Quantum Physicist Dances with Robots to Overcome Pandemic Isolation

In 2025, as the COVID-19 pandemic limited human connection, quantum physicist and professional ballerina Merritt Moore discovered a novel way to continue her artistic expression: dancing with robots.

Moore, who splits her time between quantum computing labs and ballet studios, revealed how the isolation of the pandemic forced her to rethink the boundaries between art and science. Unable to dance with human partners, she programmed a robot companion, whom she affectionately named Botney Spears, to move fluidly with her choreography.

Moore spent long hours, from 7 am to midnight, in an empty theatre, meticulously programming the robot to be her dance partner. She found that this unique collaboration allowed her to explore memories and emotions she couldn't share with another human. "Some of my most vulnerable performances are with the robot," she said.

The pandemic experience highlighted the synergy between Moore's two passions. "When I focus only on dance, I lose the joy of critical thinking. When I'm in the lab too long, I crave creative release. I need both to thrive," she explained. Her journey reinforced her guiding principle of embracing both physics and ballet, rather than choosing between them.

Moore believes the pandemic offered a way to combine technology with human expression in unprecedented ways. "As humans it should be possible to hope and dream and to actually actively explore the technology and the artistic side of our brains," she said.