Of Equal Place

Every few months, we take a closer look at Dance Exchange's work in four areas of growth and impact. This newsletter highlights how collaboration among partners turns ambitious visions into reality.

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Our History of Dancing with Scientists

The intersection of dance and science is a familiar one for Dance Exchange. In fact, Of Equal Place was inspired by—and builds on—founder Liz Lerman’s The Matter of Origins. During the Origins premiere in 2010 (and at additional tour sites), Dance Exchange collaborated with researchers from Michigan State University (MSU) with funding from the National Science Foundation to study the performance and its post-show engagements, asking in essence: “Can dancemaking, performance, and creative dialogue be effective tools for informal science education?” 

The Collision of Particles—and Partnerships

Now, almost ten years later, John Schweitzer of the MSU Office of Univerisity Outreach and Engagement has supported Dance Exchange in a five-year collaboration with the Facility for Rare Isotope Beams (FRIB) at MSU to build Of Equal Place: Isotopes in Motion. This multi-media performance and engagement explores themes from both nuclear physics and dance while also investigating who gets to be a scientist and who gets to dance, highlighting the historical contributions of and possibilities for women and people of color in those fields.

Of Equal Place premieres at MSU on March 19-21 as part of “Family Physics Day,” which allows community members to explore the work happening at FRIB and MSU. Attendees will not only watch the performance but experience the science for themselves through several post-show workshops driven by Dance Exchange creative tools and practices. 

But Dance Exchange artists and FRIB scientists alone were not enough to bring this ambitious project to life. As with many of our creative collaborations, Of Equal Place required that we gather local artists and partners to help ensure that the project has local value and impact beyond Dance Exchange’s time on the ground.

• Facility for Rare Isotope Beams (FRIB) enables scientists to make discoveries about the properties of rare isotopes (short-lived nuclei not normally found on Earth)
• Wharton Center for Performing Arts offers the perfect stage for this collision of dance and science right across the street from FRIB
• Happendance adds the creative force of local artists and young people 
• WaMPS (Women and Minorities in the Physical Sciences) graduate student group at MSU encourages women and minorities to pursue careers in science—and supports them once they’re in the field.
• Lansing School District students and educators from Everett High School and Dwight Rich School of the Arts will experience Of Equal Place workshops and performances. 

Next Up in this Dance and Science Experiment

At our SPARK event on February 22, Dance Exchange artists and partners will show an excerpt of Of Equal Place. Buy your tickets now to see this sneak peek! Then read a conversation between Executive Artistic Director Cassie Meador and scientist Marti S. Head, inaugural recipient of the CATALYST Award.

Shortly after that event, the team will gather with partners on the ground at MSU to prepare for the March premiere. And the experiment doesn’t stop there! Dance Exchange is currently building partnerships around the country to continue who gets to dance and who gets to be a scientist. Email Elizabeth to explore opportunities to get involved.