Scholarly Works, School of Performing Arts

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https://hdl.handle.net/10919/111110

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3D Time-Based Aural Data Representation Using D⁴ Library’s Layer Based Amplitude Panning Algorithm
Bukvic, Ivica Ico (Georgia Institute of Technology, 2016-07)
The following paper introduces a new Layer Based Amplitude Panning algorithm and supporting D⁴ library of rapid prototyping tools for the 3D time-based data representation using sound. The algorithm is designed to scale and support a broad array of configurations, with particular focus on High Density Loudspeaker Arrays (HDLAs). The supporting rapid prototyping tools are designed to leverage oculocentric strategies to importing, editing, and rendering data, offering an array of innovative approaches to spatial data editing and representation through the use of sound in HDLA scenarios. The ensuing D⁴ ecosystem aims to address the shortcomings of existing approaches to spatial aural representation of data, offers unique opportunities for furthering research in the spatial data audification and sonification, as well as transportable and scalable spatial media creation and production.
Acutely enhancing affective state and social connection following an online dance intervention during the COVID-19 social isolation crisis
Humphries, Ashlee; Tasnim, Noor; Rugh, Rachel; Patrick, Morgan; Basso, Julia C. (2023-01-16)
The COVID-19 pandemic has forced many throughout the world to isolate themselves from their respective communities to stop the spread of disease. Although this form of distancing can prevent the contraction of a virus, it results in social isolation and physical inactivity. Consequently, our communities have become heavily reliant on digital solutions to foster social connection and increase physical activity when forced to isolate. Dance is a multidimensional form of physical activity that includes sensory, motor, cognitive, rhythmic, creative, and social elements. Long-term, interventional studies in dance have shown positive effects on both mental and social health; however, little has been done to examine the acute effects and no studies to date have explored the relationship between the affective state and social outcomes of dance. We examined the hypothesis that online dance is associated with improvements in affective state and social connection during a time of social isolation, namely, the COVID-19 crisis. Healthy adults (age ≥ 18; n = 47) engaged in a single session of 60 min of self-selected online dance, completing a series of validated self-reported questionnaires before and after class. We found that online dance was associated with improvements in affective state as measured by increased positive affect and self-esteem and decreased negative affect and depressive symptoms. Additionally, online dance was associated with improvements in social and community connectedness. Further, we found that those who experienced the largest increases in self-esteem and decreases in negative affect demonstrated the largest gains in social connectivity. Although in-person dance classes may be optimal for formalized dance training, online dance instruction offers an accessible platform that can provide mental and social health benefits during the COVID-19 social isolation crisis. We conclude that through online dance, individuals can experience a connection between the body, mind, and community.
Aegis Audio Engine: Integrating a Real-Time Analog Signal Processing, Pattern Recognition, and a Procedural Soundtrack in a Live Twelve-Perfomer Spectacle With Crowd Participation
Bukvic, Ivica Ico; Matthews, Michael (Georgia Institute of Technology, 2015-07)
In the following paper we present Aegis: a procedural networked soundtrack engine driven by real-time analog signal analysis and pattern recognition. Aegis was originally conceived as part of Drummer Game, a game-performancespectacle hybrid research project focusing on the depiction of a battle portrayed using terracotta soldiers. In it, each of the twelve cohorts—divided into two armies of six—are led by a drummer-performer who issues commands by accurately drumming precomposed rhythmic patterns on an original Chinese war drum. The ensuing spectacle is envisioned to also accommodate large audience participation whose input determines the morale of the two armies. An analog signal analyzer utilizes efficient pattern recognition to decipher the desired action and feed it both into the game and the soundtrack engine. The soundtrack engine then uses this action, as well as messages from the gaming simulation, to determine the most appropriate soundtrack parameters while ensuring minimal repetition and seamless transitions between various clips that account for tempo, meter, and key changes. The ensuing simulation offers a comprehensive system for pattern-driven input, holistic situation assessment, and a soundtrack engine that aims to generate a seamless musical experience without having to resort to cross-fades and other simplistic transitions that tend to disrupt a soundtrack’s continuity.
