Palindrome is a loose and changeable collection of artist working with dancer, technologist, and founder Robert Weschler. Weschler studied molecular genetics along with dance and from there developed and interest in the relation between science, art and technology. Palindrome was founded in 1982 to explore this relation. Frieder Weiss and the Eyecon software is principle to the work of Palindrome and although Frieder’s site offer barely a mention of Palindrome, the Palindrome site cites Eyecon as ‘their’ technology. Palindrome is based in Germany having moved from their original base in New York – although the group is diaphanous to say the least.
The relationship between bio-feedback and kinesthetic-feedback mechanisms is mature in these works having transcended the desire merely to play with technology out of interests sake. From the site;
Interaction implies a back-and-forth of energy and impulse between artists or between artist, artwork and audience — not simply one isolated action triggering another. Special effects for the stage come and go — not that they are without interest. When we’ve never seen them before they can certainly touch us. This is the Aha affect. The really interesting point comes though when the technology brings human beings into contact with one another in new ways: artist-to-artist and artist-to-audience. In this day and age, “interaction” may sound high-tech, but in reality it belongs to the most primitive and innately human aspects of the performing arts.
(http://www.palindrome.de/ accessed may 2007)
Please see the substantial entry on the work of Frieder Weiss for a more detailed account of the type of work that Palindrome does and the technology involved.
Interestingly enough they define their ‘Style of Performance’ as ‘Intermedia’ which they in turn describe as ‘this means its not just Dance and the art forms converse and overlap. Dancers speak or sing, the music is liveand we often use motion tracking and sensor technology…The audience often has a role. Unlike traditional theatre the performers do not play roles – they should be themselves.