SciDance
Blending Dance and Science to Engage and Communicate
As a dancer and choreographer as well as research scientist, Dr. Jenkins is interested in the intersection of science and dance as a tool for conveying research results and engaging the community in projects. Below you will find links to various projects that blend dance and science to generate new ideas and raise awareness of marine conservation issues. You can learn more about Dr. Jenkins personal journey in combining dance and science here. You can also read about Dr. Jenkins’ research on the impacts of science dance on the current projects page.
Sea Turtle Science Dance
This video features a dance co-choreographed by Dr. Jenkins and the participants using a participatory process that Dr. Jenkins developed. The dance won 1st place in the International Sea Turtle Society’s Dance Your Research Competition in 2017. The short documentary, Making of video, reveals how the participants were transformed by experiences. A preliminary analysis of post-interviews showed the dancers: 1) voluntarily engaged in peer-to-peer sharing of knowledge while maintaining the integrity of the scientific information, 2) expressed newfound appreciation for sea turtle conservation work, 3) found meaningful connections between the research and their own interests, 4) demonstrated new knowledge, 5) expressed concern for sea turtles, 6) thought dance is a powerful tool to motivate more people to care about sea turtles, and 7) expressed a desire to perform the work again for more audiences.
Student Art and the Oceans Video Project
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