodied subjects within a post-human corporeal condition. I will facilitate a short participatory performance in SL following with analysis of how the role of the design and choreography of our interface with the avatar and the avatar movement and behavior, as well as with the environment affect the participants and their engagement with the work. How are we differently affected by interacting with our avatars while seated at the desktop, and/or by actually moving (with) them? Program them to respond according to our wishes? How can avatar embodied experiences allow a challenge to subjective and inter-subjective/social physical-virtual presence and mobility, other than substituting the physical by the virtual embodiment? How can the new technological potential also mean a change of mentality?
    
This hybrid participatory performance proposes a short structured movement improvisation between avatars (Second Life users), and will include real-time SL video broadcast of subjects at the conference's physical space in Toronto.

RVG is a project experimenting with the interaction through hybrid modes of embodiment, adapting and creatively applying possible interfaces between physical and virtual bodies and worlds. Moving through the world and games available to appropriate and critically create

To the participants:
Please arrive to the SLURL 5-10 mn earlier in order to acquire the movement animations to play during the performance. The movements will be shared by Butler2 Evelyn at the SL site. The performance is quite informal and each avatar is invited to use the shared movements to interact with each other. All other possible moves can be combined freely, including avatar spatial navigation, gestures, chat and voice . Please feel free to experiment with accumulation of moves. They are of different sorts, from floating in the air, moving body parts in various and impossible ways, turning in the air.

This participatory performance is influenced by Contact Improvisation as a ludic dance form based in the physical proximity and contact between participants, sharing weight, flow, energy. Opening out the kinesthetic and kinetic senses, thinking through and witnessing movement interactions moved by the full experience of the moment. 

You Are Welcome to come enjoy other way of moving and interacting.
Please she with anyone who you think would be interested to participate.

Butler2 Evelyn/ Isabel Valverde 

a short video on a previous experimental small performance gathering at:
http://isabelcvalverde.blogspot.com
or
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Hco9HdmW5Y