The benefits of investigating maths through dance

Based on a report by Lizzie Haines commissioned by Arts Council England.

There is a strong link between dance and maths, both relying on elements such as pattern and rhythm

It appears that using their bodies to explore mathematical concepts helps children learn in various ways.

children cannot fail as there are no wrong answers
children experience the concepts with their whole bodies and imaginations, without language, which gives them another level of understanding
dance allows experimentation and play with concepts which helps to fix them for children
the need to understand the concepts in order to create the dance gives children a valid reason for learning the concepts
physically experiencing the concepts without the intervention of language enables the ideas to be implanted more fully without lengthy verbal explanation.
children work together on the dance work, allowing them to collaboratively learn concepts that they may have struggled with alone and contribute to problem solving and creativity.
the body can be seen as a tool that concretises the mathematical concept and allows children to dispense with language or pen and paper as tools for learning. For some children this may be their best way of learning. For others it may confirm the learning they do in the classroom.
finally, dance sessions with Dance Equation are seen as hugely enjoyable for all children involved: they are a great incentive for children to learn the concepts that they will need to participate in them.