Do you know that every time you dance, you are doing math?

Dance is Dance is defined as: to defined as: to move one's move one's feet or body, or feet or body, or both, both, rhythmically in rhythmically in a pattern of a pattern of step, especially step, especially to music.to music.

Dancing is moving your Dancing is moving your body at the rythm of the body at the rythm of the music. Rythm involves music. Rythm involves patterns and patterns are patterns and patterns are MATHEMATICS!MATHEMATICS!

Do you know Do you know that every time that every time you dance, you you dance, you are doing math?are doing math?

How is dance related to math?

Dance and Math

Rhythm Rhythm ((counting beatscounting beats))Dance can be related to the Dance can be related to the

timing of the beat, timing of the beat, the number of steps involved in a the number of steps involved in a dance move, dance move, the number of parttners involved, the number of parttners involved, the number of instruments that it the number of instruments that it takes to play the music, takes to play the music, the number of choreographers the number of choreographers that it took to work out the dance that it took to work out the dance move, etc..move, etc..

ForForm m Geometry of lines:Geometry of lines:

Dance requires you Dance requires you to make different to make different shapes and angles shapes and angles

with your body.with your body.

Using Using symmetry to symmetry to

form form formationsformations

GeometryGeometryDance movement can be all sorts of Dance movement can be all sorts of

combinations of circles, points, angles combinations of circles, points, angles and linesand lines

So there are plenty of ways that we So there are plenty of ways that we can physically experience (or watch) can physically experience (or watch)

geometry. geometry. All the topics included in dance are:

ShapeShapes:s:Dancers are constantly making shapes with their entire Dancers are constantly making shapes with their entire

bodies. They form simple shapes with their arms and legs such bodies. They form simple shapes with their arms and legs such as circles, triangles and lines as well as more complex shapes. as circles, triangles and lines as well as more complex shapes. Dancers also make different shapes with their formations.Dancers also make different shapes with their formations.

Patterns:Patterns:Everything in dance has to do with patterns. Everything in dance has to do with patterns. Dancers memorize patterns in the steps in Dancers memorize patterns in the steps in their dances. Music usually has a pattern of their dances. Music usually has a pattern of verse-chorus-verse-chorus that dictate a verse-chorus-verse-chorus that dictate a dancers movement. They also follow a pattern dancers movement. They also follow a pattern in the music, counting 1-8 