A Brief Survey of the Development of Dramatic Literature for Children
Bedard, R. L. (Johns Hopkins University Press, 1983)
Cannibalizing Bach: Villa-Lobos in Europe, 1936
Sato, Eduardo (Cambridge University Press, 2023-08-11)
During the 1930s, Heitor Villa-Lobos concentrated his efforts on coordinating Brazilian musical education. As such, he changed his compositional style and did not travel to Europe again until 1936. This article examines Villa-Lobos's trip to Europe in 1936, drawing on Florencia Garramuno's call to 'incorporate avant-garde voyages as founding moments' for an autochthonous national character in music. During his journey, Villa-Lobos represented Brazil in different settings: as a deputy at the International Congress of Music Education in Prague and as a composer in under-the-radar political negotiations with Nazi Germany in Berlin. Considering the authoritarian Vargas Regime, Brazilian modernism, and the dialectical relation between nationalism and internationalism, I argue that this trip served as a catalyst for a new creative phase, culminating in the series of Bachianas brasileiras, a resignification of J. S. Bach's music and legacy in the context of his interpretation of Brazilian Antropofagia (cultural cannibalism).
A child-robot musical theater afterschool program for promoting STEAM education: A case study and guidelines
Dong, Jia; Choi, Koeun; Yu, Shuqi; Lee, Yeaji; Kim, Jisun; Vajir, Devanshu; Haines, Chelsea; Newbill, Phyllis; Wyatt, Ariana; Upthegrove, Tanner; Jeon, Myounghoon (Taylor & Francis, 2023-03-16)
With the advancements of machine learning and AI technologies, robots have been more widely used in our everyday life and they have also been used in education. The present study introduces a 12-week child-robot theater afterschool program designed to promote science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education with art elements (STEAM) for elementary students using social robots. Four modules were designed to introduce robot mechanisms as well as arts: Acting (anthropomorphism), Dance (robot movements), Music and Sounds (music composition), and Drawing (robot art). These modules provided children with basic knowledge about robotics and STEM and guided children to create a live robot theater play. A total of 16 students participated in the program, and 11 of them were involved in completing questionnaires and interviews regarding their perceptions towards robots, STEAM, and the afterschool program. Four afterschool program teachers participated in interviews, reflecting their perceptions of the program and observations of children’s experiences during the program. Our findings suggest that the present program effectively maintained children’s engagement and improved their interest in STEAM by connecting social robots and theater production. We conclude with design guidelines and recommendations for future research and programs.
Cinemacraft: Immersive Live Machinima as an Empathetic Musical Storytelling Platform
Narayanan, Siddhart; Bukvic, Ivica Ico (University of Michigan, 2016)
In the following paper we present Cinemacraft, a technology-mediated immersive machinima platform for collaborative performance and musical human-computer interaction. To achieve this, Cinemacraft innovates upon a reverse-engineered version of Minecraft, offering a unique collection of live machinima production tools and a newly introduced Kinect HD module that allows for embodied interaction, including posture, arm movement, facial expressions, and a lip syncing based on captured voice input. The result is a malleable and accessible sensory fusion platform capable of delivering compelling live immersive and empathetic musical storytelling that through the use of low fidelity avatars also successfully sidesteps the uncanny valley.
Clinic (Flute Hacks) for Flute Day of the Youth Orchestras of Central Virginia
Crone, E. L. (2016-11-19)
Invited guest artist for the Flute Day of the Youth Orchestras of Central Virginia. Flute Hacks, Improve Quality of Tone and Embouchure Flexibility clinic for high school area flutists. Supported by Yamaha Corporation.
