Florida State University School of Dance Professor Jen Atkins is launching “Popular Culture Movements,” a new podcast and interactive website that will examine the relationships between popular culture and dance. The podcast’s first season, “Swan Lake Unfolded,” explores how the classical ballet “Swan Lake” ripples through popular culture.
“More than a century after its creation, ‘Swan Lake’ remains a powerful and enduring cultural influence,” said Atkins, “offering a unique lens through which to consider the issues of contemporary life that continue to shape us.”
Atkins, an internationally renowned expert on American dance history and culture, was awarded a Fullbright fellowship in 2023 and recognized with the John G. Cawelti Award for Best Textbook by the Popular Culture Association in 2024 for her book “Dance in US Popular Culture.” Now, Atkins brings this expertise to a new format with “Popular Culture Movements,” alongside Project Manager and FSU MFA dance student Madeline Aldana-Gray, a team of dedicated student research assistants and several expert project consultants.
“Swan Lake Unfolded,” provides a brief historical background on the well-known ballet before diving into places that “Swan Lake” has surfaced in streaming media over the last several years including popular tv shows “The Handmaid’s Tale,” “Ted Lasso” and “Bridgerton,” to explore how “Swan Lake” references open up larger conversations around identity, love, community and art. Throughout the season, Atkins investigates the ballet’s unique contemporary relevance, with insights from guest experts.
“It isn’t solely about ‘Swan Lake’—it’s about myths, parody, music, history, games, dancing, food, memory, and more! It’s a celebration of reinvention and what the past reveals about our present and the kinds of futures we want to create,” said Atkins. “In this first season, we hope to encourage audiences to spot the swan…and question the story, but this season is just the first part of a larger project, ‘Popular Culture Movements,’ which will map how cultural touchstones move through media and investigate what that means.”
Atkins will host a free talk highlighting the project on Nov. 13 from 6:30 to 7:15 p.m. in FSU’s Montgomery Hall, located at 130 Collegiate Loop, Tallahassee, prior to the 7:30 performance of Days of Dance. This special pre-show event is free and open to the public. However, tickets are required for the following performance.
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“Swan Lake Unfolded” is now available for streaming on Spotify and other major platforms. To learn more about the podcast and view web-exclusive content, visit SwanLakeUnfolded.com.
Tickets to all Days of Dance performances are available now at tickets.dance.fsu.edu.
To learn more about the School of Dance, its programs and upcoming events, visit dance.fsu.edu.