Dancing with Myself is a first person, virtual reality retelling of a September evening filled with friends, food and seizures - offering a window into the epileptic life of the piece's creator, Jane Gauntlett (who is also a resident at the Pervasive Media Studio).

Gauntlett is a theatre maker and VR director renowned for her ability to tell compelling, first person stories in 360 degrees. Her work turns audiences into participants, allowing them to step into the shoes of a stranger. In the case of Dancing with Myself, this stranger is Jane herself.

Jane's epilepsy causes seizures that inhibit control of her thoughts, words and actions. This form of epilepsy is complex and unpredictable - she described it as making her feel as though "an unruly beast" inhabits her body.

Dancing With Myself's narrative is carefully crafted in order to let participants experience both Jane's outer world and her inner monologue. It dares you to let go of your preconceptions and step into her shoes, to experience an evening out that is injected with surrealism, embarrassment and kindness.

As a genre, experiential VR has fast developed a strong body of work in the field of empathy. Dancing With Myself is regarded in the VR community to be one of the strongest works in this area, demonstrating how fostering empathy can sit beautifully as an artistic technique.

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