Upwell: Performative Immersion Hybridizing Two Worlds

PubDate: March 2019

Teams: Texas A&M University

Writers: Jinsil Hwaryoung Seo；Michael Bruner；Nathan Ayres；Christine Bergeron；Alexandra Pooley

PDF: Upwell: Performative Immersion Hybridizing Two Worlds

Abstract

Upwell is a mixed reality performance that allows audience members to explore virtual and physical worlds with two dancers. The environment provokes the feeling of being underwater. A dancer with a conventional VR head-mounted display and wearable controllers can navigate around a room scale virtual reality setup and interacts with dynamic visual and sound elements. Since the dancer wears custom-made wearable controllers on the palms, she can make intricate gestures to develop direct relationships with bioluminescent particles in the virtual water. The other dancer only interacts with the visuals created by the VR dancer without realizing the virtual world. Upwell can be utilized as a single person art installation as well as a performance projecting different views on a projection screen.