By: Anna Prentiss, Celine Johnson, Rodrigo Santa Maria

Florida State University recently presented Magnetic Dances, a performance involving students and faculty from the English Department, School of Dance and College of Music.

The collaboration, part of FSU’s Festival of the Creative Arts, aimed to integrate scientific insights into the artistic process.

“Collaboration is essential in today’s world and at Florida State University,” said Ansje Burdick, interim chair of the School of Dance. “Providing our students with opportunities to collaborate across such diverse fields is invaluable; we are very appreciative of these chances for interdisciplinary engagement.”

The event, featuring dancers accompanied by the College of Music’s flute Ensemble, demonstrated the intersection of art and science.

The creative process behind Magnetic Dances began with poetry students touring the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory (MagLab) for inspiration. The students then shared their works with the student composers who created music based on the poetry and the lab’s magnetic activity.

“Visiting the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory inspired my creative process, helping me integrate scientific concepts into movement,” said School of Dance student Kyah Everett. “Though interpreting these ideas through dance was challenging, it pushed me to think differently and embrace creativity. Collaborating across disciplines at Florida State University has expanded my understanding of both fields and opened doors for future opportunities.”

Choreographers used these compositions to create dance pieces for the festival, celebrating the MagLab’s 30th anniversary.

“I am thrilled to see how the science at the MagLab has inspired artistic collaboration and kindled the creation of Magnetic Dances,” said Kathleen Amm, distinguished physicist and director of the MagLab. “The arts and sciences are both critical to me personally and make my life full. It is wonderful to see them come together in such an incredible way in this performance.”

This year marked the third performance of Magnetic Dances as part of the Festival of the Creative Arts. Each year, the School of Dance selects different choreographers and performers to bring a fresh perspective to the production.

“Through Magnetic Dances, we continue to learn about our fellow artists in other departments,” said Rachel Hunter, a specialized faculty member and production manager for the School of Dance who was one of six choreographers for this year’s production. “I consider science an art, and I think everything has an art to the way it can be done. This performance is very different from a lot of other collaborations and processes that our students, faculty and staff get to partake in… we always work to reconnect these programs in new ways.”

By bringing together both art and science, Magnetic Dances showcased the MagLab’s work and fostered future creative collaborations.

Hunter described the process as a game of telephone, with creative writing students inspiring music composition students, who in turn inspired dance choreographers.

“Choreographers don’t just rely on imagination,” Burdick said. “They can conduct extensive research when creating a work, diverse inspiration is a natural part of the creative process.”

For more information, visit research.fsu.edu/fca.

A message from Dean Frazier: 

As you may have heard, Carla Peterson, the esteemed director of the Maggie Allesee National Center for Choreography (MANCC) at Florida State University has announced her planned retirement, effective December 31, 2024. Carla’s leadership of MANCC has been nothing short of transformative. For over a decade, she has been at the forefront, championing the support and engagement of artists’ research and creative processes. Her contributions have significantly helped to shape the field of dance, and for this, we are immensely grateful.

As part of this major transition, MANCC will be taking a strategic pause on hosting residencies starting in late January 2025. This hiatus will extend through to the beginning of 2026. In an era where the arts face unprecedented challenges, we want to assure everyone that this pause is a proactive measure. It is an opportunity for reflection on MANCC’s 20-year legacy and to strategically plan for the next phase of our journey, taking thoughtful steps toward a vibrant future.

MANCC is a cornerstone of the research portfolio of the FSU College of Fine Arts and an integral part of FSU’s institutional culture. We are committed to advancing the field of dance and continuing our legacy of innovation and excellence.

We applaud Carla’s remarkable career and are indebted for her years of impassioned service. Her vision and dedication will continue to inspire us as we look forward to the future of MANCC and the broader dance community.