The Project: Overview & Team
Project Overview
Swan Lake Unfolded grew from a desire to explore recent popular culture references to the iconic ballet and to examine the meanings behind them, particularly the ways they spark conversations about contemporary issues and debates. More than a century after its creation, Swan Lake remains a powerful and enduring cultural influence, offering a unique lens through which to consider the issues of contemporary life that continue to shape us.
This project provides a brief historical background on the ballet before diving into places that Swan Lake has surfaced in streaming media over the last handful of years. Through a podcast series where ideas are further explored on this website, we unpack the ballet's unique contemporary relevance, with insights from guest experts across various interdisciplinary fields, including scholars, performers, lawyers, digital designers, and more.
Finally, our website"Popular Culture Webbing" section connects podcast discussions to broader cultural examples, encouraging dialogue. Use the "Contact" button to share your thoughts and join the conversation, or to become a collaborator yourself--it’s simple!
"Scenes from Ballet Swan Lake"
1970 Soviet Union CPA 3938 stamp
Jen Atkins
Project Lead /Executive Producer
Jen Atkins is a Professor in Florida State University's School of Dance. Her research explores how everyday movements—such as physical gestures and social choreographies—shape and reflect diverse ways humans create and express social, cultural, and political values and identities, both historically and in contemporary society. Rooted in various forms of popular culture, her work provides a dynamic lens for examining pressing questions about human experiences. Jen has many loves: her hometown, New Orleans; travel (this pic is from Boulder, Colorado); watching movies (especially wuxia pian and sci fi); cracking dad jokes; and wearing black.
Madeline
Aldana-Gray
Project Manager /Managing Producer
Madeline Aldana-Gray is mover, maker, and educator. She is an MFA candidate in the FSU School of Dance. Originally from Southeast Louisiana, she is interested in all things sparkly, shiny, and glittery. Madeline is currently researching Catholic aesthetics to create magical, otherworldly experiences for dancers and audiences.
Meet our collaborators! Drawn from a range of disciplines and creative practices, our team shares a curiosity that guides and shapes this project.
Team Research Assistants
Research Intern
Nina Tran
Nina Tran is a first-year undergraduate at Florida State University, majoring in Interdisciplinary Social Science and minoring in Communication. In her free time, Nina binds books, goes to the gym, and tries new cookie recipes. She plans to attend law school after graduating from FSU with an interest in media and entertainment law.
Research Intern
Ellia Uminn
Ellia Uminn is a first year Florida State University student majoring in pre-international affairs, with a minor in French and Arabic. In her free time, she loves to watch movies, read, and rock climb. Swan Lake allows her to explore how a single piece of art can create deep cultural connections and transcend borders.
Research Assistant
Brianna Auguste
Brianna Auguste is a second-year student at Florida State University, majoring in Psychology with minors in both criminology and neuroscience. Brianna is interested in gaining her PhD in clinical psychology. Through her love of research and writing, Brianna hopes to use her creative skills in her future work as a therapist.
Research Assistant
Kendra Ludeman
Kendra Ludeman is a first-year student at Florida State University, majoring in Criminology. She loves playing golf, hanging out with friends, and soaking up the sun at the beach. Driven by curiosity, Kendra is considering a double major in Marketing to combine her logical thinking with her creative spark.
Research Assistant
Maren Kaymak-Loveless
Maren Kaymak-Loveless is a sophomore at Florida State University majoring in pre-Public Relations and minoring in Retail Operations. A few things Maren is passionate about include writing, research, and travel. She aspires to use her creative and communication skills in her future career in the PR industry, and to continue sharing her love of ballet.
Meet the Project Consutants
Project Consultant
Bhumi Patel
Dr. Bhumi B Patel (she/they) is a queer-of-color scholar-artist-educator and director of pateldanceworks. Bhumi’s research on queer decoloniality and improvisation intersects with performance-making as a way of tracing the deep connections of past, present, future to build communities of nourishment and care. Bhumi earned a PhD in Dance Studies from The Ohio State University, an MFA in Dance from Mills College, and an MA in American Dance Studies from Florida State University. Bhumi serves as Dance Studies Association Treasurer, is an Editorial Assistant for Choreographic Practices and Dance Research Journal, and is committed to innovating through embodied, liberatory research.
Project Consultant
Jeremy Guyton
Jeremy De’jon Guyton is a performance artist and writer whose work primarily engages Afro//queer archives to imagine pathways toward collective liberation. He holds an M.F.A. in Choreography & Performance from Florida State University and a B.A. in Theatre & Performance Studies from Georgetown University. His choreographic research integrates devised theatre practices, text and spoken word, media, and social and club movement languages to create immersive performance worlds that invite deep listening, critical inquiry, and collective dreaming. He has toured internationally with critically acclaimed artist, Solange Knowles, and is an active contributor to regional and international artist collectives.
Bridging creative practice with community care and cultural preservation, he is the founder and legacy steward of a.l.t. ^home, a creative residency and living cultural archive housed in his family home in South Los Angeles. More information can be learned at: www.jeremydejon.com
Project Consultant
Jessica Ray
Jessica Ray is Associate Director of the Melbern G. Glasscock Center for Humanities Research and Instructional Associate Professor of History at Texas A&M University. She teaches about and researches US cultural history, especially popular culture and dance.