Since starting at the Tech school last year, I’ve been wanting to explore how to combine some of the cool tech we have with my other passion – dance and performance. After a year of showing students how to create simple sewn circuits using conductive thread and LED sequins, I’ve decided it’s time to deep dive into coding these simple circuits into a dance costume to really enhance a performance and combine art with tech.

Adding lighting to dance costumes isn’t a new concept, in fact it was first introduced in 1184 when a dancer fitted a light bulb to her tiara and a battery to her waist during a ballet performance of La Farandole. Since then, technology has come a long way and costume designers are using micro:bit and other kits to program LED sequins or neopixels that react to the dance; from lights that flash when the dancer speeds up their movement or a change in colour with a change in the mood of the music – the possibilities these days are endless.

Over the course of this year, I hope to create a dance costume that incorporates programmable LED sequins that could be used to enhance a dance performance, but also inspire students who come through our Fibre Hub to push the boundary between STEM, wearable tech and art. Stay tuned!

Jen
STEM Communication Officer