Frequently Asked Questions
Are you serious?
Totally serious. Here’s a bizarre TED talk/dance by the founder, John Bohannon. Also see last year’s videos and media coverage in NYTimes and NPR.
But I don’t know how to dance.
Nonsense. Everyone knows how to dance. And anyway, the judges will be looking for great ideas and great performances. You know a great idea when you see one. (It makes you say stuff like, “Ah ha! I get it! Cool!”) And we definitely know a great performance when we see one. It’s about emotion and stage presence, not being virtuoso. Consider, for example, the OK Go treadmill dance, the Numa Numa guy, and the prison Thriller video. And if you’re going for a more serious sort of dance, you can hardly do better than to emulate Pilobolus. Take a look at the Tips & Tricks page for how to make a good Ph.D. dance video.
I’m shy. Do I really need to be in the video?
Are you serious? Yes, the author of the Ph.D. thesis has to be one of the dancers.
I’m not a scientist anymore.
We still love you. If you completed a science-related Ph.D. sometime in your distant past, you’re in.
I’m an engineer/mathematician/economist/historian of science.
Odd-balls are welcome. Your Ph.D. must be in a science-related field, but that’s loosely defined. If you’re seriously in doubt, you can always email us.
But I’m not even vaguely a scientist, and never was!
OK, that’s a problem. But not a deal-breaker. You just need to find a scientist friend and convince her to enter this contest. Then you can make a dance based on her Ph.D. She just has to be part of the dance. (Note: The prize still goes to the author of the Ph.D.)
OK, I’ll do it. But I don’t know how to make video.
Take a look at the Tips & Tricks page for how to make a good Ph.D. dance video.
Why do I have to put my video on Vimeo instead of YouTube?
You can actually put your video wherever you want. It’s your Ph.D. dance, after all. But to officially enter the “Dance Your Ph.D.” contest, you have to upload it to www.vimeo.com. Vimeo is a sponsor of the ISF Film Festival, which is where the “Dance Your Ph.D.” screening and award ceremony was in 2010. That’s the main reason. But it’s mostly arbitrary.
I totally just danced my Ph.D.! Now how do I enter the contest?
Congratulations! That was surprisingly fun, wasn’t it? OK, now you have to upload your video, and send us a link. Here are instructions and a form for doing that. You know you’re in the running when your video is added to the videos page.
How do I win?
Finalists for each category (Physics, Chemistry, Biology, and Social Sciences) will be announced in September. A panel of judges will score each Ph.D. dance with 3 parameters: scientific merit, artistic merit, and creative combination of the science and art. Basically, to win this contest, you have to impress the judges. Some of them are scientists, some of them are artists. Your dance has to convey something essential about your Ph.D. research. Whatever that is, the judges need to “get it”. But you also have to make something that is fun to watch. Sure, it can be funny. But if so, it should also be impressively creative. And put some effort into the “Description” text for your video. This is really important. Steer clear of jargon. This is your one and only chance to nudge viewers (including the judges) in the right direction as they try to interpret your Ph.D. dance. It should be short, sweet, and easy to understand. Take a look at the Tips & Tricks page.
How do the categories get decided?
The short version: We decide; the end. Long version: We divide the dances into PHYSICS, CHEMISTRY, BIOLOGY, and SOCIAL SCIENCE based on the phenomenon being studied. If it is at the level of fundamental (or applied) physics or lower (e.g. mathematics), then it goes in PHYSICS. If it focuses mostly on the behavior of atoms, molecules, or interactions at the molecular level, then CHEMISTRY. If the focus is on an organism (genetics, cell biology, physiology, evolution, etc.), then BIOLOGY. And anything that focuses on a higher level of interaction between social organisms, or involves the mind in any way (psychology, sociology) goes into SOCIAL SCIENCE.
Do all PhD projects divide neatly like this? Of course not. But we’re trying to get a broad representation across disciplines. This seems to help. Please don’t get mad.
When do I find out if I win?
TEDxBrussels needs to know who the winner is by 15 October so they can arrange for transportation to Belgium. So you’ll be hearing from us by email around then. Also, Science will announce the winners with much fanfare.
