Taiwanese dancer-choreographer Huang Yi (黃翊) and his robotic dance partner KUKA were invited to perform in the Swiss cities of Kriens, Zürich, Biel/Bienne, and Schaffhausen from April 12 through 20 as part of the world-renowned Dance Festival Steps, an international biennale for contemporary dance in Switzerland.
"Huang Yi & KUKA” combines modern dance, music, and computer programming to form an intense yet tender dialogue. Touted as "pure, danced poetry” and one of the "coolest things you can find on any stage this year,” the 70-minute pas de deux ponders the mutable relationship between man and machine.
The dance production is part of the Taoyuan-based Quanta Arts Foundation's "QARing—International Digital Art Performance Collaborative Cultural Project,” which was subsidized by the Ministry of Culture's Rainbow Initiative for cross-sector cooperation.
The creation of the dance originated from Huang's childhood dream of having the company of a robot. Huang, 33, programs KUKA's choreography himself. It takes up to ten hours to produce just one minute of the robot's movement.
The European debut of "Huang Yi & Kuka” in Switzerland was part of a global tour that took the robot duo to Singapore, Australia, and the United Arab Emirates. More information can be found in a tour documentary preview provided below:
HUANG YI & KUKA Touring Documentary - 1 from Huang Yi on Vimeo.