experiment # 2 – moving bodies

Experiment # 2 – moving bodies, included “mirroring” your partner, improvisations, and expressing without words. Had an idea of using theater inspired exercises to explore non-verbal communication, and expressing emotions physically. I had two participants, both with experience from theater.

Mirroring your partner – who is taking initiative, and who is following? Synchronizing bodies to become “one”, moving smooth, and organically, awaken your senses,  awareness of yourself, and your body, as well as your partners. It “forces” you to be present, and demands concentration. I used it as a warm up, and I wanted to try out and observe the communication.

Improvisations – though I had explained my interest in non-verbal communication, they tended to fall into verbal communication, “radio” theater, while improvising around the situations I given them. I made some changes, from sitting on chairs in a cafe, to standing, and further to physical activities. Instead I wanted them to communicate, but without words. Focus was on gestures and facial expressions.

Expressing without words – playfulness and exploration was the keywords I hoped for. Frustration and repeated interruptions was initially what I got. The frustration of not being able to use words in order to express emotions of different kinds, was immediate and obvious, and it surprised me. Slowly they started to play around, at I came closer to what I had been looking for.

enhance emotions – animal like

One direction within modular moves would be to use wearable for expressing emotions, and possible enhance , highlight/ underline them. I found an example called communication apparel which is just about that. Alis Cambol, an interaction designer at frog design in New York, did as part of her Master Thesis at Parsons, apparel enhanced with technology,  – augmenting non-verbal communication between strangers. Photos in this post shows a dress inspired by the frilled lizard – their collar raises in moments of aggression and fear, as they try to give an impression of being bigger than they really are.