Social virtual reality (VR) platforms create new opportunities for shared dance experiences and creative self-expression. At the same time, technical limitations pose challenges for users. At the IEEE Conference on Virtual Reality and 3D User Interfaces 2026 (IEEE VR 2026), taking place March 21–25, 2026 in Daegu, South Korea, the Media Psychology and Media Design Group at TU Ilmenau presents new research findings from the GROOVE project funded by the Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space (BMFTR).
In the poster session, Yuanyangyang Yin presents results from a qualitative interview study on dance experiences in social VR. Based on interviews with 15 experienced VRChat dancers, the study explores users’ dance practices and preferences, psychosocial and physical outcomes of virtual dance activities, as well as technological affordances and constraints. The findings highlight benefits such as opportunities for self-expression, social connectedness, and physical activity. At the same time, technical challenges—including network latency, tracking instability, and audio desynchronization—can hinder rhythmic synchronization and coordinated movement. Experienced dancers therefore develop various strategies to maintain synchronization and immersion despite these limitations. The results provide valuable insights for the design of future social VR environments.
- Yin, Y., Adolph, M., & Döring, N. (2026). Dance Experiences in Social Virtual Reality: A Qualitative Interview Study.2026 IEEE Conference on Virtual Reality and 3D User Interfaces Workshops and Abstracts (IEEE VR 2026), Daegu, Korea.