Analysing Emergent Performance

Two events have provided us with compelling data for analysing emergent qualities of performance. Firstly at Ashgrove Special School music day, where Darrell and Adam set up 2 cameras and a VPA system, capturing engagement with Somantics from a dual perspective. Secondly, at the Touch Trust where we relied on a single camera and mindful participation within the activity. In both scenarios, using input data from the kinect sensor mirrored though the Somantics body schema outputs, we have a powerful, empirical opportunity to study interactive gestures. Each session benefited from post activity review by experts with deep knowledge of the subjects, from teaching, occupational therapy and dance therapy professions. Building on their feedback, which suggested unprecedented levels of engagement, the next stage is to analyse the video in relation to the experience of flow, presence, social bonding and cause and effect (Godoy and Leman, 2010).