Mercurial Dance are seeking x3 highly skilled performers with expertise in contact/prop manipulation, acrobatic and dance skills for work on exciting new Virtual Reality experience, EmbodyXR (1 to 2 weeks, May 2024). This is a unique opportunity to be part of an innovative and immersive gaming experience, and develop a skill not yet harnessed in the UK.

When: Monday 29th April 2024

Where: ACE Dance & Music (Floodgate St, Birmingham B5 5SL), 10am – 4pm

Deadline for Applications: Friday 19th April 2024

Project taking place: Anticipated date 1 to 2 weeks in late May 2024 (Exact dates and venue TBC)

About EmbodyXR^®

EmbodyXR^® is an immersive Virtual Reality dance art experience, aimed at raising mental health awareness & mitigating anxiety in Young People aged 13-25. Will be delivering a Midlands regional tour across Coventry, Nuneaton, Leicester & Birmingham, across various schools and community locations.

Our central character, the sign spinner, is lost deep in the sign world – a manifestation of her own mind. She is relying on participants to venture into this world and save her by engaging in a series of challenges that draw upon choreographed movement, high performance management and cognitive behavioural techniques.

Details

The artists will be developing new skills in sign spinning (a form of street performance, involving tricks, acrobatics or dance moves, with an arrow shaped sign) to be motion captured as characters in the EmbodyXR^® experience.

Artists will be:

• Participating in a 1 to 2 week long period of training to develop proficiency in sign spinning techniques, under the guidance of experienced instructors.
• Collaborate with the creative team to develop choreography that showcases sign spinning skills, with dance and integrates seamlessly into the gameplay narrative of EmbodyXR^®.
• Engage in motion capture sessions to capture the movements and gestures of the sign spinner character within the VR game, exploring ways the choreography can best work for immersive experiences.

Note: Mercurial Dance retains intellectual property rights over all work created during the contract period.

Requirements:

• Minimum 2 years experience as a performance artist, with a strong portfolio showcasing high-quality and dynamic dance/circus/acrobatic skill and a demonstrated proficiency in contact manipulation of props (for example weighted sticks, baton twirling etc.)

• Flexibility and willingness to undergo training and development as required for the role to learn sign spinning techniques

• Physical Fitness and Coordination: Possesses exceptional physical fitness, agility, and coordination to execute complex sign spinning manoeuvres with precision and flair.

• Prior experience in motion capture or performance for virtual reality applications is a plus, but not required.

How to apply:

Audition by selection only. Register your interest by submitting a CV and links to recent examples of your work, including movement and prop manipulation (if available) to producer@mercurialdance.co.uk.

Fee – Fixed rate

£662 for 1 week rehearsal inc weekly commute costs, + £185 for shoot day to include buyout. Fee is subject to adjustment, based on extension of the work to a 2 week period.

Contracts are offered on a freelance, self employed basis. 

Note: There is potential for this work to develop into a live performance following the VR experience, so we will be prioritising artists with an interest in pursuing this further.