The Ancient Lion and Modern Man
Theater Performance
on December 2022

The Ancient Lion and Modern Man is a 21st century folk performance that combines performing arts heritage with XR technology. In the 67-minute stage production, the encounter between modern lions and humans is narratively expressed using AR.

This art project started in 2020 due to the impact of COVID-19. The Japanese lion dance is a traditional Japanese performing art that expresses awe and reverence for nature. We Japanese have danced for prayers of peace when we have faced disasters. A new gold and silver modern lion was created to ward off disasters in the digital age. The lion's head was designed using 3D modelling and its shape was made created using 3D printing.

There is no fixed timeline for this stage production. This amplifies the tension and fragility, which is what the traditional performing arts were inherent in. The music is improvised to the performer's movements; AI analyses the performer's body in real time and draws the CG.

With recent advances in processor speed and software, real-time digital expression has finally become part of the performing arts. Physical expression can enhance its beauty and fragility through generative digital representation. The relationship between analogue and digital is moving from fragmentation to fusion.

Performance overview

note: This document only describes theatre performance presented in 2022. The content of performance is completely different from earlier productions.
Data:
- Dec 2022. at KAAT Kanagawa Arts Theatre, Kanagawa
- Nov 2022. at Garaman Hall, Okinawa

Performers:
− Golden Lion and Silver Lion
− Male and female contemporary ballet dancers
− A pianist
− A tap dancer

Time:
Approx. 70 minutes

An immersive viewing experience that blends reality and virtuality

The audience simultaneously views two worlds: the reality on stage and the real-time generated XR images projected behind the stage. Visible and invisible elements are shown in parallel, allowing the audience to feel the transcendence of lions and ballet dancers even more deeply.

Asian lions dancing to the beats of tap dance, European ballet dancers gracefully soaring through the air with improvised piano music. These moments are captured up close by cameramen. The camera movements are replicated in the VR space within the computer simultaneously. Then, the footage from the camera and real-time generated CG are combined and projected.

Three types of AR effects are used:

1. one million particles to create the natural environment of the air, such as wind, rain and snow.
2. real-time visualisation of the performer's movement and presence.
ex.
- Sensors attached to the two dancers draw a 3G image of their relationship in real time.
- Pre-recorded dancers' movements and real dancers on stage dance together.
3. 3D objects exist as transforming props. The avatar of a performer, whose entire body is scanned in 3D previously, is manipulated by the dancers.

The combination of these AR elements gives the audience a sense of presence that does not exist in reality.

Evolving traditional Japanese performing arts

Lion dance, an incarnation of the guardian deity

Japanese people, who do not worship a single god, believe that spirits reside in all things. This philosophy has been nurtured by a land surrounded by the sea in all directions, where various disasters have instilled a sense of awe for nature.

The lion dance in Japan is a ritual that worships lions. Lions can be seen as either embodiments of deities or demons. Various lion dances have been passed down in different regions of Japan. Some are performed by one person, some by two people as one lion, some with musical instruments, and some depict the relationship between lions and humans.

This blind lion dance is performed to bring an end to modern disasters. The lions in this stage production are performed by lion performers from Okinawa, Japan. The aggressive, delicate, and lifelike movements of the lions are adapted from lion dances all over Japan.

Presence of cameraman dressed in black

It is one of the expressions of traditional Japanese performing arts: the 'kurogo.' They wear black clothing that covers their entire bodies and operate stage equipment during performances. The audience is meant to perceive them as invisible icons. In this production, the cameraman, who moves on stage, connects the performers to the VR space.

Technical Rider

http://shishi.grinder-man.com/ALMM_techrider202303.pdf

Videos

The Ancient Lion and Modern man: 3min

The Ancient Lion and Modern man: Full-length, Online streaming version - 67min

The Ancient Lion and Modern man: Full-length, uncut version - 67min