Program

Dance Exchange’s

OF EQUAL PLACE: ISOTOPES IN MOTION

Inspired by Liz Lerman’s The Matter of Origins

Keith Thompson
Creative Director

Ami-Dowden Fant
Director of Creative Engagement

Choreography by:
Keith Thompson
Ami-Dowden Fant
Elizabeth Johnson Levine

In collaboration with performers:
Tessa Barnett, Everett High School Dancer
Eric Britt, Women and Minorities in the Physical Sciences Dancer
Chelsie Boodoo, Women and Minorities in the Physical Sciences Dancer
Clarence Brooks, Dance Exchange Partnering Artist
Shawn Brush, Dance Exchange Partnering Artist
Jourdyn Carter, Everett High School Dancer
Brit Falcon, Dance Exchange Partnering Artist
Esther Geiger, Dance Exchange Partnering Artist
Chloe Gonzales, Happendance Partnering Artist
Ella Gordon, Everett High School Dancer
Rahul Hain, Women and Minorities in the Physical Sciences Dancer
Sarah Lettau, Everett High School Dancer
Channing Lewis, Everett High School Dancer
Jazmin Monroe, Everett High School Dancer
Jaida Moore, Everett High School Dancer
Jennah Quinn Gray, Happendance Partnering Artist
Daniel Puentes, Women and Minorities in the Physical Sciences Dancer
Linda Reiff, Happendance Partnering Artist
Liv Schaffer, Dance Exchange Partnering Artist
Corina Seymour, Everett High School Dancer
Laura Spitzfaden, Happendance Partnering Artist
Bridget VanderHoff, Happendance Partnering Artist

Dante Fields, Stage Management
Kelly Colburn, Original Projection/Media Design
Devin Kinch, Projection/Media Design
Jeanette Christenson, Original Costume Design
Channing Tucker, Costume Design
Peter Leibold, Lighting Design
Matthew Nielson, Sound Design
Darron L. West, Original Sound Design for Marie Curie and Genesis sections
Hope Still, Study Guide Coordination
Sam Horning, Project Management
Cassie Meador, Creative and Partnership Advisement

Creative Engagement Partners:
Rachel Miller, Executive Director at Happendance
Missy Lilje, Director of Development and Education at Happendance
Clara Martinez, Dance Director of Everett High School

The creative team would like to acknowledge:

Elizabeth Johnson Levine’s contributions as a co-creative director on the project 2015-2020 and her stewardship of the project partnerships in her past roles as director of partnerships and associate artistic director at Dance Exchange.

Juliana Ponguta’s contributions in her role as a performer, collaborator, and Dance Exchange partnering artist during the project’s development 2015-2020.

Lena Granger, Alison Rhodes, Liam Shafer, and Audrey Spitzfaden in their roles as performers, collaborators, and Happendance partnering artists during the project’s development 2015-2020.

In collaboration with:
Wharton Center Institute for Arts & Creativity
MSU Women and Minorities in the Physical Sciences
The Lansing School District

Underwritten by:
Facility for Rare Isotope Beams at Michigan State University
FRIB is supported by the Office of Nuclear Physics in the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Science

Additional support by:
MSU University Outreach and Engagement
Science and Society at MSU
Office of the Vice President for Research and Innovation

Notes and Bios

NOTES FROM THOSE WHO BROUGHT YOU OF EQUAL PLACE: ISOTOPES IN MOTION

CREATIVE DIRECTOR KEITH THOMPSON AND DIRECTOR OF CREATIVE ENGAGEMENT AMI DOWDEN-FANT

Welcome to Of Equal Place: Isotopes in Motion, a 50-minute multi-media performance commissioned by the Facility for Rare Isotope Beams (FRIB). This work has grown out of a long-term partnership between Dance Exchange, Wharton Center, FRIB, Happendance and WaMPS. On stage and on video, you will see professional dancers from Dance Exchange and Happendance, scientists, and community youth performers. This dance work delves into some of the research being done at FRIB while exploring themes that resonate in both nuclear physics and dance: stability and instability, measurement, acceleration, fragmentation, and navigating mystery. Additionally, the performance investigates the contributions of women and people of color in science through a cast diverse in age, race, and cultural backgrounds. We hope this work will engage audiences who might be new to watching dance and/or new to thinking about physics. As you watch, resist the temptation to feel like you are not "getting it." Watching a dance is a creative process, much like the creative process of scientific research. You set up an experiment. You observe. From those observations, you collect data. Then, there's the key process of interpreting the data in a way that makes sense to you. Notice what you connect to, what meaning you are making, and let your own discoveries unfold. Then repeat this process. We invite you to revel in your own discoveries, to lean into curiosities. We hope the resources in the study guide and the opportunities on this campus will serve to launch you further into your understanding and curiosity of new areas for future research and creativity.

