Workshop on Interactive Costumes, Copenhagen 2011

The purpose of this workshop was to introduce the students to the realm of interaction design and discover the potential for realizing innovative design artifacts, that involves the use of sensors, actuators and computer technology.

Twelve danish and international students were involved in this 10 week workshop. They were introduced to the basic notions of interaction and to some inspiring examples and applications. This was followed by a study tour in Berlin and a visit to the New-Media Office “Art+Com”.

During the last 5 weeks of the workshop, the students had the opportunity to work either on their own project case or to be part of a team-project working on the design and realization of a number of interactive costumes to be worn by ‘contact-improvisation’ dancers during a summer festival. For their examination, the students presented a functioning prototype and handed a detailed report documenting their design process.

The 100 DANCERS project as a platform for the workshop

100 DANCERS is a new platform addressing and facilitating exchange between choreographers, dancers and artists from all over Europe. Events, workshops and networking activities are planned in Spain, Germany and Denmark 2011/2012, 100 DANCERS invites European dancers, choreographers, musicians, designers, architechts and installation artists to participate in a new and compelling European FORUM and NETWORK, with an outreach to the entire globe and 100 DANCERS 2011/2012 is a meeting place and a multidisciplinary platform, integrating artistic research and dialogue with spectacular site specific events. New choreographies and public art events will take place in city- and harbor spaces of Copenhagen, Barcelona and Berlin.

The students had the opportunity too enter this group of professional dancers, choreographers, musicians and artists and thereby work on a real case with the goal of realization during the summer festival. 6 students chose to continue in this project and two of them continued the collaboration throughout the projects and thereby became key persons and collaborators in the final project.

Credit
Workshop design and concept: Hanne-Louise Johannesen and Michel Guglielmi (Diffus Design)
Programming and engineering: Jens Lee Jørgensen (Diffus Design)
Project partner: Danish School of Design, 100 Dancers Festival