The BodyTech Symposium on Embodied Media and Interactive Performance, scheduled for February 22-23, 2010 at UC Irvine, will bring together technology researchers and performing artists to consider mediated physical environments for dance, theatre, music and visual arts. Presentations, discussions and demonstrations will facilitate sharing of information and ideas. The intention is to develop and deepen communication channels between participants, including performing artists, theorists, researchers and technology developers.

Click to view.Image: Aaron Cota

This symposium will create a space where scholars and practitioners can share experiences and ideas. We hope to contribute to an interdisciplinary network of technology researchers and performing artists dedicated to research on embodied media and performance technologies by symposium participants and others in related fields.

By bringing together a critical mass of leading researchers with an interdisciplinary focus on performing arts and embodied media technologies (including established artists, scholars and technology developers, plus students), this event will contribute to understanding the impact of emerging digital technologies in the convergence of performing arts, computing, engineering and media studies.

The goals of the BodyTech Symposium are to increase awareness of the theory and practice of embodied media and performance, to encourage further artistic/technical research and development, to elevate critical discourse and to generate ideas for further collaborations among participants. The program includes invited papers, media/technology demonstrations and discussion sessions. This event will be of particular interest to researchers and practitioners in the performing arts (dance, drama, music), installation and visual arts, film and media studies, information technology, computer science, electrical and mechanical engineering.