Campus Conversations: Madison Rose Bristol

UW’s dancing biologist – Madison Rose Bristol was born to be a dancer and a nature lover. She makes the most of her time at the University of Washington by pursuing her passion for environmental science while participating in countless concerts as a main dancer. The way she sees and shares the beauty of the world is inspiring and makes you want to rethink how we can live in a more friendly way with nature.

Courtesy of Madison Rose Bristol

Grade: Sophomore

Major: Environmental Science, Dance

Minor: Marine Biology, Quantitative Science

Activities: Honors Program, Student Ambassador for the College of the Environmental Science

Hobbies: Photography, Painting, Hiking, Kayaking, Scuba diving (certified)

What is your passion?

“I have a few for sure. I like everything I do. If you don’t like what you do, you are not as productive as you can be……One of my passions is anything that has to do with the natural world. It is simply fascinating. I also consider human beings in relation to the environment and think a lot about the connections in the relationship between the two. Another is, of course, dance: my lifelong art. It is one thing I’m very much committed to.”

“I like everything I do. If you don’t like what you do, you are not as productive as you can be.”

In relation to dance, are there any projects you are invloved in?

 “Yes! I’m in the MFA Dance concert in May as well as an independent project with Stephanie Liapis for a show in June, which was commissioned by the UW Music Department and the Harry Partch foundation. I also have been working on a collaborative piece with my boyfriend, Saulyman Corr, for a performance at the Seattle International Dance Festival. Our group’s name is “Corr de Rose”: Saulyman is in hip-hop while I’m a modern dancer, and we include environmental science and other aspects of the world in our choreography.”

Courtesy of Madison Rose Bristol: Corr De Rose

What made you start dancing in the first place?

 “I started to dance when I was 5 years old. My mom originally wanted me to improve the Tibial torsion of my legs: it is actually common among dancers and I still have it till today. But basically, I was not walking well at an early age. My mom made the best choice introducing me the world of dance, I really appreciate that!”

How have you built your dance career?

 “For about 5 years, starting when I was 10 years old, I did dance competitions. But then, I decided to move on to something else, ballet training particularly. When I was searching for a new studio, (I danced at 4 to 5 different studios at the same time during the time), Eva Stone reached out to me during the Chop Shop show; it was a turning point for me. I started training privately with her and Deborah Hadley, a former PNB principal dancer, which changed my dance foundation more towards ballet. She also introduced me to Spectrum Dance Theater and later to her dance company, which I was a part of for 2 years. Now, I work at the Crescendo Dance Academy as an instructor as well as being a dancer myself.”

“I just followed what my heart told me.”

What made you want to come to UW?

 “My college search was interesting. Although I got a full scholarship from another university, I didn’t want to only dance. UW was actually the last place I visited, but I found out that it was a perfect match for me. With the great programs both in dance and environmental science, I could imagine myself studying here. And I just followed what my heart told me. It turned out to be the closest to my home even!”

Courtesy of Madison Rose Bristol

What is one thing you like about UW?

 “Community for sure. UW is an interesting school, because it is very big but there are micro-communities where I feel welcomed: from the Honors to the environmental science people. Along with everything else UW offers, the community is incredible for sure.”

How do you find your own community?

 “It has a lot to do with involvement. I’d suggest taking hold of experimental opportunities. The first thing I did in UW was audition for a dance concert. The two pieces I was in connected me to 10 new friends who I’m still close with. Sort of knowing what I wanted to do before coming to UW helped me a lot as well as the relationships and connections I made at the beginning, which expanded my network.”

“The natural world is absolutely beautiful.”

What was your dream when you were little?

 “Becoming a biologist. I didn’t know the word at the first but was saying, ‘I wanna study animals!’ even before I knew I wanted to do something with dance. I really appreciate my parents for that: they took me outside a lot to get the exposure to the natural world. That’s how I spent my childhood.”

Courtesy of Madison Rose Bristol

Why should we care about the environment?

 “Humans do need to care about the environment. It’s actually from a very human kind of perspective: because our only home is this planet, the Earth. The environment is deeply connected to our culture. If we hurt it, it’s hurting people too. It also comes from the standpoint of utility – keeping resources – and aesthetics as well: the natural world is absolutely beautiful.”

“It’s just the question, ‘are human beings able to change themselves as the world changes naturally?’”

“I also think about the future generations. ‘Are they going to have things we take for granted?’ If we don’t care about the environment, it means that we’re not taking care of ourselves either. In a way, it’s just the question, ‘are human beings able to change themselves as the world changes naturally?’ The only solution is that we understand and deeply respect the natural world.”

Courtesy of Madison Rose Bristol

How do you envision your future career?

 “To be honest, I’m still figuring it out. On the dance side, I’d love to tour and travel around the world, maybe be a company dancer or choreographer. I also do want to get a PhD in science for sure. I’m interested in the interface of where the land and water collide, especially around cities: the relationship of how human society impacts the environment, and vice versa. It’d be cool if I can pursue my career in both dance and environmental science just like this one professor in New York who does scientific research while being a choreographer. That is potentially my future.”

Courtesy of Madison Rose Bristol

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