To kick off 2009 non-profit dance and new media supporter NU2’S will take over CaixaForum and Mercat de les Flors with a series of dance performances, video projections and workshops. The Imagen, Danza & Nuevos Medios/VideoDanza (IDN) festival includes an impressive line-up of international dance troupes breathing new digital life into dance. Things will get moving with Belgian dance co. Mutin. They’ll debut Body Intimacy, a striking work that tackles an individual’s personal battle with body image through choreography and recorded imagery. It is a harsh look at the struggle between internal and external perceptions. A {d’aguia} offered by the group of Catalan performers from Kònic Thtr will also formally premiere at the event. A collective that brilliantly combines body movement with swirling, incredible multi-colored audio visuals they are sure to surprise the audience with their most recent techno-infused work. Norman, the latest 4dart creation is homage to the dance company’s fellow Canadian and pioneer filmmaker Norman McLaren. The movie man who passed away in the 80s hand drew his cinematic wonders frame by frame and synchronized them to music. To date his simple yet creative and quirky flicks continue to garner a solid cult following. Finally, an ensemble of German and Catalan talents called K-mut will present I Jo que hi faig aquí? A work where four people from different backgrounds all attempt to answer the question, “What am I doing here?” Perhaps the most topical theme at least for the Barcelona expat contingent, the audience watches as the group set in the same environment reacts to a series of stimuli in distinct manners. Their choreographed reactions show the curious impact culture has on an individual’s view of the world. The majority of the festival events are free. The full-scale dance performances are €10 — a small price to pay to witness the incredible high-tech advancements in dance.