Artistry through dynamic integration of technology, spectacle, and circus.
It is often difficult to stay completely true to the bounds of only one discipline. We ourselves navigate the intersections between contemporary circus, music technology, and computer science, to name a few. The points of convergence and divergence between these fields provide significant problems to work through. CirqueIT is our space to synthesize and deconstruct these fields: an interdisciplinary assemblage where each discipline brings to the table a different set of methods, techniques, and histories.
Throughout our own journeys through this eclectic aggregation, we have found it useful to write down our definitions of different technical and jargon-y terms. In an effort to be accessible and transparent in the problems we are addressing and our approaches to them, we have compiled a list of terms below that we’ve needed to define for ourselves. Doing so has helped to create connections and build bridges between these disciplines. These terms are a living document that we will continue to expand on and reflect on.
Apparatus - Equipment needed for a particular activity. Examples: lyra/aerial hoop, handbalancing canes, dance trapeze, etc.)
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Arduino - An open-source electronics platform based on easy-to-use hardware and software intended for anyone making interactive projects. When we reference Arduino, we’re most often referring to the Arduino Uno, one of the easiest to use and most versatile of the microcontrollers they produce.
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Integrated Circuit (IC) - A set of electrical circuits on a single board usually made of silicon (a.k.a. a chip or microchip).
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Lilypad - A microcontroller within the Arduino family that can be easily integrated into wearables.
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Max - An object based coding environment in which you can create interactive sound/music, graphics, and video effects. Currently being developed by Cycling '74.
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Microcontroller - A small computer on a single integrated circuit.
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Sensors - Electrical components which measure different aspects of and relay changes in an environment.
Wearables - Electronic components that can be worn on the body.