Performance Lecture: Techno-Choreography, Intercultural Practice and Mediated Embodiment

This performance lecture introduces the concept of techno-choreography, developed in the monograph Dancing Chineseness and Techno-Choreography (Routledge, 2026).

The research examines how digital technologies, including motion capture, virtual reality and real-time interactive systems, reshape choreographic practice, practice research methodology and the embodiment of intercultural identity in contemporary performance.

The lecture incorporates a live performance demonstration drawn from Being River (2024), a work that investigates the relationship between dancing bodies and digital environments through motion tracking and sensor-based interaction. Using the metaphor of a river to reflect fluid and evolving identities, the session combines performance, theoretical reflection and open discussion, offering insight into practice research at the intersection of dance, technology and intercultural performance.

Dr Zhi Xu

Senior Lecturer in Dance

Centre for Performance Research Lead

Bath School of Music and Performing Arts

Bath Spa University