Quest

An old story
told anew

Technology's ever-increasing presence in our world poses unique challenges and exciting opportunities for the creative arts. Gary Galbraith, Professor of Dance and Department co-chair, has always eagerly pursued new technology, both to push the art form and empower his students to partner with tech instead of turn away.

His newest piece, Quest, supported through an Expanding Horizons Initiative grant from the College of Arts and Sciences at CWRU, merges extended reality technology and 3D LiDAR, all while set to an original score in true surround-sound. This is the first dance of its kind to integrate all these technologies.

QUEST
Fall 2024 Faculty & Guest Artist Concert Voyages
CWRU Dept. of Dance

“Quest is the current generation of art and technology in the form of extended reality dance theater and immersive audience experience.”

GARY GALBRAITH
PROFESSOR OF DANCE
CWRU

In the story inspired by ancient Maya mythology, twin warriors battle the dark lords of the underworld. The dancers are tracked onstage by LiDAR (Light Detection And Ranging), and the audience — wearing Microsoft HoloLens headsets — sees holographic projections follow them, hide them, and emerge from their movement. The stage becomes studded with fireflies, then stars that lead the heroes onward; fire roars above the hands of the dark lords; caves loom ominously ahead.

The creative forces behind Quest are also a rare collaboration between different experts: Physics Professor Mike Martens (CWRU) consulted on the LIDAR tracking system, and both the holographic visuals and the background images were made by the Interactive Commons. The music was composed by Gabriel Jon Griswold, a graduate student at the University of Southern California, and it combines classical composition techniques with modern electronic and ambient sound design.

The live interplay between dancer, hologram, and immersive music envelops the audience in the myth so completely that despite the high-tech, an intimacy is conjured, akin to sitting fireside and hearing it firsthand.

Quest's live run ended on November 9, 2024; however, you can still watch the dance online:

Join us.

To learn more about how to get involved and support our work, send us a message: ic@case.edu