【XR DREAMLAND】Immersive Future - XR International Industry Panel＃3｜Immersive Co-performance: XR as Art and Performance

【XR DREAMLAND】Immersive Future - XR International Industry Panel＃3｜Immersive Co-performance: XR as Art and Performance

Panelists
Chélanie BEAUDIN-QUINTIN  Director of Bodies of Water 
 Fabio THIEME  Director of Silent Disco 
 Wen-Chieh CHANG  Director of IMAGINE
Moderator
Craig QUINTERO  Artistic Director of Riverbed Theatre

This session brings together three artists with backgrounds in performing arts to discuss how they have utilized XR technology to expand the possibilities of stage performance. The panel also explores the differences between virtual reality and traditional theatre, and considers how the two can be integrated.


Virtual Theatre: A Redefinition of Performance

BEAUDIN-QUINTIN shared that the core of Bodies of Water  was to express how physical movement shifts between water and air. She believes that VR, as a presentation medium, not only allows dance to transcend the physical boundaries of traditional stages, but also opens a more intimate dialogue with the audience. With VR, she can guide audiences into a pool and let them observe how the body interacts with water—immersing themselves fully without the need to hold their breath.

THIEME expressed a similar sentiment. To him, watching XR work is like receiving an invitation to become part of the performance. He considers XR a kind of ritual: the moment an audience puts on the headset and reads the user instructions, they are preparing to cross into another time and space. He hopes that viewers of Silent Disco will dance along with the music and gradually become immersed in the ecstatic party, being both observers and performers within the real-world space.

Speaking about the creation of IMAGINE, director CHANG reflected on the global conflicts and wars of 2023. He began to ponder: if we lost technology and the internet, what would remain of our human connections? This led him to create a performance exploring collaboration between abled and disabled dancers, as well as between real performers and virtual imagery. Through this combination, he invites viewers to reflect on the possibilities of communication in both real and digital realms.

Transforming the Stage: Balancing Gains and Losses

Originally presented as a live performance, IMAGINE  faced challenges when transitioning into VR. CHANG discovered that the original effect did not carry over as expected. To preserve the energy of the live performance, the team recreated all virtual effects and remapped the dancers’ motion data into a 180-degree viewing format. This approach aimed to create a dynamic interplay between real performers and virtual imagery, comparable to the live stage experience.

THIEME shared that location scouting for Silent Disco was particularly difficult. In addition to considering the movements of multiple performers, the team also had to accommodate space for camera equipment. However, he acknowledged that embracing limitations is an essential part of the creative process. Constraints encourage creators to rethink how individuals exist within a space. As a result, Silent Disco repeatedly draws on three layers of relationships among the audience, mirrors, dancers, and other spectators, inviting the audience to reflect on their connection with others.

For Bodies of Water, the swimming pool served as the performance environment. BEAUDIN-QUINTIN and her team tested in different pools before finding the right balance between beauty and functionality. To emphasize the fluid dynamics of bodies in water, BEAUDIN-QUINTIN affectionately referred to her dancers as “monsters,” encouraging them to explore movement in their own way and choose how they interacted with water. This gave the audience multiple perspectives to experience the rich interplay between body and water.


The Absence of Words: Freedom of Interpretation

THIEME jokingly said he didn’t want to be the “chatty friend” at a party. He prefers to leave room for the audience’s interpretation, avoiding the use of text that might steer or distract from the immersive experience. In Silent Disco, he hopes each viewer will discover their own narrative through engagement.

BEAUDIN-QUINTIN echoed this sentiment, stating that Bodies of Water  was born out of a desire to explore bodily expression. By showcasing a variety of physical movements, she hopes to help viewers reconnect with their own bodies, without needing any textual explanation.

In contrast, CHANG felt that the visuals in IMAGINE  were relatively abstract, so he added brief introductory texts before each segment. With these minimal prompts, audiences could quickly grasp the context of each part, enhancing emotional resonance throughout the work.