A Continuum of Library Publishing in Music: First-time Musical Score Publishing to Establishing a Music Label
Walz, Anita R.; Grey, Kindred; Shapiro, Derek; Caldwell, Jonathan; DeLaurenti, Kathleen (Virginia Tech, 2023-05-08)
This panel discussion features two library publishing projects, one a Creative-Commons licensed and first-time musical-score supplement publishing project intended to “expand the canon” of études available for conducting courses. The other an in-copyright music label with distribution of original in-copyright works via major streaming platforms. Panelists from three universities representing these two projects will describe project goals, disciplinary, technical, and project design issues, decision points, and perceptions regarding their respective projects. The panel will conclude with a discussion of gaps and aspirations for future involvement in music publishing. This session will be of interest to beginning music publishers as well as library publishers already involved in music publishing. Featured projects Original Études for the Developing Conductor https://doi.org/10.21061/conducting Peabody Premieres https://peabodypremieres.bandcamp.com A recording of this presentation is available at: https://youtu.be/h0gUq8B7HZk
Dance on the Brain: Enhancing Intra and Inter-Brain Synchrony
Basso, Julia C.; Satyal, Medha K.; Rugh, Rachel (Frontiers, 2021-01-07)
Dance has traditionally been viewed from a Eurocentric perspective as a mode of self-expression that involves the human body moving through space, performed for the purposes of art, and viewed by an audience. In this Hypothesis and Theory article, we synthesize findings from anthropology, sociology, psychology, dance pedagogy, and neuroscience to propose The Synchronicity Hypothesis of Dance, which states that humans dance to enhance both intra- and inter-brain synchrony. We outline a neurocentric definition of dance, which suggests that dance involves neurobehavioral processes in seven distinct areas including sensory, motor, cognitive, social, emotional, rhythmic, and creative. We explore The Synchronicity Hypothesis of Dance through several avenues. First, we examine evolutionary theories of dance, which suggest that dance drives interpersonal coordination. Second, we examine fundamental movement patterns, which emerge throughout development and are omnipresent across cultures of the world. Third, we examine how each of the seven neurobehaviors increases intraand inter-brain synchrony. Fourth, we examine the neuroimaging literature on dance to identify the brain regions most involved in and affected by dance. The findings presented here support our hypothesis that we engage in dance for the purpose of intrinsic reward, which as a result of dance-induced increases in neural synchrony, leads to enhanced interpersonal coordination. This hypothesis suggests that dance may be helpful to repattern oscillatory activity, leading to clinical improvements in autism spectrum disorder and other disorders with oscillatory activity impairments. Finally, we offer suggestions for future directions and discuss the idea that our consciousness can be redefined not just as an individual process but as a shared experience that we can positively influence by dancing together.
Devising Commedia as an Antiracist Theatre Practice in The Artful Token
Rosin, Jordan (2021-08-07)
This presentation will recount some of Jordan Rosin's key insights from producing and directing an ensemble-devised Contemporary Commedia adaptation of Goldoni's The Artful Widow with undergraduate students at Virginia Tech, employing a process which combined The Ume Group's Devising Methodology, Liz Lerman's Critical Response Process, Theatrical Intimacy Education-inspired boundary practices, and Nicole Brewer's Antiracist Theatre principles. Major insights revolve around opportunities and limitations of Commedia as an antiracist/anti-oppressive practice, as well as the synergies between consent, harm prevention, Liz Lerman's CRP, Emergent Strategy, and the roles of actor-creator and director-as-facilitator.
The Discourse of Pictures: Iconicity and Film Studies
Prince, Stephen (University of California Press, 1993)
Echofluid: An Interface for Remote Choreography Learning and Co-creation Using Machine Learning Techniques
Wang, Marx; Duer, Zachary; Hardwig, Scotty; Lally, Sam; Ricard, Alayna; Jeon, Myounghoon (ACM, 2022-10-29)
Born from physical activities, dance carries beyond mere body movement. Choreographers interact with audiences’ perceptions through the kinaesthetics, creativity, and expressivity of whole-body performance, inviting them to construct experience, emotion, culture, and meaning together. Computational choreography support can bring endless possibilities into this one of the most experiential and creative artistic forms. While various interactive and motion technologies have been developed and adopted to support creative choreographic processes, little work has been done in exploring incorporating machine learning in a choreographic system, and few remote dance teaching systems in particular have been suggested. In this exploratory work, we proposed Echofuid-a novel AI-based choreographic learning and support system that allows student dancers to compose their own AI models for learning, evaluation, exploration, and creation. In this poster, we present the design, development and ongoing validation process of Echofluid, and discuss the possibilities of applying machine learning in collaborative art and dance as well as the opportunities of augmenting interactive experiences between the performers and audiences with emerging technologies.
The Emergence of Filmic Artifacts: Cinema and Cinematography in the Digital Era
Prince, Stephen (University of California Press, 2004)
The tools of digital filmmaking are transforming all aspects of cinema, including production, postproduction, and exhibition. In the process, they are altering the visual characteristics of the moving image and changing the viewer's perceptual understanding of the nature of cinema, leading to the emergence, for the first time in the medium's history, of filmic artifacts.
