My Avatar Dance live performance draws inspiration from and gives homage to classic pantomime, vaudeville, and dance movements of the past, while updating their interactivity for the future. The routine includes variations of the Mirror Gag, Rope Pull Gag, Ladder Climb Gag, Breakdancing Battle, and a Juggling Toss. To my knowledge, this is one of the first times, if not the first time, that these gestural classics have been done on stage between a human performer and a virtual 3D character in front of a live audience.

The dance features the Organic Originator (Topher 1.8) dancing with his Digital Doppelganger (Topher 2.0), and is part of a performance study on creating believable real-time character interaction between live performers and digital synthespians on a theatrical set. This interdisciplinary MFA project, called Mimesis & Mocap, applies techniques from pantomime and puppetry to 3D computer animation, while using motion capture technology and projections, to create a hybrid performance medium that seeks to embody and update Craigs theatrical concept of The Ubermarionette. This piece is my first step in creating a new Theatre of the Avatar.

Concept, design, choreography, realtime animation, and performance by Chris (Topher) Maraffi. The Avatar Dance was part of UCSC Theater Arts-DANM Performative Technologies Group co-production of "Stop the Press!", an experimental play about technological change and progress, which was performed at UCSC XSpace Theater on Feb 26-March 7, 2010. Production directed by Kimberly Jannarone, music by Chris Molla, lighting by Erik Ladue, set by Matt Kedzie, and costume by Olivia Warner. Ray Kurzweil played by Petey Donatello, MC played by Alexander Henriquez, and Bill Joy played by Patrick Young. Special thanks to Ricardo Tobon for his motion capture expertise and to Kathy Foley for her Ubermarionette knowledge. Additional thanks to Jim Bierman, David Cuthbert, performative DANMites, and all the Theater Arts STP crew and cast. Handheld camera by Leland Moriarty. Video edited from multiple live camera documentation footage. Learn more about Topher's work at www.chrismaraffi.com