Celebrating a (Postponed) Premiere: Of Equal Place
If ever there was a time to share a performance and community engagement project about stability and instability, about navigating mystery, about centering those historically excluded from our most important conversations—this would be it.
Today, we celebrate what would have been the premiere of Of Equal Place: Isotopes in Motion at Michigan State University (MSU). Co-directed by DX Partnering Artist Keith Thompson and Associate Artistic Director Elizabeth Johnson Levine, this new Dance Exchange work expands who gets to dance and who gets to be a scientist by centering youth, women, and people of color in its explorations of nuclear physics and dance.
Commissioned by the Facility for Rare Isotope Beams (FRIB) at MSU, Dance Exchange has cultivated partnerships between scientist and choreographers; dancers local to East Lansing and Dance Exchange artists; students, teachers, and community members to make the work possible and impactful. Throughout the project, we have been deeply touched by the generosity, curiosity, rigor, and responsiveness of all involved—even more so as we navigate the disruption and crisis of the coronavirus outbreak. As we work with partners to determine the path forward, we also pause to recognize, celebrate, and express our gratitude for all that has been contributed and created so far.
“The collaboration with Dance Exchange has given me the opportunity to observe the world of physics, my own world, from a different perspective. Through their curiosity and enthusiasm, and also through their inquisitive questions, Dance Exchange bridges the gap between science and art. The result is a creative and diverse collaboration with the common goal of promoting science and art together.”
— Artemis Spyrou, Physicist, Michigan State University
Below, you’ll find images from on-site research and work-in-progress showings. We hope you enjoy. To stay up-to-date as this and other Dance Exchange projects evolve to meet the moment, sign up for our email list. To help sustain Dance Exchange during this difficult time, consider making a donation.
