When School of Performing Arts instructor and dancer Rachel Rugh was asked some years ago by a graduate student to dance in a “Dance Your PhD” performance, she was immediately intrigued – and said yes. The graduate student with whom she worked entered the annual contest, sponsored by the American Association for the Advancement of Science and Science magazine. 

    That experience stuck with Rugh, and she approached the Center for Communicating Science about the possibility of holding a local event. And we, too, said yes.

 

This photo shows an audience of about 20 people watching a video on a very large screen.
The October 30 "Dance Your Research" audience watches a project participant's video. Photo by Meg Luciani for Virginia Tech.

    Rugh recruited ten graduate students last spring, held workshops to help them begin to brainstorm about how to communicate their research through movement and dance, and began planning for a celebratory showcase of their final projects. 

    Held October 30 in the community gathering space at the Creativity and Innovation District residence hall, “Dance Your Research” featured the video of Rugh’s original Dance Your PhD project, a Dance Your PhD video that a Virginia Tech faculty member had created as a graduate student, and four of the 2023 Dance Your Research video projects.

This photo shows an audience watching a video on a very large screen.
This Virginia Tech graduate student "Dance Your Research" video features some interpretative salsa dancing. Photo by Carrie Kroehler for Virginia Tech.

    The VT News video "Communicating scientific research through dance" showcased the center's first foray into Dance Your PhD territory and included interviews with Rugh and with project participant Candy Beers. Much gratitude to both of them and all the other participants in this pilot project for their energy and creativity!