We are pleased to announce the international group of participants for Art-A-Hack’s “DANCEDEMIC”. For this year’s summer program we have divided individuals into two teams. Each team has been carefully formed with creative technologists of diverse backgrounds to collaborate on a live-streamed performance using the biometrics of two renowned dancers, Hussein Smko (Iraq/NY)and Razvan Stoian (Romania/NY) currently in fellowship at Battery Dance.

Team Hussein experimenting with virtual backgrounds, sound and biometrics
Team Hussein experimenting with virtual backgrounds, sound and biometrics

The isolation and lockdown of COVID-19 is the catalyst for conceptualizing interactive live performance in new ways. This will be the first-ever Art-A-Hack where all participants are collaborating both internationally and remotely from their respective homes or studios located in India, Estonia, Ukraine, London, Brazil, and both the west and east coasts of the United States.

Art-A-Hack’s “DANCEDEMIC” is in collaboration with Battery Dance Festival, Thoughtworks, Emotibit, eˉlektron, and U.S. State Department Alumni TIES / World Learning. You can learn more about how this year’s Art-A-Hack is structured via the Open Call. The call closed in June, after which the applications were sorted and reviewed multiple times to create the following two teams:

International members of Team Hussein remotely using EmotiBit technology
International members of Team Hussein remotely using EmotiBit technology

Director of Teams
Ellen Pearlman

Project Manager
Katie Larson

Technical Infrastructure
Andy McWilliams

Team Hussein

  • (Bryan) Tyler Parker
  • Dan Oved
  • JiaXuan Hon
  • Kat Sullivan
  • Mingna Li
  • Neve Parker
  • Nina Mirhabibi
  • Sandro Miccoli Alves
  • Hussein Smko (dancer)
Team Razvan working with visual effects, sound and biometrics
Team Razvan working with visual effects, sound and biometrics

Team Razvan

  • Aline Martinez
  • Derek Kwan
  • Manik Perera
  • Natasha Desai
  • Ni Ni Than
  • Nuntinee Tansrisakul ('Nun')
  • Sukanya Aneja
  • Vinay Khare
  • Yuguang Zhang
  • Yurii Tymoshenko
  • Kat Mustatea
  • Razvan Stoian (dancer)

We are very excited to be working with so many talented people, and we are looking forward to “DANCEDEMIC” premiering virtually at the 39th Annual Battery Dance Festival on August 21st. The event is free with registration.