DANCE EXCHANGE EXECUTIVE ARTISTIC DIRECTOR CASSIE MEADOR

It has been thrilling to witness and support the creative team and partners on Of Equal Place: Isotopes in Motion to create a fully immersive and embodied experience for students, educators, and audience members to learn about and engage with physics and dance. At Dance Exchange, we harness the power of creativity and inquiry through dance to connect communities and to foster a more embodied, resilient, and just world. Through this project we are invested in helping to create new pathways and inspiration for women and people of color to engage with and contribute to the fields of physics and dance.

THOMAS GLASMACHER, DIRECTOR, FRIB LABORATORY

As we operate what will be the world's most powerful heavy-ion accelerator right here at Michigan State University, we are excited to share with our community how FRIB works and how the research conducted with it will positively impact our lives. The Dance Exchange performance and this Wharton Center study guide provide us with a unique opportunity to showcase the scientific work and expand our connection with science, the arts, and our local community.

MIKE BRAND, RETIRED EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, WHARTON CENTER

Wharton Center and its Institute for Arts & Creativity are proud and excited to facilitate this special and unique collaboration with FRIB. This is a powerful demonstration of the connections between the performing arts and the STEM group, dance and physics, and its application to the education and inspiration of our young people.

ZACH CONSTAN, OUTREACH COORDINATOR, FRIB

Every day, researchers at FRIB are doing amazing work to explore the unknown. Our laboratory couldn't be more excited to share those discoveries with our neighbors in the community! We are committed to sharing through tours, public talks, open houses, summer programs, the MSU Science Festival, the Isotopolis video game, and recently the *SMASH: A Nuclear Adventure *exhibit at Impression 5 Science Center. This dance performance and exploratory event is a brand-new opportunity for you to discover cutting edge nuclear science at MSU. We can't wait to show you. Many thanks to all our partners!

ARTEMIS SPYROU, PROFESSOR OF PHYSICS AND FACULTY ADVISOR, FRIB OUTREACH

As a scientist, I have the unique opportunity to perform my research at a world-leading facility like FRIB. Together with more than 1000 other nuclear scientists from around the world, we design and run experiments that test the fundamental laws of nature and help us understand how the Universe works. As an educator, I'm passionate about finding ways to share these amazing discoveries with everyone in our community. As we all come from different backgrounds, and with diverse experiences, the way we learn is also different. It is for this reason that at FRIB we always look for new ways to share our excitement about the scientific discoveries with all of you. This project, Of Equal Place: Isotopes in Motion, will introduce you to the world of nuclear science through an unusual carrier: dance. We are very excited to share this unique experience with all of you, and hope that you will enjoy it as much as we do.

BERT GOLDSTEIN, DIRECTOR, WHARTON CENTER INSTITUTE FOR ARTS & CREATIVITY

It is really about vision. How do you successfully combine the complexities of dance and physics to extoll the virtues of both as an avenue for exploration and learning? It's a big concept and that's why it has taken us four years to reach this moment. It comes back to vision and the creative energies of Wharton Center, FRIB, Dance Exchange, Happendance and all the artists and scientists who have spent hours together to achieve what will be seen on the stage and experienced after the curtain comes down. As in both arts and science, this fascinating collaboration reminds us that with the right vision, anything is possible.

MISSY LILJE, DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT AND EDUCATION SERVICES, HAPPENDANCE INC

Did you ever gaze up at the stars and feel small? Or, maybe you've turned your gaze inward and felt a connection to the universe somehow? There are so many mysteries in our understanding of how our world came to be, it can be overwhelming to consider. And, where do we fit in? Consider this: human creativity is the bridge between darkness of not knowing and the light of discovery. *Of Equal Place: Isotopes in Motion *is a project that seeks to shine that light with dance as the medium: time, space, force, human bodies in motion, and abstract concepts coming to life in movement. The dancers give a face and structure to ideas that cannot be seen. There is a creative drive that wills us to explore new questions, be brave enough to utter new ideas, and breathe life into new discoveries. Perhaps you can embrace questions that come to mind through witnessing this project, allowing those questions to lead you into creative thought and new conversations. And, maybe you'll find a new light shining on some discoveries of your own.

