Everything and everyone has a digital twin brother or sister. Think of computer simulations for large structures, or virtual prototypes for new cars. But you too have one - in the form of all the data collected about you. Often, as humans, we think we have complete control over these digital copies. But is that really the case?
In a fascinating mix of dance and technology, Digital Twin offers us a glimpse into this intangible twin world. In this new production, choreographers David Middendorp and Wubkje Kuindersma investigate the space and interaction between the physical world and the digital domain. How do they relate and interact? Dancing with a twin version of yourself or with someone who is no longer physically there: Digital Twin proves that it can be done!
Living on in digital form
In Missing, David Middendorp takes us a step further into the near future. In this touching piece, a dancer engages in a duet with someone who is no longer physically present but whose digital version continues to exist in another world. The choreography explores what it would be like if we could leave behind a digital copy of ourselves for our loved ones. In Frequentie 3 (a third version of a previous choreography), Middendorp takes a completely different path, immersing us in the world of numbers. The dancers in the piece make the mathematics behind digital worlds visible, creating danced floor drawings of 'digital sand' that reacts to vibrations (known as Chladni patterns). Can we, as humans, alter anything in those formulas and frequencies, or would that lead to chaos?
Dancing drones
The concluding piece in Digital Twin is Middendorp's acclaimed Airman, presented in a new version titled Airman 2.0. The choreography seamlessly aligns with the digital twin theme, as the twelve drones Middendorp employs in this new iteration can only ‘dance’ because there exists a digital twin version of each drone, enabling the necessary calculations for their flight. These little machines often seem to have a life of their own, a spectacle that is not only impressive but also, in a way, emotionally stirring.
