Flow: Where Art, Dance, Technology, and Tradition Converge
Have you ever wondered what it feels like to step inside a story — where every movement, sound, and light immerses you in pages of a book brought to life? Flow is an immersive experience that transports audiences into the heart of Chinese folklore through dance, light, and interactive technology. Developed by Nina Wang and her team at Carnegie Mellon University’s Entertainment Technology Center (ETC), Flow merges digital artistry with traditional storytelling to create an interactive narrative that surrounds and involves each guest. The project invites audiences not just to witness a story but to enter, activate, and shape it themselves, blending stories with modern, immersive technologies.
Flow emerged from Nina's reflections on integrating dance into her work. She began envisioning an experience where movement and interaction could drive storytelling. These ideas had been simmering in her mind for years, and by the time she arrived at ETC, Flow was ready to come to life. As producer and creative director, Nina oversaw each technical and creative aspect of the project.
“Flow has always been a spark in my mind, carrying all the thoughts and artistic visions I wish to bring to the world. As a dancer for over 21 years, dance has become an inseparable part of my life, lifting my soul and continuously inspiring me to pursue my career goals. Creating an art piece centered around dance has been with me for a long time. After completing my undergraduate studies in film and TV production, I gained a stronger sense of creating visual and audio content. When I joined ETC, the desire to create a project that combines light, shadow, color, dance, music, movement, and interaction truly ignited. The name of this project, ‘Flow,’ came to me in a spontaneous moment of inspiration.”
Flow uses ETC’s CAVERN, a 270° stereoscopic CAVE (Cave Automatic Virtual Environment) system that allows multiple users to interact within an expansive digital environment. With a 270-degree circular screen and a 20-foot-wide play area, the CAVERN system was essential to Nina’s immersion vision. The environment reacts to participants’ movements in real time, allowing them to activate and influence the story through motion capture and physical props. As guests walk into the darkened space, they initiate a journey into the world of Flow, interacting with the digital world in ways that deepen as the story unfolds.
At its core, Flow is an experiential journey that moves beyond passive viewing. As the story progresses, guests are invited and encouraged to participate. They engage with virtual characters, synchronize with other participants, and ultimately join in a celebratory dance that marks the narrative’s climax. This blend of personal and communal interaction makes Flow a unique exploration of culture and connection, offering an emotional journey that builds as guests become more immersed in the experience.
Team Flow
The project required a team with a wide range of skills to bring Wang’s vision to life. Alongside Wang, team members Christine Jung, Laura Yang, Ashling Tu, Shih-Hung Liu, and Jiajian Zhang contributed expertise in 2D and 3D animation, visual effects, and programming, with Ralph Vituccio as their faculty advisor. Flow underwent rigorous development before approval, including multiple pitches and demonstrations to ETC faculty. Out of more than ten initial proposals, Flow was one of only four selected as a formal ETC project — and the only one proposed by a first-year student in their first semester.
What makes Flow remarkable isn’t just its blend of technology and dance but its adaptability. After gaining recognition at ETC, Wang took Flow to Zunzheng, a tech and media company in Shenzhen. After pitching with Zunzheng via the demo video and presentation slides, they saw an opportunity to elevate Flow by adapting it for a 270-degree curved LED wall. The LED wall offers a higher-resolution experience with a VR-like immersion depth, unlike the CAVERN's projection setup. “It is like LED and VR, but without the vision-constricting headset,” says Wang, describing the unique hybrid experience that allows groups to engage together without VR’s usual physical constraints.
The plan is to exhibit Flow in Shenzhen around Christmas this coming December. It will be a seasonal exhibition open for reservations.
“This is a wonderful opportunity to connect with art organizations in Shenzhen that could support and collaborate with us in hosting exhibitions across various art centers in the city. Our audience will include museum enthusiasts, fans of location-based entertainment, those curious about interactive immersive experiences, and people who enjoy physical movement and engaging with the virtual world. It will also attract those passionate about art, technology, and design.”
The Future of Flow
Flow is a prime example of the convergence between interactive media and cultural storytelling. The project demonstrates how traditional narratives can be revitalized and shared in ways that captivate audiences, offering them insight into a cultural story and an invitation to engage with it. For Wang, Flow is more than just a project; it is a new form of expression that connects people to art, culture, and one another, paving the way for a future of storytelling that is as dynamic and interactive as the stories themselves.
“As a team, we will continue exploring opportunities to showcase Flow publicly. We are mindful that Flow is still a semester-long project developed by graduate students, so there’s room to grow and refine it. Ideally, we hope to make it even more comprehensive.
Flow could become a seedbed of creativity — a platform open to talented individuals with similar artistic and technical visions. It is also a piece that gathers and resonates with emotions and ideas. Flow will not conclude with this exhibition; it will serve as a blueprint for future development.”