DANCE EXCHANGE

Fueled by generosity and curiosity, Dance Exchange expands who gets to dance, where dance happens, what dance is about, and why dance matters. Dance Exchange collaborates across generations, disciplines, and communities to channel the power of dancemaking as a means for dialogue, a source of critical reflection, and a creative engine for thought and action. Founded in 1976 by Liz Lerman and under the artistic leadership of Cassie Meador since 2011, Dance Exchange is a non-profit dance organization based in Takoma Park, Maryland.

Much of Dance Exchange’s work across our 46-year history has focused on the intersection of art and science, leading to collaborations with scientists and educators in the fields of biology, physics, ecology, genetics, and more. In addition to FRIB, we’ve partnered with leading science organizations such as NASA, National Park Service, the U.S. Forest Service, the European Council for Nuclear Research (CERN), and more. By cultivating a sense of wonder, inquiry, and discovery in the dances we make and the workshops we lead, we celebrate the important role of both dance and science in moving us toward a deeper understanding of our world.

What inspires and fuels our work at Dance Exchange?

Connecting across generations and communities.

Making art at the intersection of social relevance and community participation.

Deepening our relationships with scientists, educators, farmers, forestry specialists, creative aging experts, nonprofit and municipal leaders, independent artists, and families.

Growing partnerships with schools, universities, cultural institutions, traditional and non-traditional performing venues, and members of the philanthropic community.

Our work at the intersection of art and science offers an invitation to move as a way to notice our world, and to notice as a way to move our world. Discover ways you can move with us at danceexchange.org.

DANCE EXCHANGE PARTNERING ARTIST BIOGRAPHIES

Keith Thompson (he/him) (Creative Director) danced for the Trisha Brown Dance Company from 1992-2001, served as Trisha's rehearsal assistant from 1998-2001, and currently performs with and is rehearsal director for Liz Lerman. He has taught master classes globally, and his company, danceTactics Performance Group, has been featured at Montpellier International Dance Festival, Dixon Place NYC, Triskelion Art Center, Edinburgh International Fringe Festival, Theater X (Tokyo), and Taliesin West. Keith is associate professor and director of the dance department at Arizona State University, where he is also the inaugural faculty fellow at the Center for the Study of Race and Democracy.

Ami Dowden-Fant (she/her) (Director of Creative Engagement) of Richmond, VA, is the thriving owner/director of River City Dance & Performing Arts Theatre. She has worked with a variety of artists such as Jawole Willa Jo Zollar, Robert Battle, and Liz Lerman. She has been awarded the Outstanding Choreographer, Performer Award (VA), and Style Weekly's Best Performing Arts Lessons (VA). Her work has been presented in the National American College Dance Festival (NYC) and Philadelphia Fringe Festival (PA). In 2009 she began her partnership with Dance Exchange, performing and leading workshops at Wesleyan University (MA), Department of Education (DC), and Belhaven University (MS). She was commissioned to choreograph for the William Penn School District (PA), Neighborhood Playhouse (NYC), and the Center of the Arts (VA). Ami Dowden-Fant is instilled with the gift to educate and inspire all willing movers of the many wonders of dance!

Clarence Brooks (he/they) (Dance Exchange Partnering Artist), Florida Atlantic University associate professor/director of dance, is a guest artist with Sokolow Theatre/Dance Ensemble, David Parker and The Bang Group, and their own company, FAU Repertory Dance Theatre Ensemble. Brooks can be seen in the video documentary The World of Alwin Nikolais and their essay "Dancing with the Issues" was published in One Teacher in 10(Alyson Books). The recipient of several fellowships and awards, Brooks holds an MFA (University of Washington), four certifications, and sits on the boards of danceTactics, Natural Movers Foundation, Sokolow Theatre/Dance Ensemble, Miami Dance Futures, Humphrey Foundation, and several university committees.

