Performance

With their will, performers can dynamically determine the continuity of the events that cause through their physical involvement, action. The probability of an event in the potential area is implemented in a kinesthetic experience, which recorded multiple, following events. These continuities can be seen as orbits that can interact with each other, creating a knitted fabric as reality. This new physics allows the performer to combine voice with balance and position in space.

The performer Characters of the plot

The performers are asked to adapt their skills. It is a dream state, in such a reality that the bodies are in a restricted area, while navigating other realities by changing their position to space, realities where anything can happen, where natural laws have been reinvented to serve conditions, different from the ones we know. The performers were primarily Lyssandros Spetsieris, Vaso Tzouti, Sito Sánchez as well as active members from the audience and of course the paddle.

Paradoxical horizontal move

Using a paddle (interface emulating rowing motion), the performer's moves on the horizontal plane having the feeling of floating. This is paradoxical because we used the technique of cruising in the water and created navigation without the element of water. The rowing skills of the system paddle-water are transferred to the system paddle-air. The paddle pushes the air. In the virtual world it is clear that this is the right way. But here, the conventional way of control perception is challenged; through traditional skills a new physics is created to serve a purpose, the navigation in the virtual space.

Navigation to vertical

The navigation to vertical axis (up and down) is achieved through sensors that detect the voice. In a falling environment the use of voice serves as a means of ascension and balance, due to the simulation of the force of gravity. The convention is that the voice compensates gravity. The sound of the voice of each person is unique. The voice is a tool creating and transferring emotions. The performer must manage this situation independently, through talking, singing, laughing, crying, and screaming. The voice as a reactive power in decline.

The HMD oculus

Using an oculus, a participant directs the gaze, while submerging. Somebody else, through the use of voice, elevates us, or their silence allows descent by gravity. The paddler is alert, or kneeling with his hands up or upright so for the inter face to respond. The spatial navigation has falling, floating and sailing features. It is not a simulation of everyday movement on earth. The element of gait is absent.

How the navigation ends

The performance duration was one hour and a quarter. The exhibition was with free admission but required a reservation. Fifteen was the participant maximum number. The audience was guided in a group to the performance space the same time at 19:00 o'clock. Then the time was divided so: Fifteen minutes at the beginning for the audience stimulation and then forty-five minutes the activated by the virtual world performance. At the end of this level for a maximum of fifteen minutes the participants wrote and talked about their experience.

The theatrical approaches

“Nekyia” Performance by Lyssandros Spetsieris

Lyssandros Spetsieris, on Monday and Wednesday at 19.00 o'clock, in the role of a narrator utters the story of Chapter 11 of the Odyssey, known as Nekyia, by Homer. Soon after passing the text to the participants to continue the reading, he uses the interfaces in the means of interaction with the virtual world and stimulation of the audience. Vassiliki Tzouti activates the spectators in the role of the performer.

Nekyia Story

Odysseus travels down to the world of the dead to learn the future. According to Kirk's instructions, goes to the Acheron, the river of Hades. He sacrifices a sheep to the lord of Hades, Pluto. Around the carcasses, a crowd of the souls of the dead people gathers with the desire to drink the blood of the sacrificed animal. But Odysseus keeps them away until Tiresias speaks about the future (Necromantic). Among other souls, the prophet Tiresias appears and predicts his return home. He tells him amongst others that, when he will arrive at home, new misfortunes will wait for him: Suitors who are wasting his property and want to marry his wife, giving her many gifts. But when he kills the suitors in the palace with a sharp copper, trap erecting them, he needs to get on his hands on oar well formed and to walk until he meets people who have never seen the sea and do not eat salted food. Then he has to pick up the paddle and stick it deep in the soil and prepare proper sacrifices to the great Poseidon. For C.G. Jung Nekyia symbolizes the descent to the unconscious.

Sito Sánchez Performance

Press release: Sito Sánchez, a flamenco artist. He was reciting or singing flamenco lyrics inspired by his exploration of the virtual and poetic world created by Nikos Papadopoulos. It is about an experimentation, connecting different cultural identities and traditions with cutting-edge technology, which although it has been around for several decades – for the first time becomes available to low-cost production and artists beyond institutional margins. The work incorporates multicultural elements from the Greek and French heritage, a fact that serves the need for detachment from locally and nationally charged emotional tensions, as well as for the equilibrium of bedazzlement with the possibility of a fine reflective frustration.

The performance was beginning with flamenco singing and simultaneously an exploration of the virtual world with the help of the paddle and the microphone. After he was reading lyrics from the famous poet Federico Garcia Lorca and encouraged the public to continue the narration while proceeding to use the navigation interfaces and the HMD. The succession of his actions was not designed beforehand. They were improvisational and in relation to the audience. It was not exactly a predetermined act. The energy varied from that of Nekyia although the actions were taking place simultaneously. In Nekyia the set of actions was narrative text, reading, navigation through the interfaces, the HMD experience. The difference between two kinds of performance located on the distinction between a singing concert and a theatrical play. However, the notion of those performances wasn't a concert or a theatrical play or a video game.

Vassiliki Tzouti Performance

The performer (Vassiliki Tzouti) welcomes the group. She asks from the audience to make a circle with their bodies, as their first participatory action.

The participants circle consists of:

i. the performers, ii. the viewers

Two participatory actions are being developed to reinforce:

i. relaxation / body exposure

ii. familiarity with the voice (individual/collective)

iii. encouraging body / voice communication.

iv. body/voice alignment

More explicitly:

The performer leads viewers to the action area. The circle is created. By getting information from theatrical training and dance contact exercises.

Virtual world: The performer leads the viewer to use the tools in order to gradually become the performer themselves.

Epilogue

The viewer leaves the virtual world. The performer leads them to the table. They are invited to develop their experience in writing starting with the phrase "Share with us one of your memories ". The direction is articulated in a way to give the viewer the opportunity to develop their speech freely and at every possible level.

The viewer can: i. Describe the experience of as a performer or as a viewer of the performance.