Exploring the Intersection of Neuroscience and Immersive Theatre: A Dance-Based Narrative Investigation of Human Nature and the Five Senses / Ziyi Liu (2024)

This project is an interdisciplinary, immersive dance theatre work basedonthemethodological foundations of the five senses theory in neuroscience and narrativephilosophy. The piece explores themes of human nature, particularly the inherent duality of good and evil within individuals and different forms of love expressedthrough spatial relationships. The narrative structure of the immersive theatreexperience unfolds through the choreographer’s exploration of human nature, love, moral growth and transformation, forming the storyline that connects the entireimmersive narrative structure and move line design. During the production process, the “method of loci” (memory palace) is usedas the spatial framework; the people who created this method are called Simonides. In his mind, Simonides could remember the names of all the guests at a banquet byplacing them around the banquet hall. When the hall collapsed, killing the other guests, Simonides could recall everyone’s names, thereby identifying the bodies. Sothis project as the Simonides memory method and put each story to each room, andconnect it be a palace. The sequence of performances in these rooms symbolicallyreflects the human journey of exploring society—first distinguishing right fromwrongand then exploring the concept of love. Human sensory experiences are alsointegrated into the immersive theatre space, allowing the audience to resonatewiththe stories on a deeply personal level. Each participant’s experience is unique, shaped by their interaction with the space and variety of narrative. This project delves into the immersive theatre’s content, immersion methods, and spatial design, aiming to innovate by creating an immersive experiencethat engages all five senses. By integrating sensory elements with the storyline, theresearch seeks to develop new methodologies for immersive theatre creation, providing each audience member with a unique and deeply personalised experience.