Design.Dance in Public Places
Design.Dance in public space—an invigorating way to see dance is a three-month project that applies human-centered design, fieldwork research, design thinking, and participatory design methods to explore the underlying challenges of a non-profit organization.
Dance Waterloo is a dance organization that offers dance education to children, families, students, and young adults who lack the opportunity to attend studio classes. The project focuses on their Dance in Public Places program, in which classes are offered at an outdoor art installation. Dance Waterloo works collaboratively with studio artists to structure their class based on the concept of the art piece and use dance to cultivate understanding and connection with art and among community members.
I spent six weeks on research to define unknown problems and find solutions, and 5 weeks on implementation. The parameters for success are measured by its usability, feasibility, accessibility, and affordability. As a result, Environmental Design was our best short-coming solution that can be executed, built in-house, and fulfilled the needs of the organization.
Research Summary
Target Audience
After interviewing with the Dance Waterloo Founder, dance instructors and participating in two public events, I mapped out different audience groups that the organization wants to reach. Passive audience indicated people who are less engaged with their public performance and outdoor dance class.
Participatory Research
Objective
» Refocus on their mission and practices but bringing in audiences’ perspectives
» Understand their strengths, weaknesses and challenges
» Define their short-term and long-term goals in order to come up with an appropriate and effective solutions
I create a card deck with 20 questions that helps guide our findings.
Takeaways
» Define Dance Waterloo’s brand position among other non-profit organizations and professional dance groups through social media and other unconventional platforms.
» Engaging surrounding community and having 5 consistent participants in their Dance in Public Places program.
» Improve the quality and quantity of their process final work and in order to connect with the national dance network and to apply for funding.
Refocus on Dance Waterloo's Core Values & Mission
Short-term & Long-term Goals
Identify Strengths, Weaknesses & Challenges
Journey Map
To better understand how participant engage and develop their relationship with the organization, I create a diagram to capture different touchpoints from the audiences’s point of view.
Design Goals
How might we involve the community through collaboration? (Dance for the community vs dance with the community)
How might we utilize public spaces to change the way audiences see and interact with dance?
Prototype #1
Execution
The dance was inspire by and took place at a public art installation called Aviary by Ian Dippo. Those icons reflect objects that the viewers can find in the surroundings, installation, and the dance including the theme of privacy vs public, nature, conversation and community.
Outcome
No participant. People aren’t familiar with the concept dancing in public places.
Ineffective communication: they didn’t know if they’re invited to watch or join the dance.
Objective
To measure the public interest and understand how community members see dance
Audience
Since the public performance took place at the art installation in front of the library, the target audiences are local neighbors and library goers.
Method
Each audiences will receive an activity card while watching the performance. The can circle objects, shapes they see during the session or draw their own interpretation in the front card.
Changing the way we interact with the people, the environment allow us to see things that we could not see, to understand we have not understood, and to find connection with absolute nothing.
Prototype #2
Objective
To highlight Dance Waterloo’s DiPS program
To let the audiences part take in the dance performance with less effort
Execution
I created a series of installation (a viewfinder set & stencil) that allows the audiences to immerse in the space and interpret the dance from their own perspectives.
The big viewfinder will be hanging on the tree creating a focal point that the audience when passing by can be intrigued to explore how the dancers move through space and interact with the natural surroundings and the man-made structures.
The small viewfinders will be attached by string so that the audience can explore the dance on their own. Each viewfinder functions as promotional material with the non-profit’s social media handle, hashtag & missions.
The Stencils will be used to create a chalk walkway that slowly invites the audience into a new space.
Test pray with the stencil.
