• ABOUT
    Originally, TANZMANSCHINE, the techno dance performance, was slated to tour various theatre festivals. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the project came to an abrupt halt. Seizing this obstacle as an opportunity, I decided to adapt the piece to a digital medium, ensuring its accessibility to anyone with an online connection. This coincided with a necessity to show the perspective of the machine, which remains invisible to the spectator of the performance. Together with Pieter Vandenhoudt, we developed Tanzmanschine – The Film. The film thus shows the performance from both the perspective of the machine and the perspective of the spectator.

    This techno dance film aims to reveal the hidden technological layer that drives the live performance. While audiences witness Niek’s physical struggle in the metal arena, the machine’s computational processes remain unseen. The film bridges this gap by documenting both human and digital experiences simultaneously.

    CINEMATIC APPROACH
    The film stands as an independent work while remaining connected to the performance’s core themes of physical limitation, technological control, and liberation through sound.
    The cinematic approach made it possible to layer the light in multiple ways over the performance. The geometric shapes were ideal to experiment with. We could add multiple ghost-like Niek’s to highlight aspects of speed and nightlife blur. Adding darkness and a different lighting pop was a fun experiment during the creation process. Completing the transformation of the live techno dance performance into a visual film exploration of human-machine dialogue.

    Concept & Performance Niek Vanoosterweyck
    Camera & Edit Pieter Vandenhoudt
    Sound design IGNOTA
    Light Design Hessel Hilgersom
    Technical Production Titus Duitshof
    Advisor Bas van Rijnsoever
    Thanks to     Loes van der Pligt, Willem Weemhoff, Erik Lint, Fred Rodrigues
    Powered by Mime Education & IDlab
    Premiered on     30/06/2020 at re-CONNECT Festival
    Showed on NPO2EXTRA

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