Choreographies of Collective Presence: Ritual, Movement, and Shared Control

Image: The Mutables by Kat Mustatea

This event brings artists, choreographers, technologists, and participants into a shared exploration of movement and ritual shaped by contemporary digital systems and synthetic forms of coordination. Framed by the conditions of mediated, instruction-driven spaces, the gathering considers how collective movement and sound can generate presence, meaning, and shared experience. Rather than focusing on spectacle or performance, the emphasis is on how choreography can emerge from prompts and communal participation.

The event unfolds in two parts: a fireside conversation followed by a hands-on prototyping session. The discussion brings together practitioners working across choreography, performance, sound, and interactive systems to discuss movement as ritual and instruction as a choreographic force. In the prototyping session, participants become co-authors, using mobile devices and audio prompts to collectively generate movement and ritual gestures in real time. These prompts circulate through the room, shaping how bodies gather, disperse, and synchronize—allowing community-generated choreography and shared ritual to take form.

Fireside chat participants
Kat Mustatea is a transmedia playwright and artist whose experiments with language, live art, and the computational uncanny, articulate the absurdities of being human in an increasingly algorithmic world. Her work has been presented at Ars Electronica, New Images Festival, CPH:DOX Lab, New York Live Arts, and The Cube at Virginia Tech, among others. https://www.mustatea.com

Brandon Powers is a director, choreographer, and technology translator creating experiences across physical and virtual space. His work blends AI, extended reality, and live performance, presented at Lincoln Center, Sundance, Venice, Cannes XR, and New York Live Arts. He co-founded Pulse & Pixel, a company building Impulse, a new creative tool for choreographers in Unreal Engine. www.brandon-powers.com

Shar Simpson (they/she) is a narrative designer, author, and educator. They specialize in the crafting and mapping of compelling immersive stories and interactive experiences for all ages. Their work has presented at festivals internationally, including Tribeca, CPH:DOX, Slamdance, Mozilla Fest, SITGES, Cannes XR, and others. https://sharsimp.com

Tuesday, January 27th
7pm to 9pm
Film at Lincoln Center - Elinor Bunin Monroe Film Center