Profile for Brian Curson

I’ve always been fascinated by film, yet I’d come to love the tangibility of the live stage. In 2000 I started experimenting with immersive stages where dance could exist in a cinematic world. I've come to call this ‘Virtual Reality Theatre’ which melds (tries to) movement, dance, text, narrative, sound and music on a projected immersive stage. (see www.alkamie.co.uk/videowall). 

I project 3D computer modelled scenes over a white stage space so that performers on the stage can appear to inhabit and move within the 3D scenes. Also if the viewpoint of the model is moved (a bit like moving the camera in a film set) the audience can feel as though they too are moving in the model. By carefully choreographing the dance onstage and the movement/dance of the viewpoint we can get the feeling that both audience and performers are moving, in a kind of quasi dance duet. This has involved developing new approaches to creating movement and techniques of combining the various elements. Part of this has involved developing special software that embodies this creative process. This novel media, which has delighted, fascinated and confused audiences, producers and academics in equal measure I’m still wrestling to the floor some 10 years after we conceived it. Although I do feel like it's getting there. See what you think!

I am very interested in working with other companies and individuals creating virtual sceneography for them. The following series of pictures are from a short dance solo by Royal Ballet principle, Ed Watson, choreographed by Kirill Burlov with our scenography.

Pictures from Green, performed at The Place, February 2011 by Edward Watson, Choreographed by Kirill Burlov with virtual scneography by alKamie.