A Tool for Exploring How Creative Decisions are Made In Situ in Choreographic Process

 

 

Scuddle is a computational tool that was designed to influence and facilitate the generation of movement material, making the Choreographer’s creative process (more) Present-at-Hand.  The tool uses a Genetic Algorithm to create ‘movement catalysts’ that provide a body position, height and effort qualities. The fitness function is based on heuristic rules designed from Laban and Bartenieff Fundamentals.  The system is used by asking a choreographer to generate a movement vocabulary based on the ‘movement catalysts’ and to use the catalysts to create a short solo work. Phenomenological interview techniques are used to facilitate choreographer’s discussion of the experience, focusing on how decisions are made as opposed to why they were made.

 

http://www.metacreation.net/kcarlson/Scuddle/applet/

 

Publications:

Carlson, K., Schiphorst, T., Pasquier, P. (2011) ‘Scuddle: Generating Movement Catalysts for Computer-Aided Choreography’, The Second International Conference on Computational Creativity, (ICCCX), ACM Press. Best Student Paper Award from the Cognitive Science Society. 8 pages.

Carlson, K. (2011) ‘Exploring Creative Decision-Making in Choreographic Practice: A Phenomenological Study of Situated Cognition’, Masters of Science Thesis, Simon Fraser University.

 

Presentations:

Carlson, K., Corness, G., Schiphorst, T., Pasquier, P., Shaw, C. (2012) ‘ActionPlot, Scuddle, Illusion of Togetherness’, FCAT Symposium, Simon Fraser University, Vancouver, Canada.

 

Carlson, K., Corness, G., Schiphorst, T., Pasquier, P., Shaw, C. (2011) ‘ActionPlot, Scuddle, Illusion of Togetherness’, 6th Annual IRMACS Day, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, Canada.

 

Carlson, K., Schiphorst, T. ‘Scuddle: Building Tools for Facilitating Choreographic Research’, Algorithmic Reflections of Choreography: From Choreography to Software and Back, BADCo., Zageb, Croatia, April 1-4, 2011. http://vimeo.com/21715328