Seigradi: dancing in a real-virtual environment. Affects and movement in Santasangre’s work

Abstract

This paper is inspired by a reflection on the work of the Italian artistic research project Santasangre and comes in particular from the analysis of Seigradi, one part of a trilogy of performances entitled Studi per un teatro apocalittico: a unique experiment in which light sources, holographic images, sounds and a dancing body fuse in real time. Calling into question the notions of tactile-kinesthetic body (M. Sheets-Johnstone) and kinetic melody (A.R. Luria), from which emerges the idea of an intimate connection between affects and movement, the aim of this paper is to discuss some topics related to the relationship between choreographer and dancer (including the potential absence of it) through an analysis of dance transmission’s mechanisms focused on various approaches concerning the use of digital technologies in contemporary dance.