The Choreographic Language Agent (CLA) is a prototype interactive notebook for choreographers and dancers. Initiated in 2007, this unique piece of software was developed as one result of long-term research around the creative process of Wayne McGregor. The CLA works as a sketchpad in which three-dimensional drawings can be quickly assembled, animated, and shared to serve as a source of inspiration for movement creation. 

‘Enhancing Choreographic Objects’ (EChO) is a research project that draws on social science expertise for the further development of the CLA. In the past 12 months, the CLA has been given new life as a different kind of presence in the rehearsal studio called Becoming. 

Becoming presents McGregor and the dancers with a ‘body’ solving choreographic problems, providing stimulus in the creative process, and generating material in its own right. An interdisciplinary team collaborated with Wayne and his company to develop Becoming which has been integrated into the making process for McGregor’s new creation ATOMOS (opening in October at Sadler’s Wells). A version of Becoming is also installed as part of an exhibition at Wellcome Collections (a Wayne McGregor | Random Dance and Wellcome Collection collaboration exploring McGregor’s collaborative enquiry into choreographic thinking, opening mid-September 2013). For this talk the team working on Becoming will discuss the applied research behind this new Choreographic Object. It includes Wayne McGregor (choreographer), James Leach (anthropologist), Marc Downie and Nick Rothwell (digital artists) and R-Research director, Scott deLahunta. 

The project was supported with funds provided by the Arts and Humanities Research Council and partnerships with Wellcome Trust, Sadler’s Wells and Wayne McGregor | Random Dance.