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Last autumn, the staff members of the School of Electrical Engineering were able to participate in body-based workshops where they were could explore the joy of soloing and moving together. Through movement improvisation and creative expression, participants could open a space for imagination, communication, and connection.

These workshops were funded by the ELEC Diversity and Inclusivity Fund. Applications for the funding open twice a year and are intended to support initiatives that promote equality, diversity and inclusion at Aalto. The next application period will be open from 1 to 30 April 2026. 

The workshops were organised by a doctoral researcher Tim Moesgen. 

’Personally, I have used dance and movement as a way to express myself creatively and relieve tension and joint pain. As researchers, we often spend days at our desks or in the lab, preoccupied with ideas, questions and plans as we try to solve research problems. However, in this creative process, we rarely engage our bodies,’ Moesgen explains.

His research explores the use of bodily engagement as a tool for creative expression and speculation.

’Studies have shown that walking during meetings, for example, can significantly boost creativity and idea generation*. Similarly, theories of embodied cognition suggest that we understand and make sense of our surroundings through a combination of body and mind**,’ he says. 

Keeping this in mind, Moesgen wanted to introduce movement and dance ������, in the hope that it might benefit other researchers in a similar way to how it has benefited him. Beyond creative expression, the sessions also provided an opportunity to meet and interact with researchers from different fields.

The Diversity and Inclusivity Fund provided perfect support for the idea

’In one of the two workshops, the theme was 'futures and imagination'. Through individual, paired and group exercises, participants expressed their thoughts, ideas and feelings about the future through movement. We explored questions such as: How can we imagine and relate to the future through our bodies?’ Moesgen explains. 

The workshops were led by Jonna Lehto, a dance and theatre artist, as well as an artistic activist, who frequently hosts inclusive dance improvisation workshops.

Moesgen says that the idea behind the workshop closely aligns with the values of equality, diversity and inclusion. He believes that enabling people to think and express themselves through means other than words allows for a more diverse and inclusive form of communication.

’The ELEC Diversity and Inclusivity Fund opportunity provided the perfect support to pilot this idea and make the workshops accessible to staff and researchers. I strongly encourage others to apply for the funding to support initiatives that bring people together in creative and inclusive ways.’

*Oppezzo, Marily, and Daniel L. Schwartz. "Give your ideas some legs: the positive effect of walking on creative thinking." Journal of experimental psychology: learning, memory, and cognition 40.4 (2014): 1142.

**Wilson, Margaret. "Six views of embodied cognition." Psychonomic bulletin & review 9.4 (2002): 625-636.