Nondance Dance (2022)
'Nondance Dance' presents a dance that AI cannot recognize as dance. Dancers move while an AI is watching the performance. The AI indicates its dance recognition by voice or light. Based on the response, the dancers try to find a dance invisible to AI.
Nondance Dance (camera), 2022.
To discover a ‘nondance dance,’ one needs to know how AI recognizes dance, how it differs from that of humans, and what kind of dance is possible beyond the cognition of AI.
Nondance Dance (AI system), 2022.
‘Nondance Dance’ uses Google Video AI. The AI can recognize over 20,000 objects, places, and actions in video. Among them, the dance category includes ‘Ballet’, ‘Ballroom dance’, ‘Concert dance’, ‘Country Western dance’, ‘Dance Sports’, ‘Flamenco’, ‘Folk dance’, ‘Hip Hop dance’, ‘Latin dance’, ‘Line dance’, ‘Modern dance’, ‘Poi’, ‘Salsa’, ’Tango’, ‘Ice dancing’, ‘Erotic dance’ etc. The dancers have to find a dance that does not belong to any of these.
Nondance Dance (research), 2022.
We found out that the AI recognizes dance considering not only movement but also all other elements of performance, such as stage, lighting, costumes, etc. We tested how each factor affects its dance recognition. We divided movement into form, speed, direction, repetition, position, energy and number of persons, and we observed how the AI recognizes the variations of each component.
Nondance Dance (research), 2022.
Through the research, we made movement phrases we call, 'calibration' that dancers can use to figure out how AI recognizes dance. And we repeated the 'calibration' in variations of stages, lighting, costumes and music to monitor its recognition in different stage environments.
Nondance Dance (performance), 2022.
‘Nondance Dance’ premiered in Seoul, in September 2022. The performance consists of two parts. In the first half, dancers perform ‘calibration’ to understand the AI’s dance recognition in the current stage. The AI analyzes the stage in real time through the camera installed in the center of audience seats and produces the outcomes every second. When the performance is seen as dance, the AI speaks the confidence score through machine voice, "dance, 70 percent" for example. When it is not recognized as dance, it says “nondance.”
Nondance Dance (performance), 2022.
Nondance Dance (infrared camera view in blackout), 2022.
In the second half, the dancers dance ‘nondance dance.’ When the AI sees the performance as dance the light goes off. The audience cannot see anything then, but the AI sees the stage though the infrared camera and continues deciding whether it is dance or nondance. Only ‘nondance dance’ is shown to the audience.
Nondance Dance (performance), 2022.
‘Nondance Dance’ rethinks dance and humanity through the process of finding dance for humans only.
Choreography, Cast: Chung Ji Hye, Kang Seong Ryong, Shin Seung Back, Kim Yong Hun
Music: Noddy Woo
Scenography, Costume Design: Jung Minusun
Lighting Design: Kong younhwa
Outside Eye: Hwang Soohyun
Produced by Korea National Contemporary Dance Company
Photo: Aiden Hwang
Premiere: 16. Sep. 2022, Sejong S Theater, Seoul, Korea
Performance: 16-18. Sep. 2022, Sejong S Theater, Seoul, Korea