When architect and stage designer David Rockport (TED ‘97, ‘99, ‘02) was asked to design the interior of the new JetBlue terminal at JFK, he brought in a rather unlikely partner: Broadway choreographer Jerry Mitchell. The pair had collaborated before (on shows like Hairspray, Rocky Horror, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels). Now, they’re re-imagining airport foot traffic as a choreography challenge, finding ways to move people more smoothly and naturally through the pre- and post-flight experience.

“The original design made it hard to understand where you were supposed to go, either entering or leaving,” Mitchell told The New York Times. “Traffic diagrams showed a huge amount of path-crossing. I started to think it would be fabulous to eliminate all this crisscrossing and straight edges, which cause anxiety when they go on too long. David asked me what dance patterns I would use, and I said, ‘People move easiest in circles: off and on the merry-go-round.’ “

Full story and slide show in The Times.