Mathematics & Dance, Movement, Drama and Film

 Summary of article: “Dancing Mathematics and the Mathematics of Dance”

This article reviews how mathematics can be found within dance, as well as how dance can be created using mathematical concepts.  Examples of these connections are made throughout the article from as early as 1990 where mathematicians have been connecting mathematics and dance. Concepts such as complex patterns, symmetry and geometry are explored as examples of relationships with dance and how we can explore these concepts through movement. 

Throughout this course we have been exposed to many examples of how we can use dance to learn math. However, in this article we begin to see how, in some cases, “the mathematics and the dance are so deeply intertwined that it would be difficult to say which impulse started the creative process” (Belcastro & Schaffer, 2001, p.18). Looking at an example, such as the one provided in the article of the finger tetrahedron, see image 1, gives us a way to look at the two intertwined together. These types of examples would be an excellent way to have students explore the connection between the two, rather than just having them create a dance using some form of mathematics. Creating a dance could leave students to believe that dances can be created with mathematics but dances that already exist do not have the same connections. 

Image 1 - Finger Tetrahedron

My second stop was when I read the following quote, “we don’t view dance entirely through the lens of mathematics - or vice versa. Even when a dance has a strong mathematical element, we let the dance take on a life of its own” (Belcastro & Schaffer, 2001, p. 20). This was a good reminder to me. We can find examples of mathematical ideas within mathematics and we can use mathematics to create dance but that does not mean that all dance will reflect these concepts. I think this is important to consider when making explicit connections to dance and mathematics with our students. 

Exploration of Mathematical Task 

For the mathematics exploration this week, I chose the proving center lesson from Math on the Move to try with my grade 1/2 class. In this lesson my students explored a ladder made of tape using movement. I was very impressed with the responses and mathematical conversations this activity elicited. Before giving students any instruction, I gave students time to explore the ladder. They could choose how they wanted to use movement within the ladder. After this exploration, we had a class discussion around what students noticed and wondered. Students noticed that: 

• “I could see how everybody moves their body differently.” 

• “You could use the ladder to do a workout.” 

• “You could count if you wanted to take two steps or three steps, or skip count as you jumped.” 

• While I was doing it, I was counting how many jumps I did.” 

I found that students were able to make some connections to math (without realizing), however, there was definitely a focus on the physical activity involved in the lesson. 

Image 2 - Students open exploration of movement with the ladder

Next, I asked students, in groups, to find the center of the ladder using movement. During our follow-up discussion, students explained their strategies. 

• “You could count from both sides to see which is in the middle.”

• “I counted how many there were. There was 3 more than 20, so we counted from 10 to one side and it was one more than that on each side. The one between us is the middle.”

• “It is 11 on both sides because 11 and 11 is 22 so it is on the 12th square that is in the middle.” 

• “We each stood at one side and counted until we met in the middle of the ladder.”

I loved the engagement during this lesson. Students were excited to try to find the middle. Currently, we are talking about equality in math class. This lesson tied it well with this concept, as we made the connection between standing in the middle of the ladder and how this makes both sides equal. As a further extension, I would be interested to see if students would use the same strategy if the ladder was even longer or when prompted with, where can you stand to make both sides of you even or equal. Students could also be asked to find another way to prove that both sides are equal.

Link to the Proving Center lesson - https://docs.google.com/document/d/11u8l_6Ege5XYIbDujNDUZ4BA0y8UDhTlpSxzMzjbp-g/edit

After immersing myself in this week’s course content, I am left wondering: 

• How can we use videos or images that already exist  of dance and movements to illustrate for students a connection to mathematics?

References

Belcastro, S., & Schaffer, K. (2011). Dancing mathematics and the mathematics of dance. Math 

Horizons, 18(3), 16-20. https://doi.org/10.4169/194762111X12954578042939