'PRIMAL FUTURE'
'an extraordinary dance and digital art crossover – projected onto the iconic Nottingham Council House at Old Market Square'
Commissioned by Nottingham City Council for Light Night 2025
In collaboration with Tom Dale Company
Primal Future was a large-scale projection mapping project created by Vent Media in collaboration with Tom Dale Company for Light Night Nottingham. Using Nottingham's Council House as a projection surface, the work brought together contemporary dance, digital art and architectural projection to explore the relationship between movement, technology and public space.
Choreographed by Tom Dale, the performance featured professional dancers alongside a diverse group of Nottingham residents. Motion capture sessions recorded participants' movements, which were then incorporated into the visual content and projected onto the façade of the Council House as part of the live performance.
Technical Process & Tools
Notch was used to create real-time generative visuals, drawing on motion capture data to generate abstract forms, movement trails and responsive visual elements.
The Council House was digitally reconstructed using a 3D model created by Vent Media from a detailed scan of the building. This model formed the foundation for both content creation and projection mapping.
Disguise was used to programme and deliver content across the architectural surface of the building, synchronising visuals, sound and choreography throughout the performance.
The installation was accompanied by an original electronic score by Felix Morgan, developed to support the visual and choreographic elements of the work.
Commissioned for Light Night Nottingham by Nottingham City Council, and supported by Nottingham Trent University, the University of Nottingham and Arts Council England, Primal Future transformed one of the city's most recognisable buildings into a platform for performance, digital art and community participation.
THE PRIMAL FUTURE TEAM:
CREATIVES:
Concept: Tom Dale and Barret Hodgson
Choreography: Tom Dale
Video Projection Design: Vent Media
Composer: Felix Morgan
Costume Design: Heidi Luker
Rehearsal Director: Sophie Thorpe
Videographer: Fraser Youngson / Good People Create
Production Manager: Chris Flux
Producer: Michaela Waldram-Jones
TDC Dancers:
Dan Baines, Kibrea Carmichael, Seirian Griffiths, Orla Hardie
Community Dancers:
Izzy Burrows, Tia Dale, Brad Dutton, Megan Hockey, Charlotte Hoyle, Frank McCarthy, Lily Reyes, Sita Owen, Rachel Sharp, Fiona Winfield, Danni Chell.
Filmed in Green Screen at the brand new NTU Digital Design Studio with thanks to Adam Whitehouse and Matt Robertson.
Thank you to Ria Ashcroft and Kay Monrose at Circus Hub Nottingham for Aerial advice and equipment, and Sam Osborne and Arona ‘AJ’ Jones for Technical support. Digital Mapping of Council House building provided by Dept of Civil Engineering, University of Nottingham.
PRIMAL FUTURE is a commission by Nottingham City Council and IT’S IN NOTTINGHAM for LIGHT NIGHT NOTTINGHAM 2025 with funding from Arts Council England.
Made with NOTCH
