Le Bal De Paris De Blanca Li

Blanca Li
Infinite Studios
March 5, 4pm

Party in Paris while clad in designer clothing – but do it all in virtual reality (VR).

Le Bal De Paris De Blanca Li (The Parisian Ball By Blanca Li), an immersive VR experience, takes audiences through a night of glitz and glamour as Parisian socialite Adele returns to the city, after years away for her travels.

There, she is faced with unresolved feelings of love and animosity towards her former flame, Pierre, who attends the homecoming party at her mother’s invitation. Arguing over the end of their relationship and differing perspectives of what led to the break-up, Pierre quickly reveals that he still loves Adele, though she is now engaged to James.

While the immersive performance is fun for those looking for a new experience, audiences should not expect a very fleshed-out story to accompany the show. The plot is arguably the weakest element in the 35-minute experience.

Created, choreographed and directed by Spanish dancer and choreographer Blanca Li, the show takes 50 minutes in total, as an extra 15 minutes goes towards getting participants in and out of the VR headsets before and after the performance.

Six languages – English, Mandarin, French, Spanish, Italian and German – are available as individual headsets allow for a more personalised experience.

French VR company BackLight Studio developed the VR part, while Li collaborated with luxury fashion house Chanel to create 15 digital outfits for participants to dress up in before the performance begins.

Attendees are encouraged to don any of the suits and dresses available, regardless of gender, as identities are hidden behind animal masks that cover the avatar’s entire head, allowing a sense of anonymity and comfort for those who are shy.

Some of the most fun moments happen when participants choose to wander outside the VR constructed bounds a little. One audience member is frequently spotted away from the group, standing in mid-air high above the virtual crowd or seemingly standing on water as a boat takes everyone around a lake.

Of course, certain limitations with VR still remain. This reviewer is unable to fully bring the avatar’s hands together, getting stuck at shoulder width. Other glitches include Adele’s foot being turned backwards while dancing, avatars visibly off the ground and a virtual character bending in half at an unnatural angle before vanishing.

Mild headaches may occur during the show for those with little to no prior experience with VR headsets.

The tethered headset comes in heavier than most such headsets currently available, which can also induce minor neck stiffness for those unused to carrying such weight for the duration of the show.

At 1.5kg, it weighs about two to three times more than the Meta Quest 2 (558g), PlayStation VR2 (560g) and HTC Vive Pro 2 (850g).

However, all things considered, the show is remarkably smooth. The lags and glitches seen are standard even among popular video games that have been ported to VR systems, such as Resident Evil 4: VR Mode (2023) and VR-exclusive independent horror game Hello Puppets (2019).

For curious individuals, Le Bal De Paris De Blanca Li is an accessible and fun introduction to the possibilities of VR and how the arts are evolving to incorporate advancements in technology.

Book it/Le Bal De Paris De Blanca Li

Where: Infinite Studios, 21 Media Circle
When: Till March 17, various timings
Admission: $73 (Sundays to Thursdays), $87 (Fridays and Saturdays)
Info: str.sg/wrKsY