By
Masha Bandouil
I am
a senior Dance and Biology double major at Loyola University of Chicago,
currently researching how dance can make science more accessible to the general
public. Over the last year, I produced three dance films that translate
educational text from the Sarnoff Center website into the language of movement.
The films illustrate and explain the principles of genetics, as well as genetic
diseases and hereditary cancers that disproportionately affect the Jewish
community. While there is a voice-over for the films, I am interested in my
choreography as the principle form of communication.
Rooted
in human instinct, the body houses knowledge that is just as important to
access as the knowledge associated with the mind. Ranging from gestures to
dance steps, I believe movement can provide a universal language through which
scientists can share their findings with non-scientific audiences despite
barriers of language, learning style, education level, or access to specialized
knowledge.
The
first film is an overview of the basics of genetics and can be found in the
Genetics 101 tab.
The second
film explains genetic diseases and can be found in the Jewish Genetic Disorders
tab.
The third
film explains hereditary cancers and can be found in the Hereditary Cancer
Overview tab.
Check
out the films and see if the dance imagery helps you better visualize and understand
the scientific concepts! Fill out the survey that accompanies the films
and let me know your thoughts - I would love to hear what you think!