The International Dance Party is a self-transforming flightcase that controls its own appearance by changing its physical shape from a plain black box on wheels to a booming party machine. The International Dance Party (IDP) is also an autonomous interactive artwork functioning relationally as a social generator. While the IDP might work as a kinetic sculptural artwork, it is the relationships and exchanges between different viewers, and between viewers and the IDP that interests us.

The large, non-suspicious looking flightcase uses radar sensors and robotics to transform itself in response to social activity in its proximity. Sensing dance activity through its radar sensors, the International Dance Party evaluates motion input from surrounding people and reacts instantly with visual and auditory feedback. A customizable algorithm controls sophisticated transforming mechanisms allowing the flightcase to turn into a powerful party machine complete with disco ball, strobe lights, police beacon, ground FX, lasers, and a fog machine. The music is an original work by composer/producer Baddd Spellah. The composition and intensity of the music changes in response to input from the audience - the more they dance the more off the hook the party gets… but if they stop dancing the International Dance Party will reduce its activity and return to its closed flightcase appearance.

The audience directly controls the transformation of the flightcase, complexity of the generated music, and the intensity of the light effects through their dancing. When there is no audience, or when the audience is not active enough, the machine stops its reciprocal performance and transforms back into a transport crate. We have designed this piece to give feedback that can be clearly read as such; the audience quickly understands that the IDP is reacting to them and there is little time wasted trying to figure the system out. The result is that the dynamics of a party become the central concern rather than the technical details. The language of interaction the IDP uses is not the usual (sometimes-awkward) syntax of interactive art, but the well-known and often-practiced interaction of dancing at a party. The machine constructs a feedback loop in exhibition spaces which leads to a situation where visitors behave differently than expected at these kinds of venues - they start to party.

Internally, the IDP is equipped with cutting edge radar sensing technology, microcontrollers, a computer, an ear-blasting state of the art 600W sound system, tons of psychedelic light and laser effects, and even a professional grade fog machine. Designed to be truly plug-and-play the IDP only needs some floorspace and a single electrical outlet in order to run. In larger spaces it can control exterior lights and deliver audio wirelessly to an external bass support system.

The generative music is composed and produced by Baddd Spellah. The project is funded by Interstices.