With things blowing up on the floor of the University of Minnesota’s Smith Hall, elementary school students were encouraged to dance with each burst of flames, rock music and candy Tuesday at Energy and U, a University of Minnesota College of Science and Engineering outreach program that aims to interest young students in going to college to study science.

With faculty members performing three shows a day for five days this week, more than 5,000 youngsters were expected to cycle through the pyrotechnic displays, with plenty of time to ask questions about science.