In dance, marking refers to the process of practicing a routine without fully performing all the details involved. Under the lights of rehearsal, it’s low-stakes – it assists in remembering the flow of the choreography without polish or loss of energy. Behind the stage curtains though, this mark is the last dance before performance. Suddenly, it reflects pressure and tension back at the performer. The theatre embodies the Black Swan concept: a death that ensues when an artist loses their passion for their art.
My mark-making machine symbolizes the dancer’s relationship with imperfection, performance, passion and the loss thereof.
~ Serena Yung
You’re a puppeteer – moving the joystick controls the spin of the Servo!
In front of the stage. A mechanical control. A mark-making machine, if you will 😛
Code: View here
“A dancer dies twice — once when they stop dancing, and this first death is more painful.”
With this project, I wanted to bring a new perspective as to what a “mark” could represent. I really enjoyed putting the piece together (thank you Shm for assisting with the brainstorming process!) and unearthing a cardboard box that was vaguely representative of a stage was a nice find :)
In the future, I want to flesh out the interactions between the joystick and the servo for more interesting user interactions, and incorporate motors and pulley systems to symbolize a heavier mechanical “machine” motif!