Empowering Actors Through Viewpoints
Rosin, Jordan (2019-08-10)
Whereas many directors who happen to teach devising or movement may be misrepresenting and/or underestimating the full and cross-genre potential of systems like Anne Bogart & Tina Landau’s Viewpoints, thereby unconsciously passing on their own aesthetic preferences to their students and perpetuating a narrow view of the system as innately “avant-garde” or experimental, I will aim to articulate a philosophy of Viewpoints training and education which empowers, rather than manipulates actors, preparing them for devising and performance across a variety of styles, ranging from Clown and Commedia to Realism and the avant-garde. In this 20 minute lecture/demonstration, I aim to expand the audience’s conception of the Viewpoints as a method of actor training (across styles and genres) through a pointed critique of many of the misconceptions and misapplications of the methodology.
Enacting Lecoq: Movement in Theatre, Cognition, and Life (Book review)
Rosin, Jordan (Johns Hopkins University Press, 2021-03-26)
Ensemble in Action: Elizabeth Streb and the STREB Extreme Action Company
Rosin, Jordan (2018-09-28)
This essay is intended to provide an overview and detailed investigation of a contemporary ensemble theatre company which inspires me and whose work I intend to integrate into my own practice-as-research thesis project. In this case, while technically a dance company, STREB provides an excellent portrait of what the human body is capable of achieving (a great concern for those engaged in “physical theatre”) and a unique example of how hierarchy and inquiry can be a part of an ensemble based creative process. The data collection for this project was inspired by classical ethnography. In particular, for this project I employed the methods of observing activities of interest (like rehearsal and day-to-day operations for the company over the course of one week in 2015 and two weeks in 2018), participant observation (as I undertook during their Adult PopAction classes and Kid Action Summer Camp), and semistructured interviews (which I made with over 16 current and in one case former company / staff members).
Envisioning Resilience through The Ume Group’s Inaugural Online Playback Theatre Event
Rosin, Jordan (2020-07-24)
Theatre across the globe faces difficult choices for how to best connect with their audience while staying safe. Some academic theatre programs produced Zoom performances and/or radio plays in the last few months, professional theatre released past productions on YouTube, artists turned to virtual reality, and still other theatre practitioners debuted new ways of doing live performance. This roundtable discussion / presentation will feature instances of your innovations of performance and practice in the COVID-19 era that have been successful.
Exploring the Intersection of Clown & Melodrama Through Visions of A Crying Girl
Rosin, Jordan (2019-08-09)
For my MFA thesis at Dell’Arte International, my partner, Cleo DeOrio, and I have set to explore the boundaries and intersections of two distinct stylistic territories: Clown and Melodrama. Through devising an original play entitled Visions of A Crying Girl, we are exploring such questions as “How do we maintain the indelible nature of the Theatrical Clown while telling a Melodramatic story?” Through a process further informed by Viewpoints & Composition, as well as our respective movement specialties in Modern and Butoh Dance, we - over a period of 8 weeks - are currently creating this original performative work, which will premiere at the Dell’Arte MFA thesis festival running May 16 - 26, 2019. As of May 3 - week 7 of our 8 week creative process - we have already discovered extensive overlap between the styles in question and are using the deeply three-dimensional characters and relationships of Melodrama to create circumstances for the clown to be unruly or push back against oppression. In a darker world and with more serious subject matter than your average clown play, we are also discovering a poetic dimension to the theatrical clown, which retains its innate buoyancy, delight, and fondness for the audience, without necessarily being funny. Further findings and deeper conclusions will of course be drawn after the public presentation of the work in May.
From Kerry to Chiconcuac: Marie Jones’s Stones in His Pockets and Sabina Berman’s eXtras
Bixler, Jacqueline E. (2020-05)
This article focuses on the Mexican play, eXtras, Sabina Berman's translation and adaptation of the Irish hit play Stones in His Pockets by Marie Jones. Linda Hutcheon, Thomas Leitch, and other contributors to adaptation studies shed light on the process used by Berman to tradapt and glocalize Stones in His Pockets for the Mexican stage, where the combined forces of Hollywood and globalization have likewise ravaged the local economy and where Jones's tragicomic story of exploitation and anonymization played every bit as well as it did in Ireland.

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