Shawn Brush (he/him) (Dance Exchange Partnering Artist) is a NY-based dancer and choreographer. He dances for danceTactics Performance Group (with whom he is also assistant to the artistic director), Falcon Dance, and is currently on project with Dance Exchange. Shawn has previously danced for Maya Orchin, Laura Peterson Choreography, Stefanie Nelson, The New Collectives, Meagan Woods company, and Hillary Pearson. Shawn's own choreography, under Brush/McGrath(works) with his partner and wife, Molly McGrath, has been presented at Judson Memorial Church, Triskelion Arts, Dixon Place and Raritan Valley Community College. He is also a teaching artist and has taught at Mason Gross School of the Arts at Rutgers University, Raritan Valley Community College, and public schools across New Jersey. He graduated Summa Cum Laude with a BFA in Dance from Mason Gross School of the Arts in 2015.

Brit Falcon (she/her) (Dance Exchange Partnering Artist) is a performer, choreographer/maker, bodyworker, and educator. She has had the pleasure of performing with William Evans, Kista Tucker Dance, Inc., Steeledance, Bryan Baira, Donnell Oakley, Renegade Performance Group, Keith Johnson & Adriane Fang, Kendra Portier, and David Dorfman Dance. She has taught at numerous universities and festivals nationally and internationally, sharing her research in the intersections of dance performance, wellness, science, and ecology. Brit holds a BFA from The College at Brockport and is currently an MFA candidate in dance at the University of Maryland. She is the artistic director of Falcon Dance.

Esther Geiger (she/her) (Dance Exchange Partnering Artist) is interested in how things connect, and in finding connections by looking for essence. Links along her movement journey include modern dance (with a German Expressionist twist), Iyengar yoga, structured improvisation (mentored by master Richard Bull), and the Laban/Bartenieff Movement System (LBMS). Esther taught at Dance Exchange under Liz Lerman in the 1970s-80s and reconnected with the DX community in the 2000s. She is a Certified Movement Analyst (CMA) and has applied that work to playground design, movement education, unschooling, personnel management, and audio description. She has taught in LBMS certification programs in the U.S. and Israel.

Liv Schaffer (she/her) (Dance Exchange Partnering Artist) is a Bay Area artist and educator with a focus on intergenerational practice at the intersection of dance and social impact sectors. She holds a degree from Alonzo King's LINES Ballet BFA Program at Dominican University of California and has performed with AXIS Dance Company, DanceWorks Chicago, Robert Moses' Kin, and Dance Exchange. Liv is a community engagement artist with Jacob's Pillow and on faculty at the University of San Francisco's Performing Arts & Social Justice department, where she directs the Dance Generators, an intergenerational dance company. Liv's choreography has been presented by Jacob's Pillow Inside/Out, ODC State of Play Festival, Yerba Buena Gardens Festival/RAWDance SF, The Big Muddy Dance Company, and Western Michigan University.

HAPPENDANCE

Our mission: To stimulate support for the art of dance through performances and educational programs. To broaden the accessibility of dance to a diverse community and promote dance for lifelong physical and mental fitness. Known throughout Michigan and beyond for its long history of artistic excellence and exceptional community service, Happendance boasts three focus areas: performance, education, and engagement.

Founded in 1976, Happendance dancers and choreographers are known for their excellence in performance and service, evidenced by their commitment to education, mentorship of emerging artists, community leadership, and outreach and engagement. Happendance professionals bring modern dance to area schools with Happendance Education Exchange. Performing work that enhances academic curriculum, Happendance Education Exchange visits over thirty area schools and serves 6,000 children each year bringing professional, high-quality dance to mid-Michigan schools. Learn more at happendance.org.