Christine Herman says:
Hi!
I am super-excited about the “Dance your Ph.D.” contest. I have a question about music. How do you get legal permission to use a song on you iTunes in a video? Is it enough to “own” the song (i.e. have a legitimate copy of it on my laptop)? Or do I have to request permission from the music producer?
Thanks for your help!
Christine Herman
June 3, 2010 @ 6:43 pmGonzo Scientist says:
Yeah I thought someone would ask about that. There are a lot of variables in the online use of music… How it is used exactly, where it’s used, and how much the owner cares. For example, if you want permission to use a Beatles recording, good luck. And it won’t last long on YouTube, for example, where little music-detecting robots are constantly searching for famous music tracks, and automatically taking them down.
June 3, 2010 @ 8:16 pmThat’s YouTube for you. (Though it looks like rights management is evolving at YouTube.) Sometimes, with persistence, you can get through to the copyright owner and get permission. One of the winners of last year’s contest, Vince LiCata, got through to Laurie Anderson herself and got permission to use her music for his Ph.D. dance. Most didn’t get permission. I know of 2 or 3 of last year’s Ph.D. dances that got the audio stripped from their YouTube videos. To answer your last question, it doesn’t matter that you bought a legitimate copy of a piece of music. That only gives you permission to listen to it privately. You can check out the website of the recording company. Some music is old enough that it’s in the public domain. And a lot of music is available online through Creative Commons licensing. Hope that helps.panambi says:
hey, is this an international thing or only for US residents / students???
June 4, 2010 @ 11:02 pmGonzo Scientist says:
It’s for anyone in the whole world.
June 5, 2010 @ 8:04 pm第三年度的Ph.D.舞林大会-Dance Your Ph.D. | 丕子 says:
[…] or be working on one as a Ph.D. student. 2. Your Ph.D. must be in a science-related field (see FAQ). 3. You must be part of the dance (see […]
June 6, 2010 @ 8:15 pm¡Baila tu tesis! « :: ZTFNews.org says:
[…] tesis debe tratar sobre un tema científico (ver este enlace si tienes […]
June 7, 2010 @ 3:58 amAneeqa says:
i love to take part in this contest ….its amazing creativity ….nd even an interesting exercise of our mind …:-)
June 13, 2010 @ 12:56 amRuth says:
How about a Masters thesis? Can I dance that? I have an awesome idea involving 20 people dessed in blue and a giant sheet of latex.
June 14, 2010 @ 5:25 amGonzo Scientist says:
Hi Ruth- Sorry, you can only dance a Masters thesis if it’s part of your Ph.D. research. I know, it’s unfair and arbitrary. But we have to draw the line somewhere. The contest is called “Dance Your Ph.D.” after all…
June 14, 2010 @ 4:46 pmSruthi says:
Hey There!
So me and my fellow grad student, Jen, have been waiting for this competition!! We were curious if we can make a joint entry. We are both PhD students in the same lab studying very similar things. We are hoping not to compete against each other or choose one thesis to focus on. We would obviously be willing to split the prize money
Let us know! Thanks!
~Sruthi
June 15, 2010 @ 3:52 pmGonzo Scientist says:
Hey there Sruthi-
Interesting. Well… It’s not really in the spirit of the contest. Each dance is supposed to depict a single Ph.D. thesis. Why not do two dances, one for each thesis, with both of you dancing in each one. You can even make them explicitly linked, part I and part II. (Do they tell complimentary stories in some way? That would be cool.) The judges will consider each dance separately, and the prize can only go to one… But I promise to bring attention to both if one of you wins. Good compromise?
June 15, 2010 @ 7:16 pmSruthi says:
Hey Gonzo,
We completely understand. Our theses do tell complimentary stories about the same subject matter so we’ll go ahead and make them Part 1 and Part 2. We like the compromise of being highlighted together. Thanks!!
~Sruthi
June 15, 2010 @ 9:53 pmBuckbear says:
In previous years, if I recall correctly, the entrant had to be present at the final. Is this still a requirement? Air fares from the Antipodes are expensive (moreso than the prize money).
