All World Dance: News for Lovers of Dance

Robots Wish You Happy Year of the Water Dragon!

Chinese New Year 2012 Dancing Robots [Source: Gizchina]

Hoped to be back in action by now but, no fault to the Water Dragon, had some water leakage at my office that's thrown everything off schedule.

A Taoist teacher I know pulled the I Ching hexagram "Biting Through" for January 19 through 23 and, indeed, I am having to summon quite a bit of tenacity heading into this New Year.

So be it. I'm still planning on having a great 2012 and I hope you will do the same!

Pilobolus x MIT's CSAIL = Seraph (Dancing With Robots)

Seraph: Dancing with Robots [Source: MITCSAIL]

Seraph is a solo dance created in collaborative fashion between Pilobolus and MIT's Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (CSAIL):

"The quad-rotor flying robots developed in CSAIL Principal Investigator Daniela Rus’ lab were initially intended to fly in small groups without human aid, gathering information on whales for marine biologists, snapping surveillance images across large tracts of land and providing assistance with various telecommunication applications."

"This summer, the quad-rotors, decked out in dazzling strings of lights, took to the stage at the Joyce Theater in New York City on an entirely different sort of mission. Along with the modern dance company Pilobolus, the quad-rotors told the tale of an unusual friendship between robots and humans in a dance set to a Schubert piano trio."

Unfortunately, I know where this is heading. I saw Terminator!

Available at Amazon: Pilobolus

Related All World Dance Coverage:
Pilobolus at The Joyce: Robots, Butoh, OK Go
OK Go + Pilobolus: All Is Not Lost Music Video & Dance Typeface

Zumba Fitness 2 For Wii Now Available; Shopper Alert - Beware Overpriced Zumba Fitness Belts!

Zumba Fitness 2 for Wii [Source: Amazon]

Now that I'm back at All World Dance I can return to my cultlike coverage of All Things Zumba!

While I was out, Zumba released their new video dance game Zumba Fitness 2 for Wii, their followup to Zumba Fitness for Wii, Kinect and Playstation 3.

Zumba Fitness Belts for Wii [Source: Amazon]

If you need extra Zumba Fitness Belts for Wii, those are now available individually but, BEWARE Christmas Shoppers, I noticed a retailer who's selling them for almost $25 on Amazon even though they should be priced at under $10. Looks like somebody's trying to take advantage of confused or desperate Christmas shoppers!

At the moment, Zumba.com has Fitness Belts for Wii and Playstation at a discount. That may not last but it's more evidence that whoever's gotten themselves to the top of Amazon searches is a ripoff artist.

Zumba Fitness 2 Trailer [Source: Zumba]

I make occasional jokes about Zumba being a cult but, until I see evidence to the contrary, I mean that in the best way. They've done a great job of making exercise cool, hot and sexy all at the same time and spread the joy of Latin rhythms in the process.

In addition to the above trailer, which I think does a nice job of communicating Zumba's appeal, you can check out the opening sequence of Zumba Fitness 2. Enjoy!

Official Site: Zumba

Available at Amazon:
Zumba Fitness 2 for Wii
Zumba Fitness Belts for Wii

Related All World Dance Coverage:
Zumba Posts at All World Dance

Dirty Dancing Game Launches on Facebook

Dirty Dancing Game on Facebook [Source: Lionsgate]

The combined force of Lionsgate and Social Game Universe recently launched a Facebook game app based on the classic flick Dirty Dancing starring Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey. The game includes music from the original soundtrack.

Though the Dirty Dancing game partly involves maintaining Kellerman's Resort, including dropping Cupid grenades to stimulate "Romance Waves" (lol), there is also a dance element:

"The main attraction at Kellerman's is the dance shows. Featuring a set of players' Facebook friends alongside characters from the movie, each show must be properly rehearsed before it is ready to be performed."

"The more dance shows a player hosts, the more romance waves they generate, all of which contributes to returning Kellerman's to its former glory. If they really want to put on a show for the ages, players must discover secret dance style combinations that give them bonuses."