HAPPENDANCE BIOGRAPHIES

Rachel Miller (she/her) (Executive Director) recently retired from performing with Wellspring/Cori Terry & Dancers, a professional modern/contemporary company in Kalamazoo, MI before moving to the Lansing area. Miller attended The Ohio State University as a dance major, holds a BA in creative writing through Western Michigan University, and an MFA in dance through Hollins University in partnership with the former Forsythe Company of Frankfurt, Germany. Miller has curated the internationally recognized Midwest Regional Alternative Dance Festival (RAD Fest) for over 13 years, is on the dance faculty at Grand Valley State University, and is the co-chair of the dance department at Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp. She has also served as the thesis coordinator for the Hollins University Dance MFA program, and her professional performance career spanned 20+ years. She has performed all over the country, and her choreographic and screendance works have been presented in the Midwest RAD Fest in Kalamazoo, Detroit Dance City Festival in Detroit, Big River Dance Festival in Huntington, South Bend, Chicago, Las Vegas, New Orleans, New York City, Prague, Frankfurt, Indianapolis, and she has had a piece of choreography commissioned as a work of study for the Lincoln Center Institute for Aesthetic Education Kalamazoo Chapter. Miller is a 2005 recipient of the Irving S. Gilmore Foundation Emerging Artist Grant and a 2010 recipient of the Kalamazoo Artist Development Initiative Grant. She has also sat on the adjudication panels for the Motor City Dance on Film Festival, Screen. Dance. Now., Screendance International, the Maggie Allesee New Choreography Award, and JOMBA! Contemporary Dance Festival in South Africa. Miller is thrilled to take the helm at Happendance as their new C.E.O. and is honored to be a part of its 45+ year legacy.

Missy Lilje (Director of Development and Education Services) earned her BFA in dance from the University of Michigan and her MFA in dance from Arizona State University; she currently serves as director of Development and Education Services for the Happendance organization. As a performer, she has performed the works of Martha Graham, Doris Humphrey, Paul Taylor, David Dorfman, Peter Sparling, Mark Haim, Diane Newman, Jane Gamble, and more. Creatively, she has choreographed over 30 works for the contemporary concert stage, musical theater productions, and children's concerts. Missy's research on dance communities and how they relate to business practice was published by ASU Press in 2008. She regularly travels to present this work throughout the U.S., in Europe, and at Michigan State University, where she is an adjunct faculty member in the Department of Theatre. In 2016 Ms. Lilje was elected to the Board of Education for the Lansing School District.

Chloe Gonzales (Happendance Partnering Artist) has been training in modern and ballet for over 20 years and attended the University of Michigan to pursue a BFA in dance (2017). She has had the opportunity to work with notable artists such as Meredith Monk (Quarry, restaged 2017), Richard Alston (Brisk Singing, restaged 2015), Peter Sparling (Vox Femina (Girl Talk), 2014) among others. She is also a current company member of Suttle Dance (Novi) and Happendance Velocity (Okemos). She is an assistant director for Impulse and is currently teaching Contemporary and Dance Composition at Happendance. She is always excited to share her experiences with other movers, whether that be in the studio or at a safe, virtual distance (though her cat-- whose credentials are unverified -- may insist on co-teaching).

Jennah Quinn Gray (Happendance Partnering Artist) is an Everett Dance alumna, graduated in 2007. She is currently the operations and financial manager for Happendance, and functional fitness coach at Redemption Fitness. Jennah is also a current dance company member of the INstitute of Dancers, where she continues her growth in knowledge, and training in dance. She also directs Happendance's Accelerant Competition Team. Her passion is in training, both in the gym and in the studio, and inspiring curiosity in others. FUN FACT: Before Jennah knew her career path would be in dance, she wanted to study astrophysics and astronomy!

Linda Reiff (Happendance Partnering Artist) received her BFA in dance from California Institute of Arts and MA in dance education from Teachers College. Linda pursued a career as an independent choreographer in New York City and Cincinnati and has received grants from the Ohio Arts Council and the city of Cincinnati. She also worked as a dance teaching artist in the schools and as choreographer of TADA! Theatre (co-founder) and First All Children's Theatre in NYC. Linda is currently a nationally certified pilates teacher and has worked in the pilates field as a studio owner of Pilates Zone Inc, and as a pilates instructor at the Michigan Athletic Club. She is also a licensed physical therapist assistant and has worked at The Willows of Okemos and Mindful Movement and Physical Therapy. Linda is proud and excited to be a community dancer with Dance Exchange and Happendance in the production Of Equal Place: Isotopes in Motion.

Laura Spitzfaden (Happendance Partnering Artist) is a member of the Happendance professional dance company, Velocity. She has studied tap, jazz, ballet, modern, and lyrical dance at several greater Lansing dance studios, including Assiff Dance Studio, Lansing Community College, The Dance Conservatory, Greater Lansing Academy of Dance, and Happendance. She participates each summer with the Dance Lansing Community Dance Project. Laura is also a board-certified lactation consultant, supporting families in Mid-Michigan. She is currently attending Lansing Community College to further her science education.

