[ISEA95] Panel: Sang Mah & Thecla Schiphorst — Body Maps: The Virtual Body Project

Panel Statement

Panel: Body Narratives

This is an installation project based on the interactive body tracking software called StillDancing, a motion capture and body mapping software which defines interactions with Life Forms, a computer choreographic tool for dance. This paper will describe the development of the StillDancing motion capture software, and the BodyMaps installation which is based on that software. Movement phrases in Life Forms, can now be accessed and explored with real-time sampled movement phrases input directly from a participant “dancing” within the system.

  • Sang Mah (Canada)  is a software engineer and the Manager of the Graphics Lab at Simon Fraser University (British Columbia).
  • Thecla Schiphorst (Canada) is a choreographer, performer and integrated computer media artist, who has presented her work around the world. Five years ago, as a member of the Lifeforms software development team at Simon Fraser University, she began working with Merce Cunningham in his development of new dances using this technology. She has performed at ISEA ’92 and CyberArts International in California and recently, she has begun investigation of the potential for interactive multimedia technology in the presentation of recorded dance material.