What do we learn about ourselves when we launch into space?

WONDER is an immersive dance-drama made in direct collaboration with astronauts, scientists, and engineers.

Choreographer Jessica Chen draws on contemporary dance theater traditions, merging movement, character, and design to create a visceral experience of the "overview effect," the profound shift astronauts describe when seeing Earth from space.

An original score by Salvador “Suavecito” Zamora incorporates NASA's data sonification, and responsive video technology tracks dancers in real time. WONDER premieres at the Museum of Science Boston in April 2027 during Massachusetts Space Week.

At a moment when space feels privatized and distant, WONDER invites audiences to dream again.

Breaking the Glass Ceiling

Breaking the Glass Ceiling is an early exploration of our piece WONDER, a 4-minute dance film that examines human potential and connection through the lens of space exploration. Drawing from astronaut interviews and testimonials, the work weaves together voices from diverse cultural backgrounds reflecting on identity, dreams, and the transformative perspective gained from viewing Earth from the International Space Station.

This early iteration established key themes for WONDER: the power of dreaming, the courage required to find one's identity, and the human connections that inspire positive change in our world.

Art and Science

Our project pairs scientific inquiry with artistic creation as equal modes of understanding, producing a living snapshot of an industry in transformation.

The initiative moves on three tracks. LEARN: original academic research on leadership competencies and the challenges facing space exploration today. CREATE: new dance choreography drawn directly from the stories of astronauts and scientists. IGNITE: archival preservation of those first-person narratives, made digitally accessible.

DIRECTOR AND CHOREOGRAPHER

Jessica Chen (she/her) is a Bessie-nominated choreographer and Artistic Director of J CHEN PROJECT, a 501(c)(3) contemporary dance company based in New York City. She holds a degree in Global Studies from UC Santa Barbara. Her work moves between concert dance and theater, with credits ranging from Off-Broadway to regional stages to Lincoln Center.

Recent theater credits include Cabaret at CenterREP (named one of the Bay Area's Top 3 Best Dance Productions of 2024 by BroadwayWorld), Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella at GEVA Theatre and Syracuse Stage, The Wizard of Oz at Alabama Shakespeare Festival, Cameron Crowe's reimagined Almost Famous with composer Tom Kitt, and Spring Awakening, Jersey Boys, and Beautiful: A Carole King Musical at Weathervane Theater. She served as Associate Director on SUMO at The Public Theater, which received Drama Desk recognition for Fight Choreography, as part of her 2025 SDCF Lynnette Barkley Fund Director Fellowship.

SCIENCE PRODUCER

Dr. Crystal Dilworth (she/her) is a neuroscientist, science communicator, and lifelong dancer. A nationally ranked Rhythmic Gymnast and professional dancer and choreographer, she went on to earn her Ph.D. in Molecular Neuroscience from Caltech, which administers NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory. She hosts Caltech's Watson Lecture series and reaches millions as "Dr. Brain" on CBS's Emmy-nominated Mission Unstoppable. Since 2011, she has served as resident choreographer for Caltech's theater arts programming, helping engineers and scientists discover and express themselves through dance.

COMPOSER & SOUND DESIGNER

Salvador “Suavecito” Zamora is a sound designer, composer, producer, and dancer born and raised in southern California. He recently graduated from UCSD with both his MFA in Sound Design and BA in Interdisciplinary Computing and the Arts Major. He’s passionate about his border town communities, Latinx culture, and the connection between sound and movement. Select designer credits: The Surgeon and Her Daughters (Colt Coeur), Here There Are Blueberries (Detroit Public Theatre), Indian Princesses (La Jolla Playhouse), How to Put On a Sock (LJP WOW Festival), Bunny Bunny (Invisible Dog), Primary Trust (Barrington Stage Co.), Carrie: The Musical (Loyola Marymount University), The Grown Ups (Baby Teeth LA), The Fires (Soho Rep), Tick, Tick…Boom! (Cygnet Theatre). Select associate credits: Here There are Blueberries (National Tour), Sumo (The Public). www.suavecito.design @suavecito_sounddesign

COSTUME DESIGNER

Lui Konno is a costume designer/technician from Yokohama City in Japan. She received her BFA in Oil Painting from Tama Art University in Tokyo and BA in Theater and Film from Hunter College. Currently she is a first hand at Parsons-Meares, Ltd., and makes costumes for Broadway musicals, such as Lion King, Phantom of the Opera, Moulin Rouge, Hamilton, Frozen and & Juliet.

PRODUCER

Fran Kirmser is a Tony Award winning producer in both musical and play categories and recently produced Bob Fosse’s DANCIN’ on Broadway. Fran served as a Tony Voter from 2014 to 2020. She is deeply committed to facilitating the work of emerging artists to stage via fundraising, development and promotion. She is the author of A Life In Dance which is required reading in universities across the United States. www.frankirmser.com

Thank You to our JCP Sponsors!

*J CHEN PROJECT Programs are made possible by the New York State Council for the Arts (NYSCA) with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature, NYC Department of Cultural Affairs (DCLA), Dance/NYC, and Coalition for Asian American Children and Families (CACF) through the NYS AAPI Community Fund. Without their continued backing, we would not be able to bring our passion for dance and storytelling to life.