Annie Seminara is the first graduate of NYU’s new undergraduate program in Performance Studies. As an undergraduate, Annie wrote her final dissertation on Litefeet dance practices that take place on New York City subway trains, a phenomenon commonly known as “Showtime.” Specifically, her work focused on the neoliberal imperative to be a permanently profitable subject that compels young dancers to transform the subway car into an illegal performance space in which to experiment with what André Lepecki calls “choreopolitical” movement.  As an M.A. candidate, Annie is interested in exploring the intersection of public transportation, marxist theory, labor organizing/unionization, and the circulation of bodies through space and across borders.

Why PS @ NYU?

I chose to study Performance Studies at NYU because I have a great admiration for the faculty here. They are not only the brightest in their fields, but they are also welcoming, encouraging, and always willing to discuss their ideas and their work with you. The same could be said for my fellow students, who all bring incredible creative and scholarly value to the department. Being surrounded by great thinkers and artists and all of their new and ongoing projects inspires me to push further in my own work as a scholar/artist/activist.