Research

At the BNE we encourage research projects, both in-house and in collaboration with other institutions.

Our own projects

BNE al cole

Our first research project was to evaluate our strategy to reach children, BNE al cole. It was very important for us to know the impact these activities had on the motivation children felt to learn about Spanish Dance and the Ballet Nacional de España. We were on the right direction. (download article pdf)

Joint Projects

• Barbara Sanjuán Doctoral Thesis. La influencia de la Danza sobre el desarrollo de la inteligencia emocional [The influence of dance on the development of emotional intelligence] (more information)
• Danza y Neurociencia Cognitiva [Dance and Cognitive Neuroscience] (Mind and Movement)

Eva Sánchez Martz, a researcher in dance and neuroscience, presented a study proposal titled ¨Danza y Neurociencia Cognitiva¨ [Dance and Cognitive Neuroscience], in collaboration with the Software Engineering and Artificial Intelligence Department of the Universidad Complutense de Madrid and Ballet Nacional de España.

The Ballet Nacional de España collaborates with the Universidad Complutense de Madrid (UCM) in a groundbreaking study on the neurocognitive bases of the creation of movement and their transformation into choreographic and pedagogic tools.

The project led by Eva Sánchez Martz means a huge progress in the world of science and dance and it was groundbreaking in explaining how the mind of professional dancers intervene during a creative process. The results will provide choreographers and teachers with knowledge that has been expressly developed for them to approach their work from a stance that has never been explored by science.

The technical part of the intervention will be carried out with a movement capturing suit, innovating technology, more so in its application to the field of art. The UCM, represented by Borja Manero, a lecturer in the Department of Artificial Intelligence and advisor at the Students Vice-chancellorship, support the project by providing a Perception Neuron mocap suit. The capture of movement will be led by Alejandro Romero, a lecturer at the UCM, and Lara Marín, lecturer at the ESNE.

This study looks into the use of cognitive tools to achieve a range of movement qualities. It aims at giving a scientific description of this area of artistic practice. To this aim it delves into the symbolic representation involved in the processes of designing and generating movement and in the impact it has on it.

The tools used during the study transform imaginary material into body movement. The imaginary material proposed to the dancer is dissected into a sequence of simple tasks.  The dancer deals with them by producing a result in the shape of movement. Our task is to capture movement through the technology described above, collect, and analyse the data obtained and study their relation to the cognitive skills involved in the process. A challenge that builds an unprecedented bridge between science and art in Spain.

Innovation

In 2016 we started a new channel to spread Spanish Dance. We joined new technologies by creating an educational videogame about Spanish Dance and the Ballet Nacional de España. A pioneering project worldwide.

With it we set up a new line of work with scientific and technical support to develop digital projects to spread Spanish Dance and the Ballet Nacional de España. 

We suggested creating a “Ballet Nacional de España/UCM Extraordinary Chair” with a triannual commitment to provide scientific and technical support to develop digital projects to disseminate Spanish Dance and Ballet Nacional de España.