The centuries-long dialogue between dance and science spans anthropology, astronomy, cosmology, education, medicine, physical culture, psychology, and non-digital technologies, among others. Lynn Matluck Brooks and Sariel Golomb, two editors of a recent volume revealing such interplays in “the long nineteenth century,” discuss the real-time and historical themes informing “the articulate body” that have emerged through research into the dance–science pas de deux in that period. As digital technologies and artificial intelligence increasingly pervade our lives—and shape our movements—questions regarding the interface between embodiment and science have become urgent. Yet we encounter groundwork and, perhaps, insight for grappling with our moment in earlier interplays, investigated in Dance and Science in the Long Nineteenth Century, by an international group of scholars and revealed in this talk through materials from the Jerome Robbins Dance Division.

For more than 10 years, The Dance Historian Is In at the Library for the Performing Arts has highlighted a diverse range of dancers and choreographers across history. This series began when archivist and historian David Vaughan started volunteering at the Jerome Robbins Dance Division. Vaughan began a monthly program showing his favorite dance films from the Division's extensive collection, through which he unearthed many treasures, and helped acquire even more. Vaughan continued the series until the end of his life. Today, we honor his memory and work by inviting dance historians from all over the world each month to carry on the tradition of highlighting dance history through the Dance Division's moving image collection.

This event will take place online via Zoom. A streaming link will be emailed to everyone on the morning of the event.