June 24, 2010 @ 11:05 pmGonzo Scientist says:
No, you’re not required to be present at the final judging this year. It’s all happening online. But if you are chosen as a finalist and your film is screened at the film festival in NYC in October, it would be a great experience. If we had enough money to fly you in, we would. But this year we’re operating on a tighter budget. I heard there have been some problems with the financial industry since the last Ph.D. dance contest…
June 28, 2010 @ 2:21 pmCody Smart says:
I have a question about the iffy-ness of a science PhD. I tried to e-mail, but my computer and outlook aren’t very compatible.
I am working on my PhD in Public Policy, but the concentration is Science, Technology, and Innovation.
If it is enough science for this contest, please let me know so I can participate!
June 28, 2010 @ 4:09 pmGonzo Scientist says:
Hi Cody. Yes that sounds fine. Dance that public policy thesis, sir!
June 29, 2010 @ 6:58 amdave says:
Why not humanities?
June 30, 2010 @ 12:35 amGonzo Scientist says:
What makes the contest interesting is the engagement between science and the arts.
June 30, 2010 @ 12:38 amEli Grace says:
Do the videos have any length restrictions?
June 30, 2010 @ 3:12 pmGonzo Scientist says:
Hi Eli- Nope, no official time limitation. But don’t try people’s patience. It had better be riveting if it’s longer than 5 minutes…
June 30, 2010 @ 5:58 pmRupsha says:
Are you covered by PRS (Performance Rights Society)? I understand this is a long shot, as PRS is British…
July 14, 2010 @ 3:42 pmGonzo Scientist says:
Hi Rupsha. Not that I know of.
July 14, 2010 @ 5:01 pmkathy says:
Can children participate in the dance at all?
August 5, 2010 @ 10:40 pmGonzo Scientist says:
Hi Kathy-
Of course, why not? (Assuming all laws are respected, of course.)
August 5, 2010 @ 11:05 pmKathy says:
Yay! Tahnks for your quick response. We weren’t sure how to interpret rule #2. Given your response and since the under 18 year old won’t be the individual competing (she hasn’t earned her PhD…yet) I guess we are good to go!
August 6, 2010 @ 10:42 amWendy says:
Are Ed.D. eligible?
August 10, 2010 @ 1:23 pmMatt says:
Is there a guideline for how to bin interdisciplinary programs? My PhD is going to be in Human Genetics/Genetic Epidemiology. Genetics is traditionally “Biology” while Epidemiology is often considered a “Social Science” (really, it’s a Public Health science). Should I just pick the discipline I think is closest (Biology), or do you have a guide for what you mean by each category of your contest / how you are defining each bin?
August 11, 2010 @ 8:23 amGonzo Scientist says:
Hi Wendy-
A dance based on an Ed.D. is eligible if you use scientific methods (e.g. testing hypotheses with statistical data) or deal in some way with science (e.g. a thesis about teaching math). If you’re in doubt, the best thing to do is just email me the title and abstract of the thesis: gonzo@aaas.org. I usually respond within hours.
August 11, 2010 @ 10:21 amGonzo Scientist says:
Hi Matt-
You don’t choose the category. We do. That saves us all from having to debate the ever-changing landscape of discipline categories. All you have to do is dance… and enter the contest. Leave the rest to us.
August 11, 2010 @ 10:22 amAndy says:
Dear Gonzo Scientist,
Could we have some explanations like Shalm’s The Quantum Ruler or some identifications of the characters like Henderson’s The Isotope Square Dance in our videos? Thank you.
Andy
August 11, 2010 @ 4:22 pmGonzo Scientist says:
Hi Andy-
There’s nothing in the rules that says you can’t add text to your video. However, all things being equal, it is better to *not* clutter up your dance with lots of text, graphics, etc. This is ultimately a dance contest. So the judges will be more impressed if you can elegantly capture your Ph.D. thesis without a bunch of graffiti on the screen. I highly recommend to everyone that they try to just make dances that speak for themselves. That’s what the text is for–by which I mean your description of your dance on your video’s Vimeo page. The judges begin by reading that text, then watching the dance.
