This book theorizes dance technique as the Greek techne translated as art, and shows how movement can inspire epistemic, philosophical, and cultural conversations in technology studies. Combining dance studies, religious studies, and technology studies, it argues that dance can be a technology of social justice bringing equanimity, liberation and resistance. It focuses on the eastern Indian art form Odissi and applied experimentations with motion capture technology, virtual reality (VR) gaming, and Arduino. It specifically examines tthe work of Ananya Dance Theatre (ADT), a Minnesota based contemporary Indian dance company that deconstructs Odissi towards social justice activism.

Embracing dramatic similarities, glaring disjunctions, and striking innovations, this book explores the history and context of dance on the land we know today as the United States of America. Designed for weekly use in dance history courses, it traces dance in the USA as it broke traditional forms, crossed genres, provoked social and political change, and drove cultural exchange and collision. The authors put a particular focus on those whose voices have been silenced, unacknowledged, and/or uncredited – exploring racial prejudice and injustice, intersectional feminism, protest movements, and economic conditions, as well as demonstrating how socio-political issues and movements affect and are affected by dance. In looking at concert dance, vernacular dance, ritual dance, and the convergence of these forms, the chapters acknowledge the richness of dance in today’s USA and the strong foundations on which it stands. Milestones are a range of accessible textbooks, breaking down the need-to-know moments in the social, cultural, political, and artistic development of foundational subject areas. This book is ideal for undergraduate courses that embrace culturally responsive pedagogy and seek to shift the direction of the lens from western theatrical dance towards the wealth of dance forms in the United States.

Dance Production: Design and Technology introduces you to the skills you need to plan, design, and execute the technical aspects of a dance production. While it may not seem that staging a dance production is that different from a play or musical, in reality a dance performance offers up unique intricacies and challenges all its own, from scenery that accommodates choreography, to lighting design that sculpts the body, and costumes that complement movement. This unique book approaches the process of staging a dance production from a balanced perspective, making it an essential resource for dancers and designers alike. Covering a broad range of topics, author Jeromy Hopgood takes the reader through the process of producing dance from start to finish – including pre-production planning (collaboration, production process, personnel, performance spaces), design disciplines (lighting, sound, scenery, costumes, projections), stage management, and more. Bridging the gap between theatrical and dance design, the book includes a quick reference guide for theatrical and dance terminology, useful in giving dancers and designers a common working vocabulary that will ensure productive communication across the different fields.

Original research is reported on image digitizing, robot choreography, movement analysis, databases for dance, computerized dance notation, and computerized lightboards for dance performance. Articles in this publication are as follows: (1) "The Evolution of Dance Technology" (Judith A. Gray); (2) "Toward a Language for Human Movement" (Thomas W. Calvert); (3) "A Computational Alternative to Effort Notation" (Norman I. Badler); (4) "Programming a Robot to Dance" (Margo K. Apostolos); (5) "The Use of a Motion Detector in Dance Instruction and Performance" (Alice Trexler, Ronald K. Thornton); (6) "Kahnotation: Computerized Notation for Tap Dance" (Stanley Kahn); (7) "A Computerized Procedure for Recording and Analyzing Dance Teacher Mobility" (Judith A. Gray); (8) "A Computer Program for the Entry of Benesh Movement Notation" (Fred M. Hagist, George Politis); (9) "A Computer-Assisted Investigation into the Effects of Heel Contact in Ballet Allegros" (Paula A. Dozzi); (10) "A Computerized Methodology Using Laban Movement Analysis To Determine Movement Profiles in Dance" (Mary A. Brennen, and others); (11) "The Computerized Production of Educational Material on Benesh Movement Notation" (Rhonda S. Ryman, Robyn Hughes-Ryman); (12) "Absolute (0,0,0): Dance Influenced by Technological Environments and Computers" (Dianna L. Petty); (13) "Capturing and Processing Dance Images with Computers" (Judith A. Gray); (14) "Computerized Lighting Design for Dance: An Interview with David Elliot" (Judith A. Gray); and (15) "The University's Role in the Future of Dance Technology" (Judith A. Gray). (JD)

This book theorizes dance technique as the Greek techne translated as art, and shows how movement can inspire epistemic, philosophical, and cultural conversations in technology studies. Combining dance studies, religious studies, and technology studies, it argues that dance can be a technology of social justice bringing equanimity, liberation and resistance. It focuses on the eastern Indian art form Odissi and applied experimentations with motion capture technology, virtual reality (VR) gaming, and Arduino. It specifically examines tthe work of Ananya Dance Theatre (ADT), a Minnesota based contemporary Indian dance company that deconstructs Odissi towards social justice activism.