Bridget VanderHoff (Happendance Partnering Artist) graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in dance from Oakland University, where she performed with the Oakland Dance Theatre in The Autumn of The Rite of Spring as the lead role and won the Oakland University Honors College Thesis Award in Dance. She has participated in intensives with the American Ballet Theatre and Parsons Dance and has taught at various studios throughout mid-Michigan. She is also an Opportunity Arts affiliate and serves as the executive secretary for Michigan Dance Council. In addition to Happendance, she performs with Greater Lansing Ballet Company and Dance Uprising.

WOMEN AND MINORITIES IN THE PHYSICAL SCIENCES

Women and Minorities in the Physical Sciences’ mission is to promote the diversity and inclusion of oppressed groups within the physical sciences. We promote equity and community building, encourage women and minorities to pursue the field, and provide support to women and minorities who are already members of the physical science community.

WOMEN AND MINORITIES IN THE PHYSICAL SCIENCES BIOGRAPHIES

Eric Britt (Women and Minorities in the Physical Sciences dancer) is a graduate student in Astrophysics at MSU. He studies nuclear fusion on the surface neutron stars. Neutron stars are the extremely dense remnants of dead stars, so dense that the atoms dissolve away into a degenerate sea of mostly neutrons, essentially becoming a giant atomic nucleus the size of Lansing. To study these exotic objects, he simulates the ignition of carbon on the surface of neutron stars that are accreting from a companion star. Carbon fusion leads to particularly energetic flashes on neutron stars called superbursts. These superbursts may offer a way to see what is happening deeper in the neutron star and tell us about the physics of matter at densities far greater than we can observe on earth.

Chelsie Boodoo (Women and Minorities in the Physical Sciences Dancer) is a biosystem and agricultural engineering Ph.D. student at MSU in Dr. Alocilja's lab where she studies African swine fever. She also works to connect researchers around the world to save lives through the Global Alliance for Rapid Diagnostics. Along with fellow students, she has collaborated in designing a welcoming environment that fosters all aspects of science communication (scicomm) in a modern, dynamic, youthful way for all. Her passion for scicomm drives her to find unconventional and inspiring ways to mix science with the art of storytelling. This led her to be the founder and president of MSU SciComm. Chelsie co-hosts the award-winning show, The Sci-Files, with Daniel Puentes on Impact 89FM, where they explore various MSU student research topics.

Rahul Hain (Women and Minorities in the Physical Sciences Dancer) is a graduate student at Michigan State University (MSU), pursuing a dual Ph.D. in nuclear physics and computational science. He works in the Experimental Nuclear Astrophysics group at the Facility for Rare Isotope Beams (FRIB). His research interests include modeling the neutron star, simulating the nuclear processes in their crusts, and also measuring some of the nuclear reactions occurring in those extreme environments with the exotic isotopes produced at FRIB.

Daniel Puentes (Women and Minorities in the Physical Sciences Dancer) is a Ph.D. candidate in the Department of Physics and Astronomy at Michigan State University, where he researches experimental nuclear physics. His expertise focuses on performing high-precision mass measurements and analyzing their impact on astrophysical and nuclear structure studies. In addition, he has experience working with NGOs, like serving as a regional leader with the National Science Policy Network and interning with the Nuclear Threat Initiative. These experiences have inspired him to pursue a career in nuclear policy after completing his degree program in different government agencies. These aspirations include working in arms control with the Department of State or nuclear safeguards with the National Nuclear Security Administration.

LANSING EVERETT HIGH SCHOOL DANCE PROGRAM

Lansing Everett High School has a longstanding tradition of dance. The Everett Dance Program, founded in 1974 by Karen Sprecher, has served as a dance hub for students in the Lansing School District for generations. With nearly 50 years of dance education provided to Lansing students through this public-school dance program, access to dance has expanded and left a lasting impact on Lansing students and the Greater Lansing community. The legacy of dance at Everett led to the development of the kindergarten to 8th-grade program at Dwight Rich School for the Arts, formerly Pleasant View School. With a solidified and celebrated K-12 Dance Pathway in the Lansing School District, students are able to explore various trajectories within the dance field and are able to utilize dance as a method of embodied learning and point of collaboration within their other academic subject areas. Everett Dancers stay involved and in service to the Greater Lansing community as well as across the state and the region. Everett Dance is delighted to continue the strong partnership established with Wharton Center and the various endeavors to uplift and amplify student voices and opportunities together.

