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Jeffrey Vinokur

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Jeffrey Vinokur
BornAugust 24, 1990 (1990-08-24) (age 34)
Montvale, New Jersey
Known forPopping, science demonstrations
TitleThe Dancing Scientist ™
TheRussianTiger
Websitewww.DancingScientist.com

Jeffrey Vinokur (born August 24, 1990), who also goes by the stage name The Dancing Scientist, is an American science educator known for combining the hip hop dance genre of popping with live science demonstrations. He has performed his science and dance act on The Today Show,[1] The View,[2] The Queen Latifah Show,[3] Rachael Ray,[4] America's Got Talent,[5] and the Discovery Channel.[6] He has also performed at the World Science Festival,[7] Smithsonian Institution,[8] and his online Popping videos have accumulated over 20 million hits.[9][10]

Early life

Jeffrey Vinokur was born in 1990 and raised in Montvale, New Jersey, to Russian parents.[11][12] He developed an interest in science while attending school, first at Fieldstone Middle School and then Pascack Hills High School.[12]

While a senior in high school[5] he began watching online videos and DVDs on hip hop dancing, and after six months of practice traveled to New York City, where he learned the subgenre of hip-hop dancing "popping" from dancers such as Jazzy J of The Electric Boogaloos, Dementia of ABM Crew, and Future Ninja of House of Ninja.[13] Afterwards he began posting instructional dance videos on YouTube under the username "TheRussianTiger,"[13] and the videos have since garnered millions of views.[5][11]

In 2008 Vinokur began attending the University of Wisconsin–Madison as a biochemistry major.[14] While in college he founded the dance group Freestyle Funk Sessions, began leading the campus dance crew Rhythm Per Second, and in fall of 2009 founded the Madison Dance Conference.[12][13][15]

Science shows

America's Got Talent

In January 2010 he was encouraged to combine science demonstrations and hip hop dancing into a stage show by a stranger on an airplane.[12][13] Vinokur contacted UW Chemistry professor Bassam Shakhashiri for help creating a safe performance, and within two weeks developed an act to audition for the fifth season of America's Got Talent.[12] Vinokur also consulted with chemist Jim Maynard on how to safely incorporate features such as hydrogen-filled balloons that explode near a flame.[5]

Vinokur successfully auditioned in front of the executive producers in Atlanta, being called back to perform his routine in Chicago.[12] After making the top 100, he performed on air in front of Howie Mandel, Sharon Osbourne, and Piers Morgan in Las Vegas.[11][12] He appeared in episodes 508, 511,[citation needed] and 512.[16]

Touring

In May 2011 Vinokur embarked on a nationwide tour of his show dubbed "So You Think You Can Do Science?" The tour was sponsored by the science company Fotodyne Inc.[13] Stops included the Liberty Science Center in New Jersey,[11] Maryland Science Center in Baltimore, Maryland,[17] the Saint Louis Science Center in Saint Louis, Missouri,[13] and over twenty schools.[11] He also performed at the World Science Festival on June 5, 2011 in Washington Square Park,[18] and at the grand opening of the Wisconsin Institutes for Discovery.[19] He was also featured in a "Wonder of Physics" show put on by UW Physics professor and mentor Clint Sprott.[11] He performed on behalf of the National Academy of Sciences at the USA Science and Engineering Festival in April 2012.[7] In July 2012 he performed at the Smithsonian Institution, Discovery Theater in Washington D.C..[8]

Show description

Features he has incorporated into his show include a live DJ playing hip hop music,[13][20] dancing, and science demonstrations.[20] The show covers topics such as alternative energy, polymers, careers in science, acids and bases, and others.[20] Common demonstrations involved adding catalysts to make hydrogen peroxide burst into foam, dancing on a mixture of cornstarch and water, using an Airzooka to demonstrate air movement with rings of fog,[11] exploding balloons, glow in the dark hands to illustrate chemiluminescence.[5]

Television spots

Local programs

In 2010, Vinokur began appearing on local television programs such as CW 11 News in Saint Louis, Missouri,[21] CBS News in Milwaukee, Wisconsin,[22] and Fox 2 News in Saint Louis, Missouri.[23] He also hosted a monthly science segment on the CBS News in Madison, Wisconsin.[13][24]

In late 2012 he appeared on five episodes of the Discovery Channel (Canada) show Daily Planet.[6] In 2014, he made numerous national US television performances listed below.

