NMC Campus Observer

ZeroG SkyDancers III - Virtual Flight Choreography Premieres January 6 at NMC

CDB Barkley (aka Alan Levine) : Jan 2, 2008 04:31pm

New Media Consortium Presents
ZeroG SkyDancers III - Virtual Flight Choreography
Pioneering Performing Arts Soar in the Metaverse - Again - Under the Direction of DanCoyote Antonelli

Avatar DanCoyote Antonelli is accustomed to breaking new ground. Even in virtual worlds he is considered avant guarde. The real man controlling that avatar, DC Spensley, has been wowing virtual audiences since 2006 with art installations that would not be possible in real life, but perhaps the most coveted ticket in all of Second Life is one to a performance by his ZeroG SkyDancers. On January 6, 2008, the premiere of the highly anticipated, third, completely redesigned production of ZeroG SkyDancers will debut.

Second Life’s history making, critically acclaimed world performance group, the ZeroG SkyDancers is a new form of ensemble performance that uses the airspace of this virtual world, resulting in a cross between water ballet and aerial acrobatics, in ways that would not be possible in the physical world. Wearing spectacular, flowing costumes called cascades - that are many times larger than their avatars - the SkyDancers move through space, and become part of the stage themselves. Altering and evolving, their flight triggers audio samples, which provide a unique layer to the original musical score commissioned for the production.

The production, sponsored by the New Media Consortium (NMC), will introduce an all-new reactive-interactive stage set that is repeatedly and dramatically transformed over the hour long performance. The ZeroG SkyDancers III will formally debut at 9PM Pacific Standard Time, Sunday, January 6, 2008 in the virtual world of Second Life. Seating is limited, but the show will run every week during the first 90 days of 2008, to accommodate the most guests possible. Tickets will cost $10 US ($3000 Lindens) a piece. For ticket information, please contact Spensley directly at dc@spensley.com.

To access the ZeroG SkyDancers III performance, those with tickets will need to complete the NMC’s 5 minute registration process with Second Life . A basic account is absolutely free, includes unlimited access to Second Life’s tools, events and communities. Spensley recommends that audience members spend a minimum of 15 minutes learning the basic skills of the Second Life world prior to attending the performance.

“Familiarizing yourself with basic navigation of Second Life will add even more enjoyment to the show,” said Spensley.

Video of a ZeroG SkyDancers II performance is available at YouTube and has received more than 10 thousand hits. “It’s difficult to convey the dramatic and immersive effects of the Second Life virtual world in a 2-D web environment, however the video does convey the overall concept of the performance,” said Spensley.

About DanCoyote Antonelli

Hyperformalist artist first invited to exhibit in Second Life by Ars Virtua curator Rubaiyat Shatner. Continued residency in Second Life is supported in part by private collectors and the spontaneous patronage of modern day Medicis Giulio Perhaps, Kitty Tully and many other generous patrons of the arts in Real Life and Second Life.

About the New Media Consortium (NMC)

The NMC is an international consortium of more than 250 world-class universities, colleges, museums, research centers, and technology companies dedicated to using new technologies to inspire, energize, stimulate, and support learning and creative expression. Its home in SL, the NMC Campus, is the largest educational body in Second Life.

Contact for tickets or more information

DC Spensley
Producer/Director
415-668-6238
dc@spensley.com

Story filed under: Arts, Campus Headlines, What's Happening
Tags: zerog
See all stories by CDB Barkley (aka Alan Levine)