What do chemistry and ballet have in common? For Kirsten Rye, the answer is creativity. A senior double majoring in ballet and chemistry with a minor in ecology and legacy through the Honors College, Rye sees movement not just in dance, but in atoms.
“I want to combine both subjects, to teach the same kids’ chemistry and after school teach them ballet,” Rye said. “I can theoretically integrate the same ideas into chemistry and ballet. I think they can go hand in hand even if they are very different.”
Her honors thesis, “Choreography Through the Eyes of a Chemist,” explores this connection, inspired by physicist Richard Feynman’s idea of the creative scientist — someone who blends art and science to observe the world in a unique way.
“We do a lot of visualization in art of what we want to create,” Rye said. “For a dance project, I thought about how atoms interact and form bonds and how that is similar to how we interact with people. I translated that onto the stage.”
Rye believes dance can be another tool to bridge the gap between science and art by creating dynamic visuals and enhancing the learning process. She speaks about the similar creative processes scientists and dancers both face, “Artists have to practice their skills and hone them,” she said. “Every great painter has to practice. No one sees the hard work behind the screen.”
Through her work, Rye proves that science and art are not separate, but two sides of the same creative process.
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