Fluidity, Grace and STEAM

Over Coffee® | Stories and Resources from the Intersection of Art and Science | Exploring How to Make STEAM Work For You

Over Coffee® is on holiday hiatus. Please enjoy this reposting of one of our top podcast episodes of 2021!

To choreographer and marine biologist Deidre Cavazzi, art, science and math are natural dance partners.

Deidre, who is both the Founder/Artistic DIrector of ARCHITEXTURE Dance Company and Chair of Saddleback College Dance Department, finds inspiration in areas most people wouldn’t equate with creating art.

These include mathematical principles, environmental issues and neuroscience.

And perhaps one of the most exciting aspects of her creative work, is her interdisciplinary approach.

“Everyone is an artist,” Deidre explains. “Everyone is a scientist.”

Accordingly, her Saddleback collaborations can involve the physics department, math majors and the ceramics studio. Meanwhile, ARCHITEXTURE’s presentations illustrate subjects like nanoscience and California ecology.

Deidre explained the ways her own background had led to her collaborative artistic projects, offered a look at the creative process behind Saddleback College’s all-virtual multimedia project “Signals and Circuits”, and gave a preview of what’s coming next!

On this edition of Over Coffee® we cover:

• The multidisciplinary background that first interested Deidre in both art and science;

• How Deidre first decided to reach out to other departments at Saddleback College for interdisciplinary projects;

• A look at separate performances Deidre created, based on physics and mathematics concepts;

• Some inspiration sources Deidre recommends for other creatives;

• One of Deidre’s favorite creative lessons during a trip to the Arctic with other artists and scientists;

• An environmental “find” that shocked Deidre and her fellow artists–and led to a powerful new performance;

• What works for Deidre, in translating her experiences to multimedia for her audiences;

• How Deidre, her students and her colleagues collaborated remotely to create their all-virtual piece, “Signals and Circuits”

• A look at Saddleback College’s upcoming dance program, created remotely with Zoom and green screen;

• Some of the isolation-related innovations which Deidre expects to carry forward, post-pandemic;

• A look at what Deidre is currently exploring for a future collaboration!;

• Where to find Saddleback College’s spring dance collaborations when posted;