Hammer Theatre Center Presents International Multimedia Dance Troupe ELEVENPLAY

The Hammer Theater Center launches its new three-part ArtTech Series with mesmerizing dancers and drones illuminating the stage this January. Known for incorporating iPads, mapping technology, and even a complete fleet of 24 floating drones into its performances, Japanese multimedia dance troupe Elevenplay brings its distinct brand of stunning performance art to San Jose for an exclusive show. Featured in the opening act of Lady Gaga's 2014 world tour, the group has performed extensively across Japan, Europe, and Mexico, and stolen the show on NBC's "America's Got Talent," an appearance called "incredible" and "so current" by judge Simon Cowell. Fellow judge Heidi Klum concurred: "I've never seen anything like this before...I thought I was on a different planet!"

Elevenplay will perform for one night only 7:00pm, Saturday, January 27 at the Hammer Theatre Center, 101 Paseo De San Antonio, San Jose. The following two installments of the ArtTech Series will be presented April 13 and May 11. Package tickets for all three events are available now. For more information or individual tickets ($29-$46), the public may visit www.hammertheatre.com or call (408) 924-8501.

Elevenplay's high-tech component was formed from a joint venture with renowned Tokyo-based design company Rhizomatiks Research. Its first experiment in pairing drones and human dancers was titled "Drone-Augmented Amazingness," featuring three dancers and three drones along with projection mapping. This was followed by "24 Drones," created with the assistance of drone and light programmers, drone and light designers, and a motion capture system. Performed on NBC's "America's Got Talent" in 2016, "24 Drones" garnered international attention for its hypnotic staging and production. This performance can be viewed here: http://bit.ly/elevenplay

Launched in 2009, Elevenplay has also shown its unique fusion of art and technology in several international shows and festivals, including a performance alongside virtual pop-star Hatsune Miku for Lady Gaga's ArtRAVE: The ARTPOP Ball tour. Mikiko Mizuno, Artistic Director and principal choreographer of Elevenplay, has worked with numerous Japanese musicians including acclaimed electro-pop trio Perfume, and heavy metal idol band BABYMETAL. Mizuno also acted as stage director and choreographer for Japan's cultural presentation during the 2016 Summer Olympics' wildly inventive closing ceremony.

Elevenplay's art aims to address the increasing impact of technology on daily life, and how it can be embraced as a complement to arts and humanities. Rather than fear the idea of its influence, Mizuno says: "I think the human form, together with technology, may become more of a warm thing than a cold thing." For this performance at the Hammer Theatre Center, Elevenplay will utilize a number of advanced technologies such as projected multimedia, flying drones, and advanced three-dimensional objects, for a visually stunning multi-sensory show.

The Hammer Theatre Center's ArtTech Series will also include Teatrocinema, a live cinema-theatre experience that combines digital compositions, and 3D video footage, animation, and highly stylized theatrical staging. Appearing April 13, this Chilean visionary ensemble will present fascinating works exploring the historical, cultural, and social landscapes of our shared humanity. The third installment of the ArtTech Series, BELLA GAIA, will follow on May 11. In this audiovisual experience, director-composer Kenji Williams combines intricate melodies with NASA satellite imagery of Earth, time-lapse nature photography, and cultural heritage footage, to explore the relationship between humans and nature through time and space. Package tickets for all three shows are available at www.hammertheatre.com.

The Hammer Theatre Center is a distinctive, state-of-the-art performance venue in the heart of downtown San José. Owned by the City of San José and newly operated by San José State University (SJSU), the Hammer Theatre's mission is to serve the community through artistically and educationally excellent programming that is expressive of the unique characteristics and diverse cultures that comprise Silicon Valley. The broader vision of the Hammer includes arts, innovation, and technology programming on the Paseo de San Antonio, creating a vibrant pathway between SJSU and the Tech Museum and bridging the urban spaces from Saint James Park down to the South of First Avenue cultural district. The Hammer also aims to connect SJSU's more than 37,000 faculty, students, and staff with the downtown cultural and economic corridors.

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