Dance Professor Anne Burnidge Collaborates on Immersive Exhibition Exploring Marine Ecology at Burchfield Penney
Published December 18, 2025
From left: Panelists Tiffany Du Mouchelle, Stephanie Rothenberg, Suzanne Thorpe and Anne Burnidge talk about the research, collaboration and creation of "Serenades for Settling: Tending Ostreidae." Photo: Vicky Santos
The Burchfield Penney Art Center is hosting an innovative multimedia exhibition, Serenades for Settling, which immerses visitors in the underwater world of oysters and examines how human-generated sounds may influence their behavior. The exhibit, on view through March 1, 2026, blends acoustics research, animated graphics, robotics, live performance, real-time data, and marine ecology.
During a recent panel discussion at the gallery, exhibition creators Stephanie Rothenberg and Suzanne Thorpe were joined by University at Buffalo faculty members Tiffany Du Mouchelle and Anne Burnidge, who contributed to collaborative research sessions during the project’s development.
For Burnidge—associate professor and director of undergraduate dance in UB’s Department of Theatre and Dance—the experience offered a unique opportunity to unite her passions for dance and environmental science. “I’ve made dances about chaos theory, bioluminescence, species extinction, so creating dance about oysters felt perfectly natural,” she said.
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Photo: Vicky Santos
Burnidge’s choreography often explores intersections of art and science, a theme central to her upcoming project, (un)Settling Place, which investigates noise pollution. Her creative process involved embodying the sensory experience of oyster larvae—floating, drifting, and seeking surfaces. Working within the installation’s evolving soundscape and visuals allowed her to craft improvisational movement patterns that mimic ocean currents. “Each time the dancers perform,” Burnidge explained, “they’re responding to new sounds and visuals, just as oysters respond to changing conditions.”
Students played a key role in shaping the movement vocabulary, Burnidge noted. “For many, this is their first experience with creative research. They’re not just told where to stand—they’re helping generate the choreography. Students who care deeply about environmental issues often find the work resonant and energizing.”
Burnidge and her company, Anne Burnidge Dance, performed at the exhibition on Dec. 14, offering audiences a live interpretation of the project’s themes.
