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New Delhi:
Ever witnessed code meet creativity? It has come true at the NDTV World Summit 2025 as Dr Merritt Moore blends quantum physics with ballet. Dr Moore is a scientist who splits her time between physics labs and ballet studios, proving science and art can coexist and thrive.
Talking about the blend of two worlds, Dr Moore confessed that she always “tries to do one” and has been trying to “retire from ballet” for the past few years.
“I cannot retire; it is my oxygen. I found that when I stopped dancing, my grades would go down. I realised that as humans, it should be possible to hope and dream and to actively explore the technology and the artistic side of our brain,” said Dr Moore.
When asked if there are days when the robot doesn’t want to listen to her, Moore recalled last night’s incident and added, “It is now behaving. It had stage fright.”
Further talking about her inspiration, Moore said, “After my PhD, I was dancing, but the pandemic hit, and I couldn’t dance with humans. Dance is a form of communication, and we need other humans to express ourselves, and because I didn’t have that in isolation, I thought, well, robots don’t get COVID. Maybe I will start programming a robot. And from 7am to midnight, I would stay in a deserted feeder all day long, just programming the robot, and it became this bizarre companion… It hung out with me more than any human.”
Dr Moore said that some of her most special and personal performances are with the robot, because she gets to explore her own memories and have conversations with people who may have passed away.
“It would be very hard to explore that with another human. I see you. I feel you. I am dancing with you. It is hard to explore my personal memories, but with a robot I can go there,” she added.
Finding Balance Between Quantum Physics And Ballet
There have been times when Dr Moore wanted to give one up for the other but the realisation that she loses joy stopped her.
“If I just focus on dance, I miss that active aspect of my brain, thinking about quantum physics or robots and I need that to thrive in dance studio. Similarly, when I am just thinking about physics, I need that outlet of dance in order to help me be more creative in the physics lab,” she explained.
Find Your Quirks, Says Dr Moore
One should always try to “find those weird, quirky passions,” suggested Dr Moore. Recalling the pushback she received when she began dancing with the robots, she added, “People would say that’s weird. I think there is so much power in (keeping head down); I call it submarine mode. When one finds their passion, just explore no matter what people say. You never know where it might take you. And who cares when you are doing something you love.”
Dancing With Robot At NDTV World Summit
For her performance with the robot at the NDTV World Summit 2025, Moore named the robot “Botney Spears”.
At the NDTV World Summit 2025, Dr Moore performed with a robot she has coded herself, blending quantum physics with movement. The performance showcased the beauty of quantum-inspired movement. Watch it here.
#NDTVWorldSummit | She codes. She dances. She redefines creativity.
Dr Merritt Moore – quantum physicist and ballerina – performs a stunning human-robot duet at the #NDTVWorldSummit2025 pic.twitter.com/eSx346MGnT
— NDTV (@ndtv) October 17, 2025
(This story has not been edited by Daily Morning Today staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
