Nordic Award Winner 2021

Centaur - Pontus Lidberg & Cecilie Waagner Falkenstrøm (Denmark)

Artwork description

The title “Centaur”, inspired by the half-horse half-human creature from Greek mythology, is also the name of a computer-science concept that elevates human qualities by combining artificial and human intelligence. Choreographer and filmmaker Pontus Lidberg’s unique, poetic voice—where emotion and the subconscious are among the core elements—explores what happens when dancers encounter a newly developed Artificial Intelligence program. Does technology change us, or simply reflect who we’ve always been? The AI, developed exclusively for the work, is both co-creator and participant. It creates choreographic composition based on multiple data sets such as planetary movements, swarm technology, deconstructed Greek tragedy and the dancers’ movements that is tracked and has been collected throughout the creative process. As a performer, it can simulate consciousness, emotion and intention and interacts with the dancers on stage through voice and text. This means that each performance is a unique and unpredictable event.

Partners and collaborators

Choreography/Direction: Pontus Lidberg Artificial Intelligence Installation: Cecilie Waagner Falkenstrøm Computer Programming for AI: ARTificial Mind, DTU Technical University of Denmark, Computer Department Audio and Visual Design: Ryoji Ikeda Computer Programming for Visuals: Tomonaga Tokuyama Light and Set Design: Raphael Frisenvænge Solholm Costume Design: Rachel Quarmby-Spadaccini Dramaturge: Adrian Guo Silver Co-production: Danish Dance Theatre, The Royal Danish Theatre, Festival Oriente Occidente, Théâtre National de Chaillot. Development: The Center for Ballet and the Arts at New York University