EVERETT HIGH SCHOOL BIOGRAPHIES

Clara Martinez (Dance Director, Everett High School Dance Program) is the Dance Director at Everett High School in the Lansing School District. She is chair of Michigan Dance Council, on the board of All of the Above Hip Hop Academy, Cultural Advocacy Network of Michigan, and the City of Lansing Arts & Culture Commission. In 2020 Clara was voted Best Dance Instructor in the City Pulse Top of the Top Awards. In 2021 Clara was selected for the Michigan Rising Leaders in the Arts Program. She is a fellow for the 2022-2023 National Leaders of Color Fellowship. Clara is pursuing her Master of Social Work degree at Michigan State University. Clara received her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in dance from The Ohio State University.

Tessa Barnett (Everett High School dancer) was named Quintessa, but most people call her Tessa. She is a junior at Everett High School. She has been dancing at Everett since she was in 7th grade. She loves dancing a lot, and she enjoys going to class and spending time with her friends. She has been looking forward to the Isotopes in Motion project since 8th grade. Dancing makes her happy because she learns something new every day; they all bring their personalities to it and incorporate their own style to it, no matter the genre of dance.

Jourdyn Carter (Everett High School dancer) is a talented and experienced dancer in the Lansing area. She has studied many styles of dance and has experience in pre-professional dance companies. She is a competition dancer, as well. Jourdyn is excited to work with Dance Exchange and to participate in Of Equal Place.

Ella Gordon (Everett High School dancer) is a junior at Everett High School in the Lansing School District. She is a dancer, volleyball player, and accomplished student athlete. She is looking forward to finally participating and performing in Of Equal Place this fall.

Sarah Lettau (Everett High School dancer) is 16 years old and is currently a junior in high school. She has been dancing for 14 years and is a dance captain for Everett High School's Dance Company. Sarah has taken multitudes of classes in modern, ballet, jazz, hiphop and more. She has trained at Happendance, The Institute of Dancers, Children's Ballet Theatre, and Mark Taylor's School of Dance. She hopes to continue dancing through high school and college.

Channing Lewis (Everett High School dancer) is in 11th grade. She has been dancing for a few years and has been a part of three school musicals. She enjoys being on stage and making people happy by performing.

Jazmin Monroe (Everett High School dancer) has been dancing for five years, and she enjoys acting and singing on the side. She looks forward to working with a talented group of young women from my school and making a name for us, all while teaching about science through dance to other students and working with other dancers and community members.

Jaida Moore (Everett High School dancer) is a junior at Everett High School. She has been dancing for the majority of her life, and she is also a cheerleader. Her passion for dance comes from listening to music all the time, and dancing honestly just makes her happy. The people she dances with always bring a smile to her face and make her laugh every single day. She is excited to be in the Isotopes in Motion project.

Corina Seymour (Everett High School dancer) is a senior at Everett High School. She has been dancing for 14 years and competing for six. She is excited to gain more unique dance experiences with this program.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Dance Exchange is grateful for the support from the National Endowment for the Arts for Of Equal Place: Isotopes in Motion. Additional major funders that support Dance Exchange's programming include the Montgomery County Maryland Government and the Arts & Humanities Council of Montgomery County, Maryland State Arts Council, the Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation, the Chesapeake Bay Trust, the Dallas Morse Coors Foundation for the Performing Arts, the City of Takoma Park, the USDA Forest Service, and the National Park Service.

Dance Exchange extends a special thanks to Liz Lerman and the creative team and collaborators on The Matter of Origins, Dance Exchange staff and board of directors, Women and Minorities in the Physical Sciences (WaMPS), Bert Goldstein and Wharton Center for the Performing Arts, Clara Martinez, the Lansing School District, Missy Lilje, Rachel Miller, Happendance, and Zach Constan and Artemis Spyrou and the Facility for Rare Isotope Beams.

Study Guide

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Of Equal Place: Isotopes In Motion