We are getting used to having robots in our homes, stores, and factories. What about on stage? In fact, the word robot comes from a 1920 science-fiction play. In Rossum’s Universal Robots, people performed as the machine-like creatures. Recently, some directors and artists have invited actual robots to share the stage in dances and other performances. Catie Cuan is one of them. “Robots are for everyone,” she says.
Cuan began her career as a dancer and choreographer — a person who maps out the movements of dancers. But she fell in love with robots and has pioneered a new field called robot choreography (编舞). Today, she’s studying robotics at Stanford University in Northern California.
You might imagine robots would dance like machines. After all, that’s how the popular dance “the robot” looks. Most robots today, however, can move in a more life-like manner. It takes time and effort to program robots to do the movements Cuan wants. But the results, she says, “will surprise you.”
At first, Cuan knew little about robot choreography. In 2022, she wrote, choreographed and performed the stage show In Her Prime. She danced with two other women and two Boston Dynamics spot robots. In the dance, the robots stayed behind a screen so the audience (观众) only saw their shadows. Cuan says that cave paintings inspired her.
In the media, Cuan says, “Robots are often described negatively (负面地).” They may seem alien, cold, or scary. Seeing a robot dance may make the technology seem fun, attractive, or friendly instead. Sometimes after her performances, audience tell her that the dance changes the way they think about robots.
Robots may seem like they’re all about maths and engineering. But, as Cuan suggests, they belong in art, too. “We as humans have been making art a lot longer than we’ve been doing maths,” she says. She points out that we use art and dance to make sense of the world. Cuan thinks that performances like hers will help people feel more at home with robots. “We need to dance with robots to make sense of them,” she says.
34. Why did Catie Cuan use a screen in her dance
In Her Prime with robots?
A.To show the robots’ shadows. | B.To display cave paintings. |
C.To hide the robots’ movements. | D.To catch the attention of the audience. |
35. Which one has the closest meaning to “inspired her”?
A.offered her chances | B.brought her success | C.sent her messages | D.gave her ideas |
36. The following sentences would best be placed at the beginning of ________.
This is only one of many dances Cuan has performed with robots. Her goal is to show people new ways to relate to these machines.
A.Paragraph 2 | B.Paragraph 4 | C.Paragraph 5 | D.Paragraph 6 |
37. What can we learn from the article?
A.The word robot comes from In Her Prime. |
B.Dancing with robots can help us understand them better. |
C.The audience will develop an interest in robotics engineering. |
D.Some students in Stanford University enjoy studying robotics. |