Rebecca Hart (Director, Dance Equation), has worked with young people, teachers and dancers to find ways to DANCE about MATHS. Organisations that have supported this research and development include: Creative Partnerships, Arts Council England, Nottingham City Council, Nottinghamshire County Council, Dance4 National Dance Agency, Nottingham City and Leicestershire Arts in Education Service and many more, including many different schools in the East Midlands. Our current performance and workshop package DANCE about MATHS to highlight some of these ideas.
"As a choreographer, I love experimenting with pattern, space, structure and time and find similar satisfaction when investigating a mathematical concept. I have found this work especially useful in schools, as a way of making maths creative, fun and physical."
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...more
How does the use of repetition, routine and ritual help young people with learning difficulties to accumulate and retain knowledge?
Repetition, routine and ritual are very important to the majority of young people at St Giles Special School. Not only does this provide structure in school life, it helps students understand and cope with the interactive world. This Creative partnerships project between Dance Equation and St Giles School explores how the development of creative workshops...more
"This work has made a massive impact on me, the one who was very, very sceptical at the beginning and not happy as I was 'lumbered' with the project. I think I have had the biggest shift of opinions in the room today!"
Gary Carlise (maths teacher at William Bradford school) at the evaluation day...more
Rebecca has been experimenting with combining maths and dance at Seagrave School for a whole school year now, from September 2004. She has been interested in the affinities between dance and maths since her late teens, and has always wanted to try to combine them in her school practice, but needed a relationship with a school that was close and lasting...more