Introduction
As the narrative video became an essential part of my interactive installation, I wanted to explore how it influenced audience engagement and interpretation. To do so, I invited several participants who had experienced both the video and the installation to take part in a small feedback session.
Method
Four participants from different cultural backgrounds were invited for short one-on-one conversations after viewing the installation and the video.
Each discussion focused on three main questions:
- What emotions did the video evoke for you?
- Did it help you understand the symbolism of hair and the self-combing women?
- Did the bodily performance relate to your own sense of social expectation or freedom?
Their responses were documented and later analysed thematically.
Key Findings
Most participants described the video as intuitive and emotionally charged. They felt that the dancer’s movement embodied a kind of “silent resistance,” conveying tension and struggle more directly than words.
Interestingly, when the Asian female performer appeared on screen, almost everyone reacted with visible surprise and excitement—some gasped softly, some said “she’s so powerful,” and others mentioned, “seeing her move felt like seeing myself.”
Several viewers also expressed strong appreciation for the Black female dancer, describing her movements as “raw and powerful,” presenting a very different kind of energy.
Many participants commented on the visual quality and costume design, saying that “the imagery is beautiful,” “the clothes are stunning,” and “the lighting made the emotions stronger.”
These responses suggest that the audience connected not only with the conceptual themes but also with the aesthetic and sensory dimensions of the work—the video evoked resonance on both emotional and visual levels.
Reflection
Through this feedback process, I realised that the video is not merely a narrative supplement to the installation, but an independent sensory and affective medium. It transforms the audience from observers into emotional participants, extending the research from tactile interaction to visual and emotional resonance.
In future iterations, I plan to integrate audience feedback more deeply into the choreography and visual composition, allowing the dialogue between body and viewer to continue evolving.
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