Ghostdance: on the materiality feeling of dancing bodies in virtual reality

The GhostDance research project explores the changes in dancers' body perception when interacting with virtual bodies. Virtual reality's volatile and insubstantial nature, with its liquid architectures (Novak,1992) and massless, weightless and fluid bodies, can be seen as inherently ghostly. The study aims to investigate how the presence and interaction with a body are influenced by the existence of a spectral dimension, be it our own body or that of another person or virtual entity. The research includes a live performance where two dancers contrast dance between physical and virtual reality partners, creating a a phantasmagorical dialogue between human and virtual bodies. The study looks at changes in sensory-motor perception, kinesphere awareness, tactile experience, and the perception of weight and effort of dancers performing with virtual characters. It draws upon first-hand accounts from dancers to shed light on the complex interaction between physical and virtual elements in the dancers’ experience. The study’s findings pave the way for reflections on the implications of these interactions.

Keywords: Avatar, Embodiment, Performance, Dance and Virtual Reality