Skate-Powered Outfit
Modeled by Genevieve Belleveau

With the help of Bennington College sculpture tech John Umphlett, we mounted a motor to the back of a rollerskate. By running a custom-sized rubber ring between the motor and a groove in the wheel, energy from the movement of skating is sent up hidden wires to lights the skirt and top causing them to blink in time.

After having one rubber ring accidentally break while testing the outfit, we decided to use a battery for the stage show, controlling the blinking via microcontroller instead of the wearer's motion. A loose, disconnected battery cap melted the first microcontroller while backstage, but we managed to replace it in time.

Video footage compiled by Angela Sheehan!