A speaker that achieves sound isolation through a parametric speaker, enabling dancers that are practicing different parts of a dance piece to practice in the same space at the same time without affecting others.
I started practicing dance as a child, focusing primarily on solo styles instead of group dances.
Afterward, I started to join group dances as I grew up. It was always our teachers who led us to practice together in class.
Then, other dancers and me started to organize group dances. When we rehearsed by ourselves, I discovered a problem.
“Why are the sounds in the dance studio so chaotic sometimes?”
With only one speaker for group practice, we must take turns for others to practice our respective parts, thus slowing the progress.
Dauphine T. - Chinese Traditional & Modern Dance (11 yrs experience)
I turned down the music to prevent disturbing others in the shared space, but then I couldn't hear it well enough to stay in rhythm with my moves.
Echo Z. - Jazz & K-POP Dance (4 yrs experience)
Dancers' varying skills can make group dances disorganized, so teachers must plan choreography carefully.
Junie F. - International Standard Ballroom Dancer & Teacher
We wear headphones, but they tend to fall off during larger movements. I often accidentally touch them and stop the music.
Amy Z. - Modern Dancer & Teacher
Through a journey map of group practice, I found that when dancers review their weak parts in the same space, the music overlaps, creating distractions that negatively affect practice.
Since the positions of dancers influence the direction of the music, I observed and recorded various dance classes to summarize several common positioning maps.
Dancers practice in groups of 1-3 separately.
Frequently happens.
Dancers practice independently.
Happens relatively common.
Practice in a whole group.
Rare. Only during group rehearsal.
Based on the dimensions of technology & market demand, I decided to design a speaker with the function of sound isolation.
I brainstormed 3 scenarios of the product, and finally decided to implement the product in the scenario of multiple people rehearsing the same group dance repertoire in the same studio, but each practice different parts of the repertoire with music.
Comparing the 3 design directions, I finally chose the floor-standing speaker option.
Long & Heavy Not suitable for multiple arrangements of dancers Small surface area for user interfaces
Placed in front of the room Horizontally placed speakers are common
Portable & Convenient Each dancer owns a independent speaker unit Small surface area for user interfaces Each module is small Modularized speakers are quite common
Movable with wheels Dancers own independent spaces in different angles Big user interface area Each module is large Vertical form factor is unique
Dancers entered dance studio and turned on FocoSpeaker.
They connected the bluetooth, and projected the screens of their tablets.
Each dancer first reviewed their weak parts separately.
With no overlapping musics, dancers are more focused in their practices.
They pressed the button and switched to group practice mode.
A dancer dragged FocoSpeaker to the studio corner.
Group practice.
Dancers were happy that with FocoSpeaker their practice efficiency increased.