Kamilia Kard's Toxic Garden performance inside Roblox at RomeVideoGameLab
During RomeVideoGameLab 2024, Kamilia Kard, an Italian artist, showcased a hybrid iteration of her interactive performance Toxic Garden – Dance Dance Dance, which was initially developed in 2022 on Roblox. This performance delves into the theme of toxic relationships through the symbolism of poisonous plants and movement. The first segment involves a collaborative dance with Balletto Teatro di Torino and Fondazione Egri, enhanced by AI and accompanied by music from Rafael Bresciani. The second segment offers attendees the chance to explore a garden, featuring sound design by Cristina Katja Angeloro. Additionally, Kard incorporated a white map displaying choreographed scenes created by 50 high school students, along with performances by dancers Bruna Cerasa and Irene Mammarella. The hybrid format facilitated audience engagement through smartphones and tablets.
Key facts
- Kamilia Kard presented Toxic Garden – Dance Dance Dance at RomeVideoGameLab 2024 in Rome.
- The performance takes place on the Roblox platform, which has over 70 million daily users.
- Toxic Garden was created in 2022 and addresses manipulative and toxic relationships.
- The original performance includes a collective dance created with dancers from Balletto Teatro di Torino and Fondazione Egri.
- The choreography was digitalized using AI, with music by Rafael Bresciani.
- Kard eliminates avatar customization and choice of when to dance to counter speculative skin sales.
- For RomeVideoGameLab, the work was expanded with a student workshop and the piece Narcissus and Lady in the Mist.
- Narcissus and Lady in the Mist features dancers Bruna Cerasa and Irene Mammarella, choreographed by Tiziano Di Muzio.
- The hybrid version allowed simultaneous viewing of the projected virtual garden and gameplay via smartphones and tablets.
- Kard's approach has shifted toward a more theatrical and narrative style.
Entities
Artists
- Kamilia Kard
- Rafael Bresciani
- Cristina Katja Angeloro
- Aurora Mecca
- Federica Rignanese
- Giada Zilio
- Francesca Picca Piccon
- Bruna Cerasa
- Irene Mammarella
- Tiziano Di Muzio
- Chiara Fabian
Institutions
- RomeVideoGameLab
- Auditorium Parco della Musica
- Teatro Studio Borgna
- Balletto Teatro di Torino
- Fondazione Egri
- Lavanderia a Vapore
- Residenze Digitali
- Roblox
- Epic Games
- Fortnite
- TikTok
Locations
- Rome
- Italy
- Milan
- Collegno
- Cinecittà