MOBILE, Ala.– Students in the Alabama School of the Arts at the University of Mobile will experience a revolutionary approach to dance education spring semester, made possible through the international collaboration of Barbara Haines, adjunct dance instructor at the University of Mobile.
Haines participated in project development for higher education in dance as part of “Dance and Method” by the Hungarian Academy of Arts, Research Institute of Art Theory and Methodology. The focus was on benefits of virtual reality in art and pilot preparations research for 3D dance curriculum.
Drawing from her recent presentation at the AI Transformation & Innovation Summit in Budapest, Hungary, Haines is bringing 3D dance educational material that integrates artificial intelligence (AI), Benesh Movement Notation (BMN), and motion capture technology into the classroom.
Haines presented “Mapping Motion: 3D Dance & Method with Benesh in Action” at the summit, exploring how AI can be used to enhance dance literacy, a foundational skill in dance education. Working with experts, Haines contributed to a prototype that combines 3D animations by Rhonda Ryman-Kane, FIChor, professor emerita, University of Waterloo, Canada, and technical support by Sang May, Credo Interactive, Vancouver, Canada, along with Haines’s in-depth knowledge of Benesh Movement Notation to help students understand movement, choreography and spatial relationships in dance.
What UM Students Will Learn
As part of this innovative program, Ballet II courses in the Alabama School of the Arts will test the preparatory 3D pilot material in a scientific and experimental setting. Students will use the applied BMN scores to interpret folk dance variations recorded with PhaseSpace Impulse X2 motion capture technology at the CYENS, Center of Excellence, University of Cyprus, and compare them with animated sequences created with DanceForms software. This method will allow students to enhance their cognitive understanding of body positions, timing, and stage presence.
“Students will be immersed in a unique blend of traditional dance training and cutting-edge technology,” said Haines. “They’ll be able to interact with and analyze movement in ways that have never been possible before.”
In addition to the 3D technology, students will explore original dance variations notated in BMN from the Vaganova Choreographic School of Leningrad and the Mariinsky Theatre, offering them the opportunity to study unpublished dance excerpts preserved in the prestigious dance archives of the Royal Academy of Dance, London, UK and The Conservatoire de Paris, Paris, France.
The Future of Dance Education
Haines’ work at the AI Transformation & Innovation Summit also involved developing a new model for integrating AI into dance education. Her presentation highlighted the growing importance of dance literacy, which enables students to read and understand, and apply dance notation both to traditional and contemporary choreography.
“AI is transforming the way we think about dance education, and we’re at the forefront of that change,” said Haines. “This is a wonderful opportunity for our students to learn in an environment that embraces both the art and the science of dance.”
Students at the University of Mobile are set to gain valuable skills that bridge the gap between dance tradition and technological advancement. The collaboration between dance notators, animators and AI experts holds great promise for the future of higher education in the arts.
Learn more about the University of Mobile at umobile.edu/um-info. Plan a campus visit or register for a UM Day at umobile.edu/um-info or call Enrollment Services at 251.442.2222.
About the University of Mobile
The University of Mobile is a Christ-centered university with a vision of “Higher Education for a Higher Purpose,” founded to honor God by equipping students for their future professions in an environment where they are known. Located 10 miles north of Mobile, Alabama, on a campus of over 880 acres, the university offers associate, bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees in over 75 academic programs.The University of Mobile was founded in 1961 and is affiliated with the Alabama Baptist State Convention.
For information about the University of Mobile, areas of study, admissions and more, visit umobile.edu/um-info, connect with UM on social media @univofmobile, or call Enrollment Services at 1.800.WIN.RAMS or 251.442.2222.
Kathy Dean uses her passion for storytelling and “playing with words” to share the stories of people, place and purpose that make the University of Mobile unique. As associate vice president for university communications, she manages media relations, edits the TorchLight alumni magazine, and oversees university communications. A former award-winning journalist, she is a two-time recipient of the Baptist Communicators Association grand prize for feature writing. Kathy and her husband, Chuck, live with three extremely loud miniature schnauzers.