Emily Pilloton-Lam, Founder and Executive Director of Girls Garage, had a dream. What would it be like to choreograph and perform a dance featuring live construction with the members of her organization, intergenerational women and girl designers and activists?

In stepped longtime collaborator, visionary curator and producer, Derek Fagerstrom with the opportunity to bring this dream to fruition as the opening performance for a symposium celebrating the 20th anniversary of Stanford University’s design school, and the 50th anniversary of David Kelley's relationship with Stanford. Using one of David’s aphorisms from his book “Creative Essentials” as a launching point — “Build the stage for others to perform”, Katerina Wong was invited to envision and choreograph this unique collaboration. Alongside an original score by composer William Ryan Fritch performed live, 10 female and non-binary women and girls performed a 16-minute opening piece thoughtfully, meticulously, and gracefully building a platform stage that would be used by the rest of the presenters that night.

It was a true manifestation of the belief that dance and movement can be inspired by all corners of life and performed by all who are interested.