August 12, 2010 @ 9:35 amAndy says:
Thank you for your suggestion, Gonzo Scientist!
I have two versions of my Ph.D dance. A lot of people love the version with subtitle because they can easily understand everything without reading the description. For the version without subtitle, people understand my dance better when they read the description because the description gives them some background about my thesis and dance. Yes, having text during the dance does make people pay less attention to the dance itself. I will submit my dance this or next week. Thanks again, Gonzo!
Andy
P.S.: All scientists, dance your Ph.D.! It’s fun for me, and I am sure that it’ll be fun for you too.
August 12, 2010 @ 10:52 amalejandra rangel says:
I am wondering what happen if We cannot assit to the ceremony in october?
September 2, 2010 @ 9:02 pmAnd I could not write too much because I was in a hurry and we did it just at last mins. Can I write a description about the dance now after the deadline? and how?. Thanks
Margo says:
Hello Gonzo,
September 13, 2010 @ 9:39 amIs there limit of time when have I graduated my PHD (two, three or more years ago)? I would like to take a part in competition next year, and I’m PHD from 2008.
Best wishes, Margo
Gonzo Scientist says:
Hi Margo-
Nope, no time limit. Once you do a Ph.D., you’re in the club for life. You can dance anytime you want.
September 13, 2010 @ 9:45 amMargo says:
Hi Gonzo,
September 20, 2010 @ 1:54 pmOne more question – Do I qualified to this competition as an art historian PhD, or do you accept only natural science?
Thanks,
Best,
Margo
David says:
Hi,
I am fascinated by this competition, however, I missed this year’s deadline
Please tell me that there will be a second time! *prettyprettyplease*
September 21, 2010 @ 7:30 amLilly says:
Can I dance my Master’s thesis in Biology/Neuroscience???
June 15, 2011 @ 5:51 pmAmber says:
Is there going to be a Dance your Dissertation 2011? I keep looking for the announcement, but haven’t seen anything.
June 27, 2011 @ 10:55 amAndrea says:
I am so excited about this (I can see exactly how to dance my Ph.D.) but I might not be able to pull it off by the deadline. I hope there will be another competition in 2012.
August 31, 2011 @ 11:35 amSherrin says:
Does a PhD in Media and Communications count as a social science degree?
September 2, 2011 @ 12:10 pmGonzo Scientist says:
Hi Sherrin-
A PhD in Media and Communications can count if the thesis involves the scientific method. Did you test hypotheses? Does it involve data? If it’s more of a humanities theoretical thesis, then it’s not a good fit. Send the title and abstract to me in an email and I’ll let you know right away.
September 2, 2011 @ 12:30 pmMichelle says:
Dear Gonzo Scientist,
This is great idea. I have three questions:
1. In response to the question posted by Christine Herman on June 3rd, I understand that videos could be taken down from youtube. However, if you have a song that “fits” your idea but you know you won’t be able to get rights to it, are you able to use it? I mean, will the judges still be able to see it on Vimeo before/after it is “potentially” taken down? Or, is it that once it is taken down (if it is), then the judging is only based on what you can see and hear?
2. In response to Andy (August 12), would you further clarify the position regarding “clutter,” in terms of props or set?
3. Will others be able to see your video before judging (i.e. – sneak peek at the year’s competition)?
Kindest regards,
Michelle
September 2, 2011 @ 2:28 pmGonzo Scientist says:
Hi Michelle-
1. The video don’t go on youtube. They go on vimeo.com. ’nuff said I hope.
2. By “clutter” I’m really just suggesting that you pay attention to the scene. People will be experiencing your PhD dance as an online video, probably on a laptop screen. Clean visuals work best. The eye gets distracted easily, diluting the impact of the dance. Choose your scenery carefully. That’s all.
