On the internet, any content such as an article, video, song or idea can spread like a virus across the globe, connecting millions of people within minutes. This concept is referred to as “going viral”. Why certain things go viral and others don’t is generally considered a mystery.
In 2018 creative duo Daae/Nordahl fed 250 viral dance videos from the past twenty years into a computer program, a neural network, that studies movement patterns. The choreographies were separated into individual dance moves before the program analyzed the time variations, spatial directions, types of movements and their relative frequency. By doing this the system was trained to simulate a brand new choreography: the world’s first AI-created viral dance, the ultimate viral dance.
What does it take for something go viral? For a few moves to become a global movement? Through a curated international exhibition, an online experiment and a live contemporary dance show, longterm collaborators DAAE/NORDAHL explore the history and future of connectivity, through the lense of what it means to be human today.
The Viral Dance exhibition currently presents new works from NYC based 3D artist Nicole Ruggiero, poet and playwright Nick Drake (UK), Sydney based textile artist Jedda Daisy Culley, films by 3D artist Jason Ebeyer (AUS) as well as textile art from Ehryn Torrell (CAN), paintings by Daniel Taylor (CAN), an installation by Chrisander Brun (NOR), a virtual gallery by Theo Nordahl (SWE) as well as wearable art pieces by Tove Berglund (SWE) and new music from Swedish composer William Rickman (aka Weirdsville).
Webiste for the project: www.theviral.dance
Full documentationd of the piece (please contact us for password):
Credits: Concept, choreography, direction & performance: Ludvig Daae & Joanna Nordahl. Producer: Sara Bergsmark. Set and light design: Chrisander Brun. Costume design: Tove Berglund. Composer and sound design: William Rickman. Technician: Björn Kuajara. 3D character design, animation, poster: Nicole Ruggiero. 3D character design, animation, poster: Jason Ebeyer, H+ Creative. Technical project manager: Oscar Fernandez. Mocap technician/developer: Petros De Doncker, Target 3D. Tech director: Ashley Keeler, Target 3D. Mocap Director: Robert Jeffries., Target 3D, Additional editing: Ahang Bashi. Vlog trailers: Ossian Melin. Co-produced by Tou, Stavanger and MDT, Stockholm. Residency at O Espaço do Tempo in Montemor-O-Novo, Portugal. Financial support by: Arts Council Norway, The Audio and Visual Fund, Swedish Arts Council, City of Stockholm, Municipality of Stockholm. Special thanks to William Hamilton Lisa Ehlin, Arvida Byström, Jamie Smith, Martina Elm, Daniel Yi Andersson, Confetti