Engaging. Bold. Visceral. A double bill of dance at the edge of myth and machine.
We’re thrilled to welcome internationally acclaimed choreographer Alexander Whitley to DanceEast with this striking double bill. Known for pushing the boundaries between dance and digital technology, Whitley is a true pioneer in blending movement and innovation, and this is a rare chance to experience his most ambitious work to date, live in Ipswich.
This powerful evening brings together dance, live motion capture and AI to explore a big question: how much control do we really have over our lives?
Both pieces are rooted in the current moment; Rite of Spring references our current collective surrender of trust to AI systems, rituals of the past and the role of community in reimagining new futures, while Mirror is an intimate exploration of the risks AI poses to human relationships, while. Together, these two very different pieces create an evening that is thought-provoking, visually arresting and emotionally charged.
About Rite of Spring
Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring is one of the most influential pieces of music ever written, and its original story is actually quite a morbid one: in an ancient community, a young girl is chosen by her people to dance herself to death as a sacrifice to ensure the arrival of spring. It’s ritualistic, intense and deliberately unsettling, and that primal energy still pulses through Whitley’s contemporary take.
Retellings of classic stories have always captivated audiences. From Romeo and Juliet to recently, Wuthering Heights and Dracula. We return because they’re timeless and it’s interesting to look at familiar stories with a fresh perspective. Whitley’s take on Rite of Spring sits firmly in that tradition: not a literal retelling, but a bold reworking that makes an iconic work feel modern and alive.
Drawing on the iconic score’s driving rhythms and emotional force, Whitley integrates technology alongside contemporary movement. It’s physical, immersive and full of momentum.
About Mirror
Mirror, inspired by philosopher Shannon Vallor’s book The AI Mirror, opens the double bill. Set to a powerful score by Galya Bisengalieva, this new work examines the risks that AI poses to human relationships when we form attachments to its reflections and mistake them for something deeper than they are. Using live motion capture and AI, dancers interact in real time with shifting digital forms. Technology is an active presence on stage, responding to and shaping the movement as it happens.
Mirror offers a striking visual spectacle: immersive, slightly dystopian and quietly intimate. It invites you to reflect on what it means to be watched, influenced and understood by intelligent systems.
Pioneering technology
Both productions use live motion-capture technology to translate performers’ movements into real-time digital visuals. As the performers move, their motion is tracked and captured on stage and immediately projected. Luca Biada, AWDC’s Lead Creative Technologist, uses a combination of AI systems that then interpret and enhance the movement data, generating a parallel visual presence that evolves alongside the live performance. The result is a dialogue between the physical body and its AI-mediated reflection.
Over 50s workshop
Join a creative movement workshop for over 50s, inspired by the company’s new double bill Rite of Spring and Mirror.
Book ticketsYOU MAY ALSO LIKE
SEE ALL WHAT'S ON
Contemporary (8-11s) | Open
A high-energy contemporary dance classes for young people aged 8-11, that pushes creativity and musicality.
Baby and Me (was Mummy Movers)
Dance, bond and move together in this uplifting class for all parents and caregivers with babies in slings.
Contemporary (8-11s) | Advanced
Calling all 8-11s! Join us in this high energy and creative contemporary dance class on Saturday mornings.