3. Yes, the videos will be posted as they are created. However, there is an advantage to submitting your dance early rather than late. The judging this year is a 2-stage process. The judges will be choosing a short list of the best videos first, and then a different group of judges will be selecting the winners from that list. The shortlist is continuously created. So you have a better shot at making it in if you submit early.
September 2, 2011 @ 2:40 pmKathleen James-Cavan says:
How do you justify keeping the Humanities out?
September 3, 2011 @ 1:51 pmGonzo Scientist says:
Hi Kathleen-
I justify it on the basis that this is a contest I created to promote the public understanding of science.
September 3, 2011 @ 2:13 pmPhilip Wadler says:
Cool! I want to dance my thesis, but it isn’t in physics, chemistry, biology, or social science, it was in informatics. (When I wrote the thesis, many years ago, the subject was called computer science). Do I stand a chance?
September 6, 2011 @ 9:24 amGonzo Scientist says:
Hi Philip-
Don’t worry, you totally stand a chance. We’ll probably put your dance into the physics category, unless it’s bioinformatics.
Get dancing!
September 7, 2011 @ 10:53 amJodi says:
I am completing a DPsych degree – Doctor of Psychology. Would I be eligible? I’m not doing a PhD exactly, but it’s still a doctoral level degree with a large research component.
September 8, 2011 @ 10:16 pmGonzo Scientist says:
Hi Jodi-
Sorry, it has to be a PhD. If we opened the door to DPsych, then why not Masters degrees, which also have “a large research component”?
September 9, 2011 @ 9:50 amCarina says:
Hi,
The info says that the shortlist will be made in September, but the submission deadline is the 10th October. Does that mean that any videos submitted after September won’t make the shortlist? I was hoping to submit in the first week of October, but if that means I’m at a disadvantage I will have to re-think! Thanks!
September 13, 2011 @ 6:57 amGonzo Scientist says:
Hi Carina-
The judging for the shortlist is continuous. So if you submit your PhD dance earlier than other people (e.g. in September), then you have an advantage. But if you have absolutely no chance to make the dance until October, it’s OK. You’ll probably be lumped in with all the other people waiting until the 11th hour to submit their dances, but you’ll still have a chance to make it onto the shortlist. You’ll just have to really shine. Good luck!
September 13, 2011 @ 9:30 amAnderson says:
Hi,
I just had a quick question. I’ve found the perfect song, which I’ve actually been given permission to use, but it drops a non-prominent f-bomb. Should I work on cleaning that up, or will it matter?
Working hard to get mine dance done ASAP!
September 14, 2011 @ 7:08 pmGonzo Scientist says:
Hi Anderson-
There’s nothing in the rules forbidding naughty language. It might prevent some teachers from playing it in class, sending links to their students, etc. But it should have no effect on your chances of winning. Rock on.
September 14, 2011 @ 7:25 pmMarie says:
Hi Gonzo Scientist,
I’m currently working on my Ph.D. project so my dance includes unpublished research. Can I withhold the name of the gene that I am working on so my P.I. doesn’t kill me? I was thinking of just making up a funny name for it instead and explaining in the info section. What do you think?
September 20, 2011 @ 4:52 pmGonzo Scientist says:
Greetings Marie-
Of course! No need to endanger your scientific career for the sake of your PhD dance. (After all… the secret purpose is to enhance your career.)
I would just use something creative as a placeholder. You can even make a joke of it… the mystery gene. You can explain in the text that goes with your dance video that, indeed, your P.I. would kill you if you revealed the gene name before publication.
September 20, 2011 @ 5:07 pmDebra Tillinger says:
That was almost unreasonably fun! Why did I wait so long to do this?
And a quick not to those asking about music rights: I emailed the band. I included a link to the contest and explained that I was a long time fan (and that I had recently donated to their kickstarter campagin). Someone wrote back to give me permission and wish me good luck.
Assuming that the song isn’t by the Beatles (for example), I think it’s worth emailing the band to ask permission. It’s polite. I always ask permission before choreographing solos. I’ve gotten a mix of “yes” and no reply, but nobody has ever said no. And if they did say no, I would respect that.
September 28, 2011 @ 3:25 pm