Project Draft Renu &Rabia 

Exploring Math Concepts Through Bharathanatyam

“Incorporating music, art, role-playing and games into the curriculum” made the lessons engaging to learners.” (Iyengar,2015). As educators, consider how to best facilitate understanding (Gerofsky,2015) poses an intriguing question: “When learners are approaching a new mathematical topic, would it be helpful for them to hear a mathematical relationship, to touch it, or to know it through movement?” These perspectives made us incorporate the innovative teaching methods through dance that cater to individual learning needs. 

Objective: 

Classical dance forms like Bharatanatyam,  Kuchuppudi, Kathak, Mohiniyattam represent culture and tradition of people through different stories. In this project we aim to integrate math and classical dance forms to generate embodied math learning which helps students to get more connected to math ideas, especially geometry. Concepts like angles, geometry, parallel lines symmetry, pattern, transformation and coordinate plane can be taught by these classical dance forms in an outdoor setting.  

Grade Level: Elementary and Primary Level                             

Project components 

Introduction to classical dance forms especially we are taking basics of Bharatanatyam which is a popular dance form of state Tamilnadu, India. 

Explanation of various geometrical shapes formed through hand movements in Bharatanatyam, including triangles, right angles, line segments, diagonals, half circles, circles, diamonds, obtuse, and acute angles, polygons, coordinate plane and points etc. 

Comparison with different dance forms like Ballet, Tutting and Latin Dance. 

Outdoor Geometry Activities:  

 Engage students in outdoor activities to visualize and understand geometric concepts. Create large-scale shapes on the ground using ropes or chalk to represent angles, parallel lines, and coordinates. Encourage students to create their own steps and dance positions. 

Coordinate Plane and Graphs:  

Introduce the coordinate plane using outdoor spaces. Relate dance movements to coordinates, allowing students to see the connection between their body positions and points on a graph. 

We have found different articles related to math and arts.  

Bibliography 

       1) Mannone, M., & Turchet, L. (2019). Shall We (Math and) Dance? In MCM (pp. 84–97). Springer International Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-21392-3_7 

This paper explores the intersection of mathematics, computation, and music, investigating the potential of mathematical principles in enhancing dance experiences. Maria Mannone and Luca Turchet delve into how mathematical concepts can be applied to music and dance to create innovative and engaging performances, posing the question, "Shall We (Math and) Dance?" 

      2) Alida Anderson (2015) Dance/Movement Therapy's Influence on Adolescents' Mathematics, Social-Emotional, and Dance Skills, The Educational Forum, 79:3, 230-247, https://doi.org/10.1080/00131725.2015.1037512 

This paper explores the intersection of mathematics and music, focusing on the influence of dance/movement therapy on adolescents' mathematical, social-emotional, and dance skills. 

3) Taeao, S., & Averill, R. (2021). Tu'utu'u le upega i le loloto—cast the net into deeper waters: Exploring dance as a culturally sustaining mathematics pedagogy. The Australian Journal of Indigenous Education, 50(1), 127-135. doi:https://doi.org/10.1017/jie.2019.17 

This paper is about the innovative use of dance as a pedagogical tool in teaching mathematics, particularly in culturally diverse contexts. It examines how integrating dance into mathematics education can support cultural sustainability and enhance learning outcomes. 

       4) Radford, L. (2009). Why Do Gestures Matter? Sensuous Cognition and the Palpability of Mathematical Meanings. Educational Studies in Mathematics, 70(2), 111–126. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10649-008-9127-3 

Radford's paper explores the significance of gestures in mathematics education, arguing that they play a crucial role in facilitating the understanding and embodiment of mathematical concepts. Through the lens of sensuous cognition, it examines how bodily movements and tactile experiences contribute to the palpability and comprehension of mathematical meanings. 

       5) Schaffer, K., Stern, E. & Kim, S. (2001). Math dance with Dr. Schaffer and Mr. Stern: Preliminary edition. Santa Cruz, CA: MoveSpeakSpin.  

This paper talks about the Whole-body mathematics and movement activities for the K-12 classroom, the studio, and the stage. Enables students to experience symmetry, shape, pattern, combinatorics, aesthetics, and storytelling as unifying concepts in both mathematics and dance. 

       6) Gerofsky, S. (2013, July). Learning mathematics through dance. In Proceedings of Bridges 2013: Mathematics, Music, Art, Architecture, Culture (pp. 337-344).http://archive.bridgesmathart.org/2013/bridges2013-337.html 

This paper discusses how the expressive medium of dance can enhance understanding and engagement in mathematical concepts, offering insights into interdisciplinary pedagogical strategies 

7) Kalpana, I. M. (2015). Bharatanatyam and mathematics: Teaching geometry through dance. Journal of Fine and Studio Art, 5(2), 6-17. 

This mixed methods study informed by is designed to recommend a framework for exploring how Asian Indian students can learn basic geometric shapes through Bharatanatyam. The study investigates dance movements called adavus, cultural relevance, integration of elements from dance and geometry, and the implementation of alternate strategies such as dance instruction to teach and learn basic geometric shapes.  

8) Belcastro, S. M., & Schaffer, K. (2011). Dancing Mathematics and the Mathematics of Dance. Math Horizons, 18(3), 16-20. Taylor & Francis, Ltd. on behalf of the Mathematical Association of America. https://doi.org/10.4169/194762111X12954578042939 

This paper explores how mathematical principles underlie different dance forms, revealing the interconnected nature of these two disciplines. Through an exploration of movement, patterns, and geometry in dance, the authors present a distinctive perspective on the manifestation of mathematical concepts in the artistic realm of dance, promoting a cross-disciplinary understanding for both math enthusiasts and dance lovers. 

9)Wilson, R., & Wolfson, J. (Year). Mathematics and Dance: Notes from an Emerging   Interaction. Notices of the American Mathematical Society, 68(11), 1926-1929. 

In this paper, the authors discuss the growing connection between math and dance. They share observations on how these two areas are starting to collaborate and highlight interesting connections. 

10) Leandro, C. R. (2018). Interdisciplinary working practices: Can creative dance improve math? Research in Dance Education, 19(1), 74-90. https://doi.org/10.1080/14647893.2017.1354838 

In this paper, the author explores the potential of creative dance to enhance math skills through interdisciplinary working practices. He investigates how integrating creative dance into education could positively impact mathematical learning, offering insights into the potential benefits of combining artistic and mathematical approaches in teaching. 

11) Stern, E. (2021). Pattern Play: The Case for Dance in College Mathematics and Beyond. Journal of Dance Education, 21(3), 158-167. https://doi.org/10.1080/15290824.2021.1939357 

This paper explains the integration of dance into college mathematics education. Exploring the link between pattern recognition in dance and mathematical concepts, the paper makes a case for incorporating movement-based approaches to enhance mathematical understanding both in college settings and beyond that.