Jeffrey Vinokur

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Jeffrey Vinokur
Born August 24, 1990
Montvale, New Jersey
Residence Los Angeles, California
Known for Popping, science demonstrations
Title The Dancing Scientist ™
TheRussianTiger
Website www.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

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External links

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