This announcement follows the news that Dirty Dancing will be remade for a 2013 release to be directed by Kenny Ortega, the choreographer of the original movie.

On a related note, I just missed letting folks know about the 2nd Annual Dirty Dancing Festival at Lake Lure, North Carolina where much of the original movie was filmed. It took place September 16 through 18 but there's always next year!

Official Site: Dirty Dancing on Facebook

2wice Creates Merce Cunningham Event App for iPad

Merce Cunningham Event App for iPad [Source: 2wice]

Nonprofit publishers 2wice have released a free iPad app inspired by Merce Cunninham's Events.

According to the press release, the app was created using photographs previously published by 2wice which "morph, image into image, like a dance":

"The ten Cunningham Events include seven whose images were specially choreographed for the still camera by Cunningham, plus three Events comprised of video and interviews with longtime Cunningham dancers Jonah Bokaer and Holley Farmer. The accompanying text is by dance writer and critic Nancy Dalva."

Cunningham Company Exhibits Their Range of Emotions* [Source: iTunes]

Judging from the screenshots, like the one above, the photos themselves look great and it makes me curious to see how the app works. It's too bad it's limited to the iPad. Here's more on the content:

"With the dancers in swimwear, shorts, Japanese robes, halters--and the then 82-year-old choreographer in white shirt, jeans and red sneakers, Event 1 takes place on a bright summer day on the roof of Westbeth, where the Cunningham studios have been located since the early 70's."

"Events 2, 3, 4, and 5 celebrate the enduring collaboration between Cunningham and Robert Rauschenberg, who created costumes and décor for many of Cunningham's classic dances. Event 3 offers a close look at Cunningham's witty, rarely seen 1958 'Antic Meet.' Event 4 is comprised of photographs of 'Travelogue' (1977), including a necklace of tin cans that Rauschenberg attached to the orange legs of a dancer; and Event 5, based on 'Interscape' (2000), presents photographs that invite an examination of the detail of the Rauschenberg's paintings on the deep pastel-colored costumes."

"Framed by the Cunningham studio's gloriously oversized windows, Event 6, which suggests the athletic power of dancers, is based on the 1965 'How to Pass, Kick, Fall and Run.' In Event 7, the dancers, costumed in peacock blue leotard and tights and arranged to resemble imagined creatures of nature, played hide-and-seek among the deep green foliage and sculpture at the fantastical Vizcaya estate and gardens in Miami, FL."

"Event 8 presents Jonah Bokaer on video performing a solo from 'Split Sides' and discussing the creation of the work, while Event 9 is a solo from Cunningham's 'Loosetime' performed by Holley Farmer, who also provides a revealing description of the way in which Cunningham transferred his choreographic ideas onto her body. In Event 10, Bokaer and Farmer perform the gently erotic floor duet from 'Changing Steps.'"

*Just kidding, somewhat. If you know Cunningham's work, you know what I mean!

Official Site: 2wice - Merce Cunningham iPad App

Dancing Animals Mobile App for the iPhone & iPad

Dancing Animals App [Source: idzscre]

A new iPhone and iPad mobile app is available for kids 2 to 6.

Dancing Animals features 20 animals with music and dance steps:

"Every animal is depicted with an attractive picture. The child must spell its name using the letters on screen. Once the spelling is complete, the name of the animal is spelled and spoken aloud. After this, the same animal comes dancing on screen. The dance steps and music have been chosen to appeal to children."

Official Site: Dancing Animals App

Trailer for The Smurfs Dance Party Video Game

The Smurfs Dance Party [Source: Ubisoft]

Nope, The Smurfs is not just a new movie in 3D, it's a video dance game as well!

The Smurfs Dance Party Trailer [Source: Ubisoft]

The Smurfs Dance Party video game was released last week and is available for the Wii and Nintendo DS.

