INTERVIEW: iLuminate lights up the stage
Photo: iLuminate is currently touring the United States with its theater show. Photo courtesy of iLuminate / Provided by the company with permission.
iLuminate is a technologically advanced dance company that has been bringing its neon fun to audiences for several years. In many ways, Miral Kotb’s creation was a game changer, an influential statement of artistry and advancement that continues to amaze fans around the world.
iLuminate’s theater show, which stops Feb. 5 at the Bergen Performing Arts Center in Englewood, New Jersey, features performers combining sound and visuals for an eclectic spectacle that is equal parts mystical and mind-blowing.
As the performers move about the stage in darkness, strategically located lights attached to them and the surrounding scenery light up and seemingly interact with the beats of the music. Trust Hollywood Soapbox, and Google it!
The show also has a narrative that includes a police officer, who serves as the narrator. Plus there’s Ali and Starlight, two friends who are comfortable only with their dance company. Jacob is the hero, and then there’s also Househead and Darius.
iLuminate is illuminating, and its origins all begin with Kotb. Recently Hollywood Soapbox exchanged emails with the creator. Questions and answers have been slightly edited for style.
How did the original idea for iLuminate come to you?
I have been dancing since I could walk and became interested in computers when I was about 9 years old. I think that was when my parents bought our first computer. Through childhood and my early career as a software engineer and dancer I kept both those passions separate. Dance was my emotional outlet, and engineering kept me challenged mentally. It was not until a friend challenged me during a trying time that I came up with the idea to combine my passions together, thus creating iLuminate.
Could you ever imagine how successful and influential it would become?
I, of course, hoped that it would be successful and influential, but with the help of my team, friends and family, I am blown away with how far we have come!
For newcomers, what can they expect?
Expect to be taken on a fun, wild ride … a true adventure! It’s an experience that forces you to think about the dance and the story it tells, as you can’t see anything else to make preconceived judgments.
Since starting, is there a lot more competition from other companies that combine choreography and technology?
They say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. We do see a lot more groups taking after us and mimicking what we’ve been doing, but that pushes us to the next level. It’s not enough to be the creators of this genre; we have to be the best.
What does the future for iLuminate hold?
Much is on the horizon for us! We’ve been so blessed to be speaking with so many great programs like Google’s ‘Made with Code,’ which initiated the drive to create our own iLuminate educational camp. We are creating new hardware and lighting technologies, touring our theater show, and looking to bring in cutting-edge technology that has not even made it to the consumer, let alone in live theater. Stay tuned!
By John Soltes / Publisher / John@HollywoodSoapbox.com
iLuminate will play Tuesday, Feb. 5 at the Bergen Performing Arts Center in Englewood, New Jersey. Click here for more information and tickets.
