Atlanta, October 4, 2021 - This season, Mathematics in Motion, inc. continues to grow with more Kristel Rose Tedesco Residents than ever before, each uniquely examining mathematical concepts through the lens of dance.
Julie Galle Baggenstoss, Rose Shields, and Thulani Vereen have been selected as recipients of the Kristel Rose Tedesco Residency for 2021. These dance artists are awarded with compensation and the opportunity to collaborate with mathematicians in order to create three original works that will be presented by Mathematics in Motion in the Spring of 2022. More information on performances will be available soon.
This season’s residents are diverse, both in the mathematical concepts that they have chosen to explore and the mediums of movement that they use. Julie Galle Baggenstoss is an acclaimed performer, educator, and scholar rooted deeply in Flamenco dance who is curious about the geometry that can be found in movement and sound. She plans to collaborate with hip hop artists and combine traditional flamenco vocabulary with contemporary movement and music to explore the shape of the ellipse, its reasons for being, the mathematical theories that describe its two foci that can become opposing points to create tension, imbalance, or a desire for harmony.
Rose Shields is an established professional dancer, choreographer, and circus performer in Atlanta with a history of integrating scientific and mathematical concepts into her work. Inspired by Chuck Hoberman and his kinetic building structures, Shields is curious about the human body as a living representation of moving architecture. In collaboration with sculptor, Julia Hill, she plans to expand upon a solo which she first premiered in Fall of 2020 entitled “Collapsible Cube” which investigates the idea of dimensions, perspective, and the human form.
Thulani Vereen is software engineer at Microsoft and a freelance choreographer based in Atlanta. She is a recent graduate of Spellman College where she merged her passions for computer science and dance through award-winning research projects. Vereen is creating a work that brings out the geometric intuition of linear algebra to inspire innovative uses of space with dancers. Her objectives of this project are to (1) educate general audiences on the fascinating core concepts of linear algebra in an accessible way, (2) to inspire dancers, scientists, mathematicians to push their work or research into the intersectional landscape, and (3) create for a visually captivating work based on the artistic application of mathematical concepts.
Kristel Rose Tedesco was a co-founder of Mathematics-in-Motion and an impassioned choreographer who loved to combine science and dance. Unfortunately, she passed away in January, 2020. Without her presence and creativity, Mathematics in Motion would not exist and for that we are eternally grateful. In her honor, Mathematics in Motion created a residency that involves collaborating with mathematicians and choreographing dance works that take inspiration from mathematics and/or science. At its origin in spring of 2020 only one resident was selected. In fall of 2020 the program expanded to two residents, and now, in fall of 2021, the applicant pool was so talented that there seemed to be no choice but to grow the program in arithmetic progression.
Mathematics in Motion, Inc., was founded to make innovations in education and to enhance the public's appreciation for mathematics and science. For this purpose, we create partnerships with the arts, design new ways of communicating mathematics and science, and organize and produce events and performances. See https://mathematics-in-motion.org/ to learn more.
Media Contact:
Angelina Pellini
Mathematics in Motion, inc. Administrative Coordinator
mathinmotionatl@gmail.com
(404) 317-4590