The disparities between the dance and tech communities can seem pretty vast, yet the two have found an odd, contemporary synergy in NFTs.

What makes dance dance? What turns movement from functional to artistic? Some might say it’s the speed, rhythm or direction of the movement; others might point to the intent of the mover. I’d argue that the heart of dance as we know it is something even more fundamental: gravity. As dancers, we’re enmeshed in the […]

“Trust” and “care” are two concepts that frequently come up in conversations about partnering. Yet, when asked to articulate the difference, language often falls short. On the surface, there is a tendency to believe that what we say shouldn’t matter as much as how we express care and trust through action. But time and again, […]

Not all doctors get what dancers do. Even something as small as how a foot fits in a pointe shoe might not be familiar to a doctor without dance knowledge, says Dr. Kathleen Davenport, company physician with Miami City Ballet and the director of physiatry at Hospital for Special Surgery Florida. “That can be everything […]

In a single performance by a mixed-rep company, you might see its shape-shifting dancers performing barefoot, in sneakers and in heels. While such a group may have “ballet” in its name and even a rack of tutus in storage, its current relationship to the art form can be tenuous at best. That disconnect grows wider […]

When orthopedic surgeon Dr. Donald Rose founded the Harkness Center for Dance Injuries at NYU Langone Orthopedic Hospital 30 years ago, the average salary for a dancer was about $8,000, he says. “It was very hard for a dancer to get quality medical care,” he remembers. What’s more, he adds, “at the time, dance medicine […]

As a dancer working with your toes to the marley day in and day out, it is easy to feel like no one but your immediate colleagues understands your challenges. Yet there are countless medical professionals working to improve the lives of dancers. Last week the International Association of Dance Medicine and Science gathered more […]

Dagmar Sternad is a professor of biology, physics, and electrical and computer engineering at Northeastern University. She’s also a bit of a dance obsessive. And her innovative work with ballet dancers could have far-ranging implications for the worlds of both medicine and robotics. A longtime dance lover, Sternad has been been fascinated by the science […]