Related All World Dance Coverage:
The Smurfs in 3D with Choreography by Keith Young
The Smurfs Dance Montage & Interview w/Choreographer Keith Young

Pilobolus at The Joyce: Robots, Butoh, OK Go

Pilobolus Performs Symbiosis at TED [Source: TEDtalks]

Pilobolus is currently performing at The Joyce Theater in New York City through August 6 as part of their 40th anniversary season. Each of three different programs combine older works and one of their new collaborations which were world premiered earlier this summer at the American Dance Festival in Durham, NC:

"Seraph, a mind-boggling solo featuring flying robots from MIT's Distributed Robotics Laboratory Flight Team; All is Not Lost, a rhythmically-propelled work created in collaboration with OK Go, the hot rock band; and Korokoro, a full-company piece created with Takuya Muramatsu, the principal choreographer from Dairakudakan, one of Japan's most intriguing butoh companies."

Photo Call Footage from Seraph at the American Dance Festival
[Source: Independent Weekly]

From the Joyce Theater press release:

"Perhaps the most unexpected collaboration on this season's program is the new work Seraph, created in partnership with the engineers, programmers, and pilots of the MIT Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (CSAIL) under the direction of Daniela Rus. The work explores the relationship between human and machine in a pastoral fable involving a solo performer and two flying robots. Set to a Schubert piano trio."

Dairakudakan in Unidentified Work [Source: andreweeg]

"Pilobolus collaborates with Takuya Muramatsu, principal dancer and choreographer of Dairakudakan, the Japanese company renowned for combining traditional elements of butoh with the more expressive possibilities of contemporary dance. Blending Pilobolus' signature partnering with Muramatsu's atmospheric styling, the company creates a world of surreal physicality that explores how heroes are made and unmade."

OK Go - This Too Shall Pass - Rube Goldberg Machine Version
[Source: OK Go]

"Indie rock group OK Go teams up with the playful and poetic artists of Pilobolus to create a new live-taped-streamed-projected-hi def-dance-music project that is sure to satisfy fans of both.  As is typical of OK Go, little is known about this project, other than it is set to the group's hit All is Not Lost from the album Of the Blue Colour of the Sky."

Official Site: Pilobolus ~ The Joyce Theater

Related All World Dance Coverage:
OK Go + Pilobolus: All Is Not Lost Music Video & Dance Typeface

Game Design Students Create En Scene! Movement Video Game

En Scene! 3D Gesture Control Game [Source: SoftKinetic]

Students at Supinfogame, a game design school in Valencienne, France, discuss En Scene!, a movement game they created that brings together performance and visual arts in a video game:

"Built using iisu & SoftKinetic's DepthSense 3D camera, the game allows you to embody an on-screen avatar and give them your own voice as you deliver performances and direct your on-screen play within an exclusive online community....This non-commercial game is supported on PC, set-top box & games consoles and allows up to 12 players."

Official Site: En Scene!

Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked Dance Video Game Announced

Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked Movie [Source: FOX]

Majesco Entertainment has announced that a dancing and singing video game for Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked will be released in November prior to the December release of the movie.  The movie tells the tale of Alvin and the Chipmunks being "chipwrecked" while aboard a luxury cruise.  The Chipwrecked video game:

"continues the story with an around-the-world journey that has The Chipmunks visiting six tropical locations inspired by the movie. Hear your voice 'Alvin-ized' when you sing along with the game and unleash your 'Munk Power' to perform ultra-cool dance moves."

Features of the game include:

• Sing and dance as any of The Chipmunks and The Chipettes--Alvin, Simon, Theodore, Brittany, Jeanette and Eleanor
• Perform more than 50 different dance moves to electrify the crowd with your on screen performance
• Customize your Chipmunk before you hit the stage by choosing from a huge range of styles and accessories
• Experience the movie in Story Mode with environments inspired by the film
• Hear your voice "Alvin-ized" during your on-stage performance using the Kinect for Xbox 360

Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked video game will be available for Xbox 360/Kinect, Wii and Nintendo DS.  It's unclear whether or not the Wii and Nintendo versions will include the ability to Alvin-ize your voice!

Official Movie Site: Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked