Performance Accessibility Through Web-Based Musical Instruments

Abstract

Working in collaboration with the Little Artists League in Tokyo, Japan, a global-minded art organization devoted to fostering children’s creativity through process-oriented art, Aeroidio, a collaborative duo of Adam Vidiksis and Sam Wells, has developed a web application that transforms camera and gestural data from a mobile device, turning it into an interactive musical instrument that nearly anyone can play. BEEP, Boyer College’s electronic music ensemble, will lead a community performance composed by Aeroidio that uses the software to transform hand drawings made in the moment. Only a smartphone is needed. All participants are encouraged and welcome to join the performance.

Biography

The Boyer College Electroacoustic Ensemble Project (BEEP) is a group for electroacoustic music creation in a collaborative environment. Founded in 2013 by Dr. Adam Vidiksis at Temple University, BEEP embraces a variety of aesthetics, from EDM to the avant garde. "We function in varied modalities: from a laptop orchestra, to fusion of computers and traditional instruments, to an electronic music band. Our main goal as an ensemble is to explore new musical paths and new technologies by uniting people of varying and complimentary skill sets in the discovery of new possibilities of creating sound. BEEP also aims to promote expressive music making and musical vocabulary, increase technological literacy among its participants and audience, to encourage a culture of code literacy and computer competency hand-in-hand with critical and independent thinking, and to perform the ever-expanding repertory of electronic music. We believe that the integration of electronics in traditional music is one of many pathways forward for new music in our future. BEEP’s programming carries wide appeal, enjoyable for everyone from the seasoned electronics aficionado to the casual radio listener. We seek any audience with open ears and open minds."

Aeroidio is a new collaborative duo of Adam Vidiksis and Sam Wells that delves into an eclectic mix of creative avenues, including music, software, immersive installations, compelling audio-visual works, and the art of improvisation. Rooted in its fusion of music and technology, Aeroidio’s sonic identity is characterized by rhythmic complexity, textural richness, and a seamless blend of acoustic and electronic elements. Their work has explored the barriers and connections of human experience through a juxtaposition of perspectives on the scope of social and physical relationships, from the scale of a tiny flower or a loving embrace, to a mountain range or the journey that brings you home. Drs. Vidiksis and Wells are assistant professors of music technology at Temple University.

We Hold THESE Truths

Abstract

In this groundbreaking performance art session, "We Hold THESE Truths" responds to the profound implications of systemic racism as a determinant of health and well-being, as recognized by the CDC. This integrated performance and lecture explores the multifaceted impact of racism not only on the liberties of Black American citizens but also on their physical and psychological well-being. By intertwining scholarly research with compelling artistic expression, we examine the often-unspoken truths about the American social fabric. This session serves as a provocateur, challenging attendees to reflect on the question: Whose truth are we discussing when we talk about American society? The aim is to foster a deeper understanding of how systemic inequities shape health outcomes and societal norms, inviting a challenging dialogue on justice, equity and health. And ultimate asking: Who has the privilege of well-being?

Breaking Matters: Hip Hop Community as a Road Map for Life

Abstract

As an African diasporic practice, breaking (breakdancing) engenders the concept of community. In our presentation, we come together as five diverse breaking practitioners and share how we each engage with the idea of community within hip hop dance and culture in and beyond Philadelphia. In doing so, we reflect on how our participation in breaking provides us with tools and knowledge that can be used as a roadmap for life. Both through our conversation and in our embodied practice, we will show how these ideas come to life within the space of the cypher (a dance circle) that is the essence of breaking culture.

Biographies

Sherril Dodds
Sherril Dodds is a professor of dance at Temple University. Her books include Dance on Screen (2001), Dancing on the Canon (2011), Bodies of Sound (co-edited with Susan C. Cook, 2014), The Oxford Handbook of Dance and Competition (2019), The Bloomsbury Companion to Dance Studies (2019), and Facial Choreographies: Performing the Face in Popular Dance (2023). She has been a visiting scholar at Trondheim University in Norway, Griffith University in Australia, Stanford University in the USA, and Clermont-Ferrand University in France. She is an active b-girl in the Philadelphia breaking scene.

Tiffany Holmes
Tiffany Holmes is a master's student at Drexel University studying dance/movement therapy. As a dancer and performer from a young age, she has found a connection in the breaking scene to a passion for continued improvement and the use of movement as a release and expression of self. As a current dance teacher to students in high school preparing to leave for college and an intern in a University Counseling Center, Tiffany sees the importance in the crossover of movement/dance and mental health on a weekly basis. She has been an observer and participator in the breaking community for about a decade. 

Moosaa Khan
Moosaa Khan, AKA Wrath of Khan, is a BBoy, MC, and event organizer. He was introduced to breaking as a high school freshman in 2011 and has since competed in, organized and hosted dozens of competitions. His latest venture, Smoke Sesh Circuit, is a project aiming to tie a common thread between competitions and provide a place for dancers to increase their battle experience.

Jerry Valme
Jerry Valme is a Jamaica Queens, NY native now living in Philadelphia, PA. Jerry has been a competitive breakdancer since 2009 and as a dance athlete he continues his work with children as a teaching artist. With over 10+ years as an educator, trainer, and coach he has worked with children as young as 3 years old and as mature as 60+ years of age. Jerry continues in his own growth towards building his career by furthering his education and sharing what he learns with everyone.

Mark Wong
Originally from Bermuda, Mark Wong is passionate about exploring ways in which breaking and hip hop dance can artistically serve individuals and communities. He has studied the traditional American dance form for over 20 years, competing, performing and creating original stage work. Wong is also a co-founder of Hip Hop Fundamentals, a Philadelphia-based dance education company working to empower youth through breaking. Wong cherishes the ciphers and hidden performance spaces of Philadelphia, where bold aesthetics and raw talent drive the underground performing arts wave.

Everything After: Using Therapeutic Techniques as an Aesthetic Source to Honor Trauma Survivors

Abstract

Though trauma is pervasive in our society, its impact on survivors and the work of healing from traumatic events is often invisible. Everything After is a performance practice developed by adjunct faculty Ella-Gabriel Mason in collaboration with Temple and community dancers to uplift the extensive labor trauma survivors perform on their healing journeys. Six dancers perform movement scores abstracted from PTSD therapies, including Somatic Experiencing, EMDR, Polyvagal Theory, Internal Family Systems, and Dialectical Behavior Therapy. The dancers are framed by a projected installation featuring a mass of orange pill bottles. Mason has been collecting the bottles which held the anti-depressants and anti-anxiety medications prescribed since they were diagnosed with PTSD just over a decade ago. A matching musical score, also abstracted from these therapies is played live by composer and videographer Miles Wilder.  Rather than focus on moments of violence or catharsis, Everything After asks us to reconsider how we portray trauma and violence within artmaking by refocusing on the aesthetics and labor of healing.

A first iteration of Everything After was presented at the Philadelphia Fringe Festival in 2022. For this presentation Mason will present excerpts of the movement scores with projection and music. Each score will be framed by a short lecture on the relationships between movement scores and the PTSD therapies they are drawn from.