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‘discrete figures’ explores the interrelationships
between the performing arts and mathematics,
giving rise to mathematical entities
that engage with the bodies of human dancers onstage.

Alan Turing applied mathematics to disembody the brain from its corporeal host. He sought to expand his body, transplanting his being into an external vessel. In a sense, he sought to replicate himself in mechanical form. Turing saw his computers as none other than bodies (albeit mechanical), irrevocably connected to his own flesh and blood. Although onlookers would see a sharp delineation between man and machine, in his eyes, this progeny did not constitute a distant Other. Rather, he was the father of a “living machine,” a veritable extension of his own body, and a mirror onto the act of performing living, breathing mathematics.

―Daito Manabe

Probing the mathematical and technological circuitry connecting the corporeal to the cognitive

Rhizomatiks continues to pioneer new frontiers in media technology. This performance is no exception, combining their trademark precision expressive elements with cutting-edge machine learning research, ushering in a new breed of physical expression by presenting never-before-seen intelligent technical choreographic possibilities. Rather than approach dance in conventional terms, “discrete figures” systemizes the choreographic process through A.I. and machine learning. This systemization enables a reconceptualization of movement and the body, which is then digitized, analyzed, and dynamically reintroduced into choreography. The performance’s spatial design also incorporates elements of an interactive installation, with complex rules and algorithms dictating the trajectories of myriad objects onstage in response to the dancers’ movements. Markerless motion capture and photogrammetric techniques are harnessed to graphically generate virtual dancers, blurring the line between reality and the illusory world that takes shape behind the virtual screen. In short, “discrete figures” heralds a new height in mathematical and collective intelligence, motivated toward unlocking the unknown future nature of physicality, itself.

A masterclass for the next generation of creation

In the spring of 2022, Rhizomatiks co-founder Daito Manabe began teaching the next generation of creators as a visiting professor with the faculty of Art Science at the Osaka University of Arts, which draws on myriad cutting-edge technologies to pursue new possibilities in artistic expression and effect social change.

This showing of “discrete figures,” organized by the university, thus offers young creative talents a valuable opportunity to engage with an innovative performance on an international scale, supplemented by a post-performance talk event on October 21st and an exclusive workshop for students of the Osaka University of Arts on the 22nd.

We hope that you will join us for the encore performances of “discrete figures,” followed by an engaging and educational discussion with the imaginations behind the curtain, led by Daito Manabe, Motoi Ishibashi, and MIKIKO.

“discrete figures 2018"
(Spiral Hall/Tokyo)

“discrete figures 2018" (Spiral Hall/Tokyo)

Hands-on workshop for students of the Osaka University of Arts

Hands-on workshop for students of the Osaka University of Arts