Huang Yi and KUKA watch humans and robots dance together
During an exclusive pre-performance interview on October 17 at Caltech, renowned Taiwanese dance artist Huang Yi spoke about his upcoming American tour. This tour will feature his innovative work, “Huang Yi and KUKA,” which merges modern dance with industrial robotics. The show will debut on October 18 and 19 at the Beckman Auditorium, highlighting dialogue between art and science, in line with the Getty Foundation’s PST ART initiative and Taiwan’s Ministry of Culture’s cultural diplomacy efforts.
Huang Yi shared insights from his 12-year collaboration with KUKA robots, stating, “To me, KUKA is not just a machine; it feels like family.” His team currently operates four KUKA robots, each designed for unique choreographic expressions. This performance will showcase the original KR16 model and feature both duets and trios, emphasizing the rich possibilities of human-robot collaboration. Huang expressed immense pride in performing at a prestigious institution like Caltech, noting how the school’s technological focus aligns beautifully with the themes of “Huang Yi and KUKA.” He also discussed the challenges inherent in choreographing for KUKA, where each minute of dance might require 10 to 20 hours of programming to ensure precision and grace.
The performance will include dancers like Hu Jian, Hsieh Cheng-You, and Chen Yi-Jen, who will work alongside the KUKA robotic arms to create a stunning display of human-machine synergy. Costume design is by dancer Hu Jian, and the team showcased rehearsal clips, leaving the audience in awe of the seamless blend of the robots’ precise movements with the dancers’ fluid body language.
Michael Alexander, Director of Arts and Culture at Caltech, emphasized that this performance is a key part of the school’s initiative to merge art and technology. He highlighted “Huang Yi and KUKA” as a perfect embodiment of this philosophy and remarked that the performance symbolizes limitless potential for future collaboration between humanity and technology. He noted that students and faculty at Caltech are passionate about the arts, and this event would offer them a chance to engage deeply with this intersection of interest and expertise.
The American tour will continue through November 25, with performances in seven venues across eleven shows, including institutions like Oregon State University, New York University, Lincoln Center, the University of Texas at Austin, North Carolina State University, and Miami Dade College. Since its debut in 2012, “Huang Yi and KUKA” has captivated audiences in 19 countries across over 42 cities, praised as a perfect fusion of Eastern traditional art and Western technology. Huang Yi is acknowledged as the first choreographer globally to incorporate KUKA industrial robots into dance, earning accolades such as the Lincoln Center’s Innovation Award.
Additionally, Huang announced a new collaboration with calligrapher Dong Yangzi titled “Ink,” set to premiere in November at Lincoln Center. He shared that the concept for this piece took a decade to develop, illustrating the time and thought that underpin artistic creation. This tour is a significant showcase of Taiwan’s cultural soft power, marking a new milestone in cultural exchange between Taiwan and the U.S. Tickets for the performances are available at pst.caltech.edu, with student tickets priced at just $10, aiming to draw in a younger audience for this visual feast of technology and art.
