Braid reimagined as interpretive dance performance
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The Chaparral High School Alumni Theatre troupe of Parker, Colorado recently turned to a fairly unconventional source of inspiration for its summer project: A staged interpretive dance performance based on Jonathan Blow's time-bending indie darling, Braid.
The entire performance was captured on video and posted to YouTube in 10 chunks. Seeing as how our resident interpretive movement expert is on vacation, we can't evaluate the quality of the dancing therein -- though the videos' descriptions do explain that "Braid follows the story of young scientist Tim on his quest to find a Princess," so at least we know the plot is accurate. Unless, of course, you're one of those people who thinks the whole thing is about the atomic bomb, or cloning, or bomb cloning.
The entire performance was captured on video and posted to YouTube in 10 chunks. Seeing as how our resident interpretive movement expert is on vacation, we can't evaluate the quality of the dancing therein -- though the videos' descriptions do explain that "Braid follows the story of young scientist Tim on his quest to find a Princess," so at least we know the plot is accurate. Unless, of course, you're one of those people who thinks the whole thing is about the atomic bomb, or cloning, or bomb cloning.
Reader Comments (38)
Posted: Aug 13th 2010 12:09AM Fo0dNippl3 said
@Brockobama123 Oh great, more "hipster" name-calling.
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Posted: Aug 13th 2010 7:57AM Icupnimpn2 said
@whymog Braid's gameplay is excellent (though the creator admits it owes much to Super Mario Brothers), but Braid's prose is sophomoric and meandering. I guess this type of performance is the perfect fan-production.
Mario inspires straight-forward musicals.
Braid leads to interpretive dance.
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Mario inspires straight-forward musicals.
Braid leads to interpretive dance.
Posted: Aug 18th 2010 7:11PM whymog said
@Icupnimpn2 I'll give you that. I think the prose borders on poetic, but it's too self-indulgent to stand on its own. But that's probably true of most games, isn't it? People are too afraid to let something stand on its own or to take major risks in not getting their message across that subtlety is almost nonexistent. It's why I love games that communicate purely in a visual sense, like Flower or Limbo. I'd just love to see the same unpretentious wit and insight given to a game's writing.
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Posted: Aug 13th 2010 12:21AM Premature ejaculation man said
I'm now going to rewind to a point in time to where I never saw this.
Thankfully these videos weren't glowing green
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Thankfully these videos weren't glowing green
Posted: Aug 13th 2010 12:41AM PlatinumSkeet said
I watched 3 of these. The only thing they have to do with Braid is the music.. FAIL!!!
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Posted: Aug 13th 2010 12:53AM listerfeend said
Thank you for reminding me how amazing this soundtrack is. Please everyone go buy it.
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Posted: Aug 13th 2010 2:32AM Validus Deus said
I am not a personal fan of interpretive dance, but this was really good. They were able to take what is basically a puzzle game and made a cool play from it. I like how they used each of the chapter's time mechanic tricks. They did a good job taking the brief stories that were written for each stage and intrepret them with the ingame monsters.
The last chapter was iffy to me,but yet again, how else could they have done it without having a castle layout and actual obstacles to go through.
I still enjoyed it. I almost forgot about the game and that wonderful music
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The last chapter was iffy to me,but yet again, how else could they have done it without having a castle layout and actual obstacles to go through.
I still enjoyed it. I almost forgot about the game and that wonderful music
Posted: Aug 13th 2010 2:39AM jonostarsmore said
Where the hell is all the hate coming from? This dance was fantastic, especially the reinterpretation of the final scene from Braid in the 9th and 10th videos.
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Posted: Aug 13th 2010 2:45AM OptimisticCynic said
The main story of Braid is completely about the atomic bomb.
But the individual chapters have nothing to do with each other. They're each self-contained insights into the human condition.
I love this game.
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But the individual chapters have nothing to do with each other. They're each self-contained insights into the human condition.
I love this game.
Posted: Aug 13th 2010 3:13AM Validus Deus said
@OptimisticCynic
i wouldnt say they have nothing to do with each other. these were things the man experienced while searching and studying and discovering his stuff.
its more on how you look at it. if you tried yourself, you could connect the time mechanics and stories to a scientist lost in his work.
Damn I love this game
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i wouldnt say they have nothing to do with each other. these were things the man experienced while searching and studying and discovering his stuff.
its more on how you look at it. if you tried yourself, you could connect the time mechanics and stories to a scientist lost in his work.
Damn I love this game
Posted: Aug 13th 2010 3:16AM OptimisticCynic said
@Validus Deus Point conceded. They're all about the same character, but they're not all about inventing the atomic bomb, or saving a princess, or anything like that. They're just about life :D
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Posted: Aug 13th 2010 10:40PM Mortegro said
@OptimisticCynic To me it will always be commentary about the break up I was going through at the time. The music from the clipp itself gave me a shiver. A redefining time in my life and I am glad a video game helped to shape that narrative, regardless of its true meaning.
These are the things video games need to be capable of doing, and doing regularly, if they ever want to shed the uninformed stereotypes that are still so pervasive in the medium.
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These are the things video games need to be capable of doing, and doing regularly, if they ever want to shed the uninformed stereotypes that are still so pervasive in the medium.
Posted: Aug 13th 2010 8:30AM Cap Morgan said
"God, why do you wear those suspenders?"
"Oh I could tell you. But why not show you? Through interpretive dance!"
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"Oh I could tell you. But why not show you? Through interpretive dance!"
Posted: Aug 13th 2010 10:35AM Miningguyx370 said
@Vcize did you at least beat the end of the game?
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Posted: Aug 13th 2010 10:45AM Miningguyx370 said
here, i dont have time to explain it necessarily so i'll give you a link http://www.rllmukforum.com/index.php?showtopic=190136
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Posted: Aug 13th 2010 11:26AM Miningguyx370 said
@Vcize It is kind of like how in Bionic Comando. You know the thing about his arm being his wife.
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Posted: Aug 13th 2010 3:52PM Roto13 said
@Vcize One of the biggest hints is the fact that the ending text involves a big flash and hearing someone say "Now we are all sons of bitches," which is a famous quote made by Ken Bainbridge to Robert Oppenheimer at the Trinity nuclear bomb test. And, uh, the fact that the princess explodes if you collect all of those stars.
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