As a special premiere screening to celebrate the company’s Ten-Year Commemoration, Darkroom Contemporary will release its latest dance film, LACUNA, on 27 May on YouTube, https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClAY7PsTFMi1qYXhVJgbBFA/featured.

During the COVID - 19 pandemic, arts organisations around the world is grappling with the recovery of the live arts, its fundamental principle being human connection in a time defined by physical isolation and confinement. The cancellation of the Darkroom Contemporary’s planned live performances over the next months have been just one of the unfortunate repercussions of this pandemic. Even so, the company is looking ahead with anticipation towards the potential evolution of performance, through all the interactive technologies and digital platforms available.

The company is recognised for its innovative approach to presenting dance and is uniquely positioned to integrate its existing repertoire and expertise towards producing interactive, experiential dance works for the digital era. Darkroom Contemporary is supported by the National Lotteries Commission as principal funder.

“With many of the company’s planned live performances postponed indefinitely, we are in process of moving these events towards the digital space and are developing platforms and audiences for this. We see this as an opportunity to reinvent our existing repertoire of work, and to shift our focus to finding even more ways to utilise the technologies and digital channels available as platforms for artistic expressions. We feel it is important to embrace our current collective state for what it is, as opposed to what we wish it to be. “says Artistic Director and Choreographer Louise Coetzer.

Coetzer regularly collaborates with digital media artists to develop and research the crossover between technology and dance. To date, the award-winning company has produced dance works incorporating kinetic motion sensor technology, full dome 3D projection, interactive laser projection, interactive projection mapping, dance for film, live stream performance and Artificial Intelligence. Currently the company is engaged in research and development processes for projects incorporating 360-degree filmmaking for VR, large scale projection mapping, and further explorations into experimental live soundscapes.

“The physical limitations of lockdown mean we are communicating solely through screens. This is affecting the performing arts as new performance modes are being developed, not meant to replace live performance, but as a new emerging art form that reflects our current state of being. To this end Darkroom Contemporary is launching a diverse line up of new and existing works for online channels, interactive dance experiences, telematic performance and public arts initiatives to run throughout the year, designed to constantly adapt to the changing social distancing regulations “, Coetzer continues.

Online dance performances are available on Darkroom Contemporary’s YouTube Channel.  The company has just released its full repertoire of dance films on this new YouTube Channel. Many of these award-winning films have only been screened as part of local and international film festivals, never publicly, and are now available to all, to view for free. Members of the public are also encouraged to subscribe to the Darkroom Contemporary PULSE, a monthly newsletter with project updates, latest news, inspirational art works and features on collaborating artists. Subscribe now at https://www.darkroomcontemporary.com  and never miss an update.

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Issued by Heads Up Communications
On behalf of Darkroom Contemporary Dance Theatre
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