Event overview
Dr Guido Orgs (Goldsmiths Dept of Psychology) presents 'You move, I Watch, It Matters'.
ABSTRACT:
Why do we enjoy dancing together or watching flash-mobs on you tube? Why is Strictly Come Dancing more popular than the Xfactor? As our visual world becomes ever more dynamic, traditional photography is replaced by video and animation. Yet, little is known about what makes human movement so appealing to watch.
Existing psychological theories of aesthetic appreciation have largely focused on static paintings, sculpture and music. In this talk I will outline a neuro-cognitive model that combines principles from communication and dynamical systems theories with the cognitive neuroscience of action perception to provide a conceptual framework for an aesthetic science of human movement.
With a specific focus on dance, the theory identifies three key components: the performer-transmitter, the movement message and the spectator-receiver.
I will review the constraints of nonverbal communication via movement by describing the brain mechanisms involved in action/body perception and behavioural coordination. In a dimensional model, I will attempt to link these mechanisms to aesthetic appreciation of human movement and discuss the role of expertise and cultural differences.
Based on multidisciplinary work involving choreographers and dancers on the one hand, and cognitive neuroscientists on the other hand, research on action aesthetics may provide applications that range from optimising animation in computer games and fashion photography to developing new diagnostic tools or even treatments for autism and obsessive compulsive disorder.
BIOGRAPHY:
Guido Orgs received his training in both Performing Dance (Folkwang University of the Arts, Essen Germany) and Psychology (University of Düsseldorf, Germany). After completion of his PhD in Cognitive Neuroscience, he performed with German Dance Company NEUER TANZ/VA WÖLFL from 2008 to 2011, performing at international theatres and dance festivals, including the Theatre de la Ville, Paris and kunstenfestivaldesarts, Brussels.
In 2009 he joined the Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience at UCL to conduct research on how we perceive other people’s movements and how the brain mechanisms of movement perception underlie the aesthetics of dance. Currently, he investigates movement synchronization in dance, collaborating with social psychologist Daniel Richardson, UCL and choreographer Matthias Sperling. Since September 2015 he is a Lecturer in Psychology at Goldsmiths, University of London.
Dates & times
| Date | Time | Add to calendar |
|---|---|---|
| 11 Nov 2015 | 4:00pm - 5:00pm |
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