- Dancing Colors -

It's easy to fall into a habit of low physical activity nowadays. When that happens, it's hard to start being active again. Sometimes, the amount of effort we think it takes is so inconvenient and exhausting that we don't even try.

Yet, when we hear a familiar song at 100+ beats per minute, we naturally start moving. Add visual feedback tied to our movements, and we move even more. Add competition, and we will keep going well after we'd normally stop.

Dancing Colors was an experiment to get people moving and have fun in a public environment.

This environmental augmented reality experience encouraged strangers, friends, and family to "compete" in spontaneous dance-offs.

As music played, participants saw their silhouettes pulsing to the beat on a wall. As they danced and kept to the beat, their silhouette changed color from red through violet depending on how well and long they could keep it up. If they danced well long enough, their silhouette became multicolored and turned into multiples, so it felt like dancing in unison with themselves. It was a great way to have physical fun in a public setting.

This project was shown at the 2019 Ohio University Student Research and Creative Expo and won second place among Media Arts and Studies Graduates.