Dr. Weliton Menario Costa, commonly known as “WELI,” won the 2024 Dance Your PhD competition with his creative submission “Kangaroo Time (Club Edit),” according to The Guardian.
Dr Costa, a biologist and Australian National University graduate, created a four-minute movie that investigates kangaroo behavior using a variety of dancing forms such as drag, ballet, twerking, and classical Indian dance. The film displays a diverse group of friends, demonstrating cultural fusion.
The judges were delighted with Dr Costa’s innovative technique and awarded him the annual top prize presented by the American Association for the Advancement of Science and Science Magazine.
Established in 2008, the dancing Your PhD contest invites academics to express their research through dancing, with the goal of making complex subjects more accessible.
Dr Costa, who stars in and directs the music video, uses his Brazilian heritage to depict kangaroo personality qualities. The song, which is accessible on Spotify in both original and club mixes, has received over 7,000 plays and is being played at clubs, festivals, dance classes, and radio stations.
Dr Costa compares winning the contest to winning Eurovision, showing the power of Australian research and the nation’s inventiveness. Reflecting on the popularity of “Kangaroo Time,” he emphasizes the importance of inclusivity and diversity.
As an LGBT immigrant from a linguistically varied developing nation, Dr. Costa emphasizes the significance of celebrating differences, which is reflected in the video’s different dancers representing various countries and origins.