National programs

Personal life

Vinokur studied biochemistry at the University of Wisconsin–Madison.[11][12] As of 2013 he's working towards a doctorate degree in biochemistry at UCLA.[28][29]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b "NBC Today Show, 5-23-2014". NBC News. May 23, 2014. Retrieved 2014-10-19.
  2. ^ a b "ABC The View". ABC Studios. June 27, 2014. Retrieved 2014-10-19.
  3. ^ a b "CRAZY AWESOME SCIENCE COURTESY OF THE DANCING SCIENTIST!". The Queen Latifah Show. August 4, 2014. Retrieved 2014-10-19.
  4. ^ a b "The Rachael Ray Show: 10-13-2014". The Rachael Ray Show. October 13, 2014. Retrieved 2014-10-19.
  5. ^ a b c d e f Forster, Stacy (September 15, 2010). "UW-Madison student mixes passions for science, dancing". University of Wisconsin-Madison. Retrieved 2011-06-27.
  6. ^ a b c "Daily Planet: December 5, 2012". Daily Planet. 2012-12-05. Retrieved 2013-01-12.
  7. ^ a b "2012 Science and Engineering Festival". National Academy. April 2012. Retrieved 2013-01-12.
  8. ^ a b "Jeffrey Vinokur Performance". Smithsonian Institution. July 2012. Retrieved 2013-01-12.
  9. ^ Donaldson, Kevin (July 16, 2014). "Q&A: Jeffrey Vinokur, The Dancing Scientist". Young Hollywood. Retrieved 2014-10-19.
  10. ^ a b "NBC Today Show, 9-30-2014". NBC News. Sep 30, 2014. Retrieved 2014-10-19.
  11. ^ a b c d e f g h "Science Onstage". Grow. Summer 2011. Retrieved 2011-06-27.
  12. ^ a b c d e f g h Sartor, Michelle (August 5, 2010). "So you Think You Can Do Science". Pascack Valley Community Life. Retrieved 2011-06-27.
  13. ^ a b c d e f g h "Interview with Jeffrey Vinokur/The Russian Tiger/Dancing Scientist". DancersGlobal. Retrieved 2011-06-27.
  14. ^ Worland, Gayle (November 20, 2010). "Madison Dance Conference to feature free lessons and performances". Wisconsin State Journal. Retrieved 2011-06-27.
  15. ^ "Forming a Dance Community". Madison Dance Conference. November 21, 2010. Retrieved 2011-06-27.
  16. ^ "America's Got Talent: Episode 512 Recap". TV.com. Retrieved 2011-06-27.
  17. ^ Stein, Betsy (June 9, 2011). "Watch a mad scientist and more at Carnival Science Days at Maryland Science Center". Maryland Family Magazine. Retrieved 2011-06-27.
  18. ^ Ferri, Amanda (May 18, 2011). "World Science Festival Hosts Family Street Fair". NearSay. Retrieved 2011-06-27.
  19. ^ Parkzer, Adam (December 11, 2010). "Dancing Mad Scientist Jeffrey Vinokur at Wisconsin Institutes for Discovery". The Badger Herald. Retrieved 2011-06-27.
  20. ^ a b c "Dancing Scientist". Academic Entertainment. Retrieved 2011-06-27.
  21. ^ Ricks, Thomas (May 20, 2011). "Pictures: Dancing Mad Scientist". CW 11 News, Saint Louis. Retrieved 2011-06-27.
  22. ^ Matovina, Laura (May 19, 2011). "Video: Dancing Mad Scientist in Milwaukee". CBS News, Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Retrieved 2011-06-27.
  23. ^ "Dancing Mad Scientist Will Be at Science Center". Fox 2 News. May 20, 2011. Retrieved 2011-06-27.
  24. ^ "Video: UW Students Gives Tips About Chemistry of Cooking". CBS News, Madison, Wisconsin. March 4, 2011. Retrieved 2011-06-27.
  25. ^ "Fox News Channel, Fox & Friends, 5-23-2014". Fox News Channel. April 19, 2014. Retrieved 2014-10-19.
  26. ^ "Hallmark Channel, Home & Family Show,". Hallmark Channel. April 1, 2014. Retrieved 2014-10-19.
  27. ^ "AMHQ W/ Sam Champion, 7-11-2014". The Weather Channel. July 11, 2014. Retrieved 2014-10-19.
  28. ^ Lally, Robin (June 2012). "Rutgers' Waksman Scholar Uses Hip Hop to Ignite the Joy of Science in Youth". Rutgers. Retrieved 2013-01-12.
  29. ^ Ricarte, Ariana (May 9, 2013). "'Dancing Scientist' performs to have kids follow in his steps". Daily Bruin. Retrieved 2014-10-19.
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