sonifying ENERGY HEALING
Rei Chou recently performed a powerful energy healing experience at CCA Santa Fe using ¡Otro!, a custom-built sonification system that translates movement into sound. Presented as part of ArtBridge’s COLAB series, the performance brought together guided energetic activation, intuitive movement, and sound-based healing in an immersive experience that invited the audience into a shared field of resonance and presence.
Rooted in Rei’s practice as an energy medium and spiritual innovator, this event was part of an ongoing series of ¡Otro! experiments exploring sonification with different types of movers—from dancers and performers and beyond. Set against the sacred backdrop of Santa Fe, the evening offered a convergence of sound, spirit, and collective intention.
Credits
Mover: Rei Chou
Videographer: Travis Fowler, Slice of Santa Fe
Sound Design & Technical Direction: Drew Trujillo
FINDING OUR WAY
This demo features dancer and choreographer Raven Bright performing with ¡Otro!—an innovative motion-sonification system that transforms not only movement, but also the spatial relationships between performers into immersive sound. Developed by Drew Trujillo, ¡Otro! uses motion and proximity sensors to turn each gesture, distance, and intersection on stage into a living soundscape.
As Raven moves, approaches, and shifts within the space, the system generates real-time audio, making visible and audible the often-invisible dynamics of connection, separation, and belonging. This interplay of body, technology, and environment becomes a metaphor for the complexities of Indigenous identity—highlighting both the ruptures caused by assimilation and the creative possibilities of reconnection.
Rooted in Indigenous and collaborative creative practices, ¡Otro! offers a new way for artists to tell their stories: one in which the music arises from their own movements and relationships, not imposed from the outside. The result is a deeply immersive experience that invites audiences to reconsider the boundaries between performer and sound, tradition and innovation, and the ways we find each other across distance.
Credits:
Raven Bright (Diné (Navajo), Dibéłizhiní (Black Sheep Clan)) – Performer
Justin Giehm (Diné (Navajo) and German) – Assistant Director
Josh Tafoya (Indo-Hispano) – Costume Designer
Debarati Das – Videographer
Drew Trujillo (Mexica Mestizo) – Technical Director, Sound Designer
Introducing… ¡Otro!
Introducing... ¡Otro!, custom-made software designed exclusively by Drew Trujillo to revolutionize sound design for live performances, film, and video. ¡Otro! captures and sonifies intricate performer movements and locations, seamlessly blending technology and artistry. It empowers directors, choreographers, cinematographers, visual designers, and sound designers to push creative boundaries. Crafted specifically for Drew’s collaborative projects, ¡Otro! is not available for public use, allowing Drew to work closely with top professionals in the arts and media industries. This bespoke tool exemplifies innovation and collaboration at its finest.