Beat

Inspiration

Our project was inspired by art scenes that have used dance as a tool of resistance. Performance studies scholar André Lepecki coined the term “choreopolitics,” meaning planned and persistent movements of freedom, and we wanted our project to empower users to express joy through learning about the history and techniques of dance styles from performance artists in the field. Dancing gives agency to the dancer through the ability to manipulate their bodies to make the shapes, movements, and gestures that assert their right to be and to express themselves in the world. Dancers use their bodies, which are often scrutinized by an institution in power, to take ownership of the space they occupy and to feel empowered in those spaces. It is a powerful alternative to the current digital exercise options of today, which either involve unhealthy, grueling workouts or practices appropriated from other cultures.

What it does

Beat, named after the phrase "dance to the beat of your own drum," is an online platform for users to learn directy from innovative dancers and artists of different dance practices. Made to be an accessible and thoughtful alternative approach to exercise and wellness, Beat engages its users not just with virtual dance lessons but also a user-tailored media gallery (inspired by that of Pinterest) that keeps the user engaged with their dance journey through learning about notable figures in dance, its historical roots in resistance, and how dance intersects with contemporary art. Through providing accessible dance education, Beat encourages its user to cultivate connection with their own body and empowers marginalized users to take up space in society.

How we built it

The idea for Beat began with sheet of paper and a pen. We researched the different interfaces, features and approaches to presenting information that other apps used in order to envision the kind of platform our project could serve as. We considered what problem we were trying to address and then researched apps or websites that tried to fulfill similar functions. For example, because we want to make dance a comfortable and welcoming space for all, we wanted the interface to be very approachable and casual. So we looked at the UX design of websites like Pinterest that had more casual interfaces. We also researched the different kinds of dance and looked into the artists out there who were already defying the unspoken rules of the genres of dance they practiced. The wireframe prototype was made on Google Slides, and a more high fidelity version was created using Adobe Photoshop. Next, InVision was used to create interactive elements and transitions.

Challenges we ran into

The main challenge we faced was trying to create a product that appropriately addressed our target audience without commodifying or exploiting their experience with the app. Since our app aims to reclaim the realm of dance through such lenses like race, gender and more, our challenge was to figure out how to do so in a thoughtful manner. These are intimate, personal, and extremely complex issues and it was daunting to come up with an idea that could help as many users as possible. But, choosing such a joyous and human experience such as dance made it easier to conceptualize our product, since dancing is such a common experience!

Accomplishments that we're proud of

We are proud of how the working environment we created while working on Beat. Everyone felt comfortable sharing their opinions and decisions were made confidently and with great enthusiasm. Every team member had a unique skillset that they brought to the table. Also, we believe in the uniqueness of Beat, as making a product around the art of dance was a fun process for all of us.

What we learned

As students with not much product design experience, this entire process has been a learning experience! Specifically, though, we learned to always keep the user in mind: while brainstorming, prototyping, every step of the way. We would occasionally lose sight of this during our brainstorming process and have to readjusted our thought processes. Also, this designathon was an experience in prioritizing problems. Meaning, there were times where we would get caught up in a small detail without realizing that we should probably move on to larger concepts.

What's next for Beat

It would be super exciting to be able to develop Beat further - adding more design details, possibly incorporating a community aspect, basically all the ideas that got scrapped for the sake of time and general simplicity!

Built With

• google-slides
• imovie
• invision
• photoshop