John Cage - Variations V

Starts at 04:47 A large mixed-media piece involving the use of film and also, when possible, of video images distorted by Nam June Paik. John Cage also decided to find ways for the dancers’ movement to trigger the sound. The first was a series of antennae placed around the stage; when a dancer came within the radius of one of these, a sound would result, from among the battery of electronic instruments operated by the company musicians. The second was a series of photo-electric cells placed at the base of the antennae, for a similar purpose. (In performance, these electronic devices often failed to work.) In addition to the dance sequences that moved around these antennae, Cunningham devised a number of non-dance activities with objects fitted with contact microphones that contributed to the sounds. The dancers wore practice clothes, to which street clothes could be added (no designer was credited). Description from: