Chorea: Stories about science and dance

About this episode

This episode explores the connections between dance and science through the stories of Sumitra Mattai and Yamilée Toussaint.

In this week’s episode, both storytellers explore the surprising connections between dance and science. Part 1: Learning a modern version of her childhood Indian dances puts Sumitra Mattai’s brain and body to the test. Part 2: When people doubt that dance can empower girls to pursue STEM careers, Yamilée Toussaint sets out to prove them wrong. Sumitra Mattai is a writer, storyteller and textile designer. She holds a BFA in Textile Design from the Rhode Island School of Design and an MFA in Creative Writing from The New School. Her essays have been published in Huffington Post, Scary Mommy, and Lit Magazine, among others. She lives in Harlem with her family. Yamilée Toussaint is the Founder & CEO of STEM From Dance, which empowers girls with the skills, experiences, and confidence to pursue careers in STEM through the transformative power of dance. Combining her background in engineering, education, and a lifelong passion for dance, she started the program in 2012 to inspire girls of color to pursue STEM careers. Yamilée holds a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from MIT and a M.S. in Teaching from Pace University. She has earned numerous accolades, including the MIT MLK…

People in this episode

Guests: Sumitra Mattai, Yamilée Toussaint

Topics covered

• dance
• science
• STEM
• empowerment
• storytelling
• education

Keywords

• dance
• science
• STEM careers
• empowerment
• storytelling

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: STEM From Dance, Rhode Island School of Design, The New School, Huffington Post, Scary Mommy, Lit Magazine, MIT, Pace University, Teach For America, AnitaB.org

More episodes of The Story Collider

• Gluten: Stories about the love of bread · June 12, 2026 · 27 min
• Trying: Stories about fertility · June 5, 2026 · 31 min
• Best of Story Collider: Leaving Home · May 28, 2026 · 36 min
• In Memory Of: Stories about honoring loved ones · May 22, 2026 · 26 min
• Balaena: Stories about whales · May 15, 2026 · 26 min
• Impending Doom: Stories about facing the scary unknown · May 8, 2026 · 24 min