On 19-20 October, 2024, the Fifth Wall Fest returns with an exciting new chapter, featuring the UK's Alexander Whitley Dance Company (AWDC) and Otmo, a virtual reality platform that blends technology and artistry.

Known for its innovative use of technology to reshape dance, AWDC will offer hands-on VR workshops where participants can explore the intersection of physical movement and digital creation, with the support of the British Council.

Andrei Nikolai Pamintuan, the British Council's Head of Arts, highlights the role of technology in the creative process:

"Technology is an extraordinary tool for artists. It expands the possibilities of art and provides new, transformative ways to connect with audiences. At the British Council, we're always excited to support innovative ways of expression," he explains.

Otmo is a user-friendly tool that allows users to sequence motion capture recordings in a 3D virtual space. AWDC, in collaboration with creative technologists and designers, developed this tool to help users generate high-quality digital movement content, special effects, and complex patterns within a 3D environment.

Who is Otmo for?

• Choreographers, movement directors, dancers, and dance educators looking to explore and create without access to studio space and dancers.

• Software and game animators, programmers, and developers seeking a tool with high-quality movement content and a simple, powerful timeline feature.

• Filmmakers, designers, and mocap creators who want to storyboard, pre-visualize, and plan their visual content and camera positions in a 3D space.

• Movement enthusiasts curious about virtual reality.

Sessions will be available for both professionals and the public. No dance background is required.

About Fifth Wall Festival

Launched online in 2020 as a home-based dance film festival during the pandemic, Fifth Wall has grown into the Philippines' leading international movement platform. This year’s festival takes place at the historic residence of Narcisa "Doña Sisang" V. Buencamino-de Leon, former president of LVN Pictures, a key player in the golden era of Philippine cinema. The venue reflects the festival’s goal of breaking the "fifth wall"—blurring the lines between artist and audience, stage and seating, body and home.

"Each iteration of our festival has been a step forward, but Edition V feels particularly special. It's more than a milestone; it's a reflection of how far we've come and a celebration of the body as home—not just as a place but as a feeling that exists within and between us," shares Fifth Wall founder Madge Reyes.