March: Expanding Our Team
As part of opening a physical space, we've hired an Educator-in-residence, read on to learn more about her role and other goings-on in the lab.
It’s a short newsletter this week as one-month-old Aggy is taking up much of my time! — Amy
Observing Spring Time Holidays
The gallery will be closed April 3 and 4 to observe Good Friday and Easter holidays; however, we’ll have a fun bunny/hopping-themed Story Hour on Saturday April 3 at 11am. Story Hour is targeted at our youngest learners and free to attend!
What is “choreobotics”?
You’ll see lots of tools for and outputs of the field of choreobotics at the lab: for example, work from Kate Ladenheim sits in our gallery — data from her performances embodied as large scrolls of numbers and a transparent, hanging sculpture — choreographers like her can use tools like our “movement poetry” magnets for sale in the shop. The term “choreobotics” has come to represent the intersection of robotics and dance. Read more in Dance Magazine’s November cover story, featuring our work and the work of many of our collaborators and peers in the choreobotics community!
Come Visit Us!
GALLERY, LIBRARY & SHOP HOURS: Thu-Sat 12-4pm [Closed April 3 and 4]
Visit our public spaces that invite reflection on technology and bodies
MOVEMENT HOUR: Thu 4pm [On pause till Summer!]
Physical explorations supplemented with movement notation
WRITING HOUR: Fri 11am [On pause till Summer!]
A weekly writing group with an emphasis on describing physical experience
STORY HOUR: Sat 11am
Exploring our favorite children’s stories with movement analysis
ATELIER HOURS
Email hello@the-rad-lab.org to apply
SUMMER CAMPS
Littles (ages 4-8): July 6-10, 8-11am [$200]
Teens (ages 13-17): July 6-10, 12-4pm, with homework [$300]
Big kids (ages 8-13): July 20-24, 9am-3pm [$400]
Enrollment limited to 10 for each camp. Email hello@the-rad-lab.org to secure a spot!
EVENTS & PERFORMANCES
Arts&Eats Chestnut Hill — May 1, June 5, July 3 [Closed April 3!]
Join us as we stay open till 8pm on the first Friday of the month along with other art galleries on the hill!
Philly-based Artists Panel — TBD
Join Prof. Lewis Colburn, Maddie Jones Rodriguez, and Dr. Nialah Wilson-Small for a panel discussing their works in our gallery.
Artists-in-residence Work-in-Progress Showing — July 18
See what our artists-in-residences have been working on: an interactive installation where the whole room is the robot.
FIELD TRIPS & WORKSHOPS
Email amy@the-rad-lab.org for more information if your organization, large or small, would like to visit our space or hold a workshop in yours!
An Interview With… Our Educator-in-residence
*At some point in the future, this feature will be for paid subscribers!
In opening a physical space, we’ve expanded our team to include a part-time Educator-in-residence, Xandalee Rivera. Here’s a short conversation with Xandee about her inspiration and new role.
Tell us a bit about your background. How and why did you become an educator?
I have a degree in Early Childhood Education and have spent over ten years working in formal and informal learning settings. Honestly, education was not something I originally planned for – I always thought I would end up working in politics – but at the heart of both paths was the same goal: supporting children and investing in their futures. During my first year of university, one of my teachers approached me after observing me working on a project with a group of students and said, “You are a gifted teacher. Our youth needs you.” Those words stayed with me and made me seriously reflect on my purpose. Not long after, I changed my major and fully committed to education. Since then, my journey as an educator has been driven by a passion for helping young people grow, feel confident, and recognize their potential. I truly believe that by supporting children today, we are shaping the leaders of tomorrow and that belief continues to guide the work I do.
What is your favorite part of working with kids?
There are many things that I love about working with kids, but one thing that stands out is how they can make almost anything engaging or fun. Give a child the right environment and learning becomes something they want to do, not something they HAVE to do. It is cool to note that these are the world’s future leaders, creators, and innovators, and it is an honor to be part of that foundation.
How has it been to learn about robotics, movement notation, and dance? What has struck you about watching children learn about these topics over the last couple of months?
It has been genuinely fun to learn about robotics. I was nervous at first because I never truly envisioned myself entering this field — robotics always felt like this grand, complicated world that belonged to engineers or scientists — but working in the lab over the past couple of months has completely shifted my perspective. I have come to understand that robots are not just complex machines for consumption; they are instruments that we design, build, and use with intention.
At the same time, exploring dance and movement has been just as impactful. I have always appreciated dance from a distance, but I never truly paid close attention to the creativity and freedom that exist within movement. Engaging with movement notation has helped me see dance in a more structured way, as something that can be observed, analyzed, and communicated.
What has struck me most while watching children learn about these topics is how natural movement is for them. They do not hesitate to express themselves physically. When given the opportunity to explore dance and movement, they immediately engage with curiosity and confidence. Because movement feels intuitive to them, they are able to make quick and meaningful connections to movement notation and even to robotics concepts.
You’re helping develop the lab’s first summer camps for kids from preschool to high school. What can campers expect from these unique camps?
At the RAD Lab’s summer camp, campers will get to explore robotics in fun, creative, and nontraditional ways. Instead of only sitting and listening to instruction about coding and technology, students will learn by moving, building, dancing, and experimenting creatively. Campers will create and collaborate on projects that use machines for mediums of expression. We have three camps designed for preschool through high school [Ed note: see details above!] and offer activities that match their abilities and ages. They will design dances, build simple machines, and work together to bring creative ideas to life. I am so excited about summer camps at the RAD Lab because as an educator I believe our children can benefit from innovative learning in a place where they can move their bodies to learn, ask questions,explore, and try out their ideas — a space where learning meets at an intersection that dance and robotics bridge. Every camper at the lab can expect a welcoming space to explore technology, express themselves, gain confidence while learning principles about art, coding, movement and robotics! It’s going to be so much fun!
Any other goals for 2026?
Looking ahead to 2026, one of my primary goals is to help expand the lab’s presence within the local community. The vision is to create a space that the community can take pride in, one that represents innovation, creativity, and opportunity — and that offers novel inroads to developing technology and making art. The lab needs to grow into a learning resource for individuals who are interested in exploring robotics, movement, dance, and interdisciplinary art.
By offering workshops, camps, and educational programming, I hope the lab will support learners of all ages who are eager to engage with this unique field. In addition, I am excited to experience the live demonstrations and community events that are currently in the works. By expanding our efforts, the goal is to inspire more people to discover how art and robotics can intersect in meaningful ways. 2026 is focused on growth, community engagement, creative opportunity, and building lasting connections – for both me and the lab!
Thank you Xandee! It is such an honor to have someone who holds children and their education in such high regard on our team.
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