A blessing in disguise
When Ferdinand got injured in his first year, his love for dance initially waned: "The pain hindered my development." Fortunately, his passion for dance returned eventually. Ferdinand repeated the first year and was given the opportunity to follow a flexible educational trajectory, allowing him to approach the course differently. During this time, he embraced his second love: technology.
The spark ignited during the Performance Technology Lab, a project that Ferdinand enjoyed so much that he participated in it twice: in the third and final year. "During the week of the Performance Technology Lab, performing artists can experiment with new and old technology in various workshops. I attended a workshop with 360-degree cameras, and I wanted to explore that further."
Combining Dance and VR
Ferdinand is now graduating with a research project on VR and dance. "I wanted to explore if I could make people feel the essence of dance without necessarily having danced before. I aim to transport people to a different world, where they lose track of time and feel a sense of liberation and release."
I am investigating how I can trigger feelings of freedom and flow through Virtual Reality."
Although things went differently than Ferdinand expected, he is happy that he can combine his passion for dance with his love for technology. Ferdinand's graduation research resulted in a thesis, presentation, and final work. He created a VR art installation for one person, focusing on the connection with the body and the possibility of movement.
Entrepreneurial artisteducator
Ferdinand's inability to teach dance due to his injury didn't deter him from adding his own touch to his teaching and role as an artist educator. "I still want to teach and convey my passion to others, whether it's through dance, film, or technology."
The power of art is significant, and every artist educator has a passion. Looking back at my school days, I learned the most from teachers who loved their subjects."
Endless possibilities
With a degree in art education, there are many career opportunities, both in formal education and in extracurricular fields. "Dance is an art form that adds value to children's development. Secondary schools recognize that, which is why they are increasingly incorporating dance into their offerings." Ferdinand is already certain that he will work on a freelance basis. "My goal is to continue approaching dance with film and technology. This can be done in various ways, from giving film lessons to a dance class to conducting documentary workshops."
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