This fall, USC Viterbi research sparked one-of-a-kind performances fusing science and dance in surprising ways. Awe and Wonder, a signature program presented by LA-based Donna Sternberg & Dancers, brought together four choreographers and four Viterbi faculty members for an exploration of artificial intelligence, the metaverse and beyond. The result? A stunning display of creativity where the cutting-edge ideas from USC scientists inspired movement that was anything but ordinary.

Donna Sternberg & Dancers, a contemporary dance company founded by Sternberg in 1985, has explored the intersection between dance and science for more than 15 years. The theme of this year’s program, AI and the Metaverse, provided the backdrop for four choreographers to engage in deep conversations with the researchers about technology and its influence on humanity, culture and the world.

 

In Maya, choreographer and founder Sternberg interprets the work of physicist David Nelson, director of the Mixed Reality Lab (MxR) at USC Viterbi’s Institute for Creative Technologies, drawing out themes of illusion and transformation through fluid, shifting forms.

Timestamp: @0:00
Choreographer: Donna Sternberg
Scientist: David Nelson

 

Clean Energy?, choreographed by Tai Ryan White, responds to the research of Aiichiro Nakano, a professor of computer science, physics and astronomy, using motion to ask provocative questions about sustainability and technological progress.

Timestamp: @1:25
Choreographer: Tai Ryan
Scientist: Aiichiro Nagano

 

TranslAltion, a collaboration between Wilfried G. Souly and Xochitl Loco, engages with the voice and language research of Shrikanth Narayanan, professor of electrical and computer engineering, offering a visceral take on communication and cultural identity.

Timestamp: @2:40
Choreography: Wilfried G. Souly in collaboration with Xochitl Loco
Scientist: Shrikanth Narayanan

 

And in To Look, Feel, Be, choreographer Aubre Hill responds to Computer Science Research Assistant Professor Yajie Zhao’s work on digital avatars and embodied AI, bringing emotional texture to the relationship between data and human experience.

Timestamp: @3:51
Choreography: Aubre Hill
Scientist: Yajie Zhao

 

But this wasn’t about simply illustrating research; It was about capturing the essence of it, creating something emotional, dynamic, and entirely new.

We sat down with choreographer Tai Ryan White, whose dance was inspired by Professor Nakano’s work on computational physics and clean energy, exploring the tension between the invisible systems where energy materials are born, and our very real—and visible–need for sustainable solutions.

 

How did you first hear about Professor Nakano’s work and what drew you to it? Can you describe your first meeting with him and the impressions/thoughts that stayed with you?

This was actually very funny to me. I was brought in to collaborate with a scientist to creatively showcase a theme created around their work.  When I met Professor Nakano via email, I was a little nervous. Our first zoom meeting was great. I feel like we spent the time getting to know what we do individually and how it complements each other. I learned so much and to be honest, it was that meeting that sealed me into the project.

 

 

Do you have any background in science, or was this collaboration your first deep dive into a scientific field? How did that influence your creative process?

The full extent of my scientific career was from school. In college I had a professor that gave me so many nuggets of information that helped me discover a respect for science… and that’s it! Outside of those little things, I am “un-scienced” to the max. I learned so much from Professor Nakano (aka Nakano San) about quantum physics and more. Literally mind blowing.

 

How did you translate such an abstract and complex subject into movement and choreography?

I can bring movement to anything but for it to be impactful, I needed to create a narrative. We ventured through the topic of AI and the metaverse, but we wanted to highlight the process for creating clean nuclear energy.

Breaking down the process of how it is created led me to highlight the process in phases. With Nakano San feeding me the knowledge, the story just poured out from there. Professor Nakano’s dear friend and colleague, Makiko, helped me make sure that the story titles and references made sense. She was my creative soundboard for sure.

Are there any specific phenomena or principles that directly informed your choreography? Any movements in your piece that symbolize particular aspects of quantum physics?

I’d have to say when Nakano San asked Makiko to speak about the doomsday clock, that shook me. It is quite insane to me how close we are to imminent danger. The “Manifestation” portion of our piece highlighted the destructive power of nuclear energy while it’s being used in a dangerous way. Most of our movement symbolized the peeling away of flesh, which is an effect of nuclear warfare. Makiko also read me a Nobel Peace Prize winning essay from Nihon Hidankyo, a survivor of Hiroshima. This cemented in my head that we needed to tell a full story and spread awareness.

 

What aspects of Professor Nakano’s work resonated with you on a personal or emotional level? What emotions or ideas did you hope to evoke in your audience through this dance?

Professor Nakano had an amazing outlook on clean energy. His reasoning for diving so deep into science is for the bettering of our world. That is the reason why I am an artist as well. I was very impressed with Professor Nakano’s kindness. He and all his amazing scientists and friends.

It’s like a USC tribe of intelligence and greatness. After witnessing this, I wanted to showcase community in the work. If we think about the relationship of the atom to the electron, I think that is the perfect example of the community that Professor Nakano guided me into. I hope the audience was able to see this and feel this and hopefully be encouraged to be a part of a solution that would lead us to peace and greater value of the lives of those in our communities and beyond.

 

Do you see any parallels between the creative process in dance and scientific exploration?

There are absolute parallels to creativity in dance and scientific exploration. Creativity thrives in exploration. I like to think of science as the study of all of God’s wonders when consistency is present. Science opens us up to understanding what is and discovering what is to come. Creativity in dance thrives in the idea of possibilities and what we can imagine, and science discovers and analyses it in our world.

 

Do you think dance and other forms of art can play a role in making science more accessible or relatable to the public?

I believe that the arts in general translate the themes of any subject. Art speaks directly to the soul and in the right hands and lens of heartfelt creatives, any message can be translated.

 

Do you plan to expand to collaborate on similar projects in the future?

I hope to collaborate with Nakano San in the future for sure! It was very inspiring, and I know we could do more. This experience will live in my heart for a long time.