Dynamic Theater: Location-Based Immersive Dance Theater, Investigating User Guidance and Experience

TL;DR

Dynamic Theater demonstrates how augmented reality can create immersive, spatially explorative dance performances with effective user guidance, emphasizing layout and content placement to enhance user experience.

Contribution

The paper introduces a novel AR-based immersive dance theater platform with a locomotion experience and guidance mechanisms, addressing spatial exploration and user engagement.

Findings

Effective guidance systems improve user navigation and experience.

Stage layout and dancer placement influence user engagement.

User feedback highlights importance of spatial design in AR performances.

Abstract

Dynamic Theater explores the use of augmented reality (AR) in immersive theater as a platform for digital dance performances. The project presents a locomotion-based experience that allows for full spatial exploration. A large indoor AR theater space was designed to allow users to freely explore the augmented environment. The curated wide-area experience employs various guidance mechanisms to direct users to the main content zones. Results from our 20-person user study show how users experience the performance piece while using a guidance system. The importance of stage layout, guidance system, and dancer placement in immersive theater experiences are highlighted as they cater to user preferences while enhancing the overall reception of digital content in wide-area AR. Observations after working with dancers and choreographers, as well as their experience and feedback are also discussed.