Written by Jillian Murray
Edited by Aston K. McCullough, Ph.D. & Kiley M. Baker, M.Sc.
Laboratory for the Scientific Study of Dance (LAB:SYNC) and the Dance Program at the University of Massachusetts Amherst recently hosted the 2023 Dance Science Symposium (DSS) in April. This year, LAB:SYNC was delighted to welcome Edna Orozco, MA (Cenda University Corporation), Constantina Theofanopoulou, PhD (Hunter College, City University of New York & Rockefeller University), Deepthi Thumulri, MS (Wake Forest University), Professor Christina Soriano, MFA (Wake Forest University), and Christina Hugenschmidt, PhD (Wake Forest University) who presented their current research on dance as it links to technology, auditory-motor integration, and multiple health outcomes.
Orozco’s presentation, “Proprioception and cyberception: technological bodies and other anatomies on stage” dove into the relationship between the technological body and the human body, and investigated philosophical approaches for meaningfully integrating technology into choreographic works for the stage. Orozco underscored the role proprioception in dance performance, illustrated ways in which the dancer makes sense of their kinesphere, and she introduced the concept of cyberception. Further exploring these concepts, Orozco displayed projects from her dance company, ATI-erra, an innovative multimedia group that pushes what is possible in works of art that center the use of technology.
Dr. Constantina Theofanopoulou then began her talk titled, “Insights into the neurobiology of sensory-motor communication,” during which she presented research on associations between dance and speech. Dr. Theofanopoulou’s presentation introduced the concept of auditory-motor integration and its relevance to the parallel development of speech and motor behavior. She further underscored the respective neural pathways responsible for speech and motor behavior, and she provided a theoretical framework for research that aims to improve both speech and motor outcomes among adults with neurodegenerative conditions such as Parkinson’s Disease by using dance and other potential interventions.
The final presentation was delivered by Ms. Deepthi Thumulri, Professor Christina Soriano, and Dr. Christina Hugenschmidt and was titled, “IMOVE and IGROOVE : Moving towards the medicine of dance.” The research group illustrated the benefits of improvisational dance for adults with early-stage dementia. To begin the session, audience members were invited to engage in a sample of the group’s improvisational dance intervention, “IMPROVment,” which was led by its creator, Soriano. The IMPROVment model focuses on empowering each participant to move as they wish, and it leverages movement as a catalyst for improving cognitive and functional health outcomes, to name a few. Soriano, along with colleagues Thumuluri and Hugenschmidt, conveyed findings that showed as little as 8 weeks of dance may be associated with positive changes in brain network characteristics among adults with early-stage dementia, balance, and quality of life.
Thank you to everyone who contributed to the success of this year’s Dance Science Symposium, and thanks to all who joined virtually for this year’s event. The date for the DSS 2024 will be announced this summer, and the call for abstracts to be considered as a speaker at next year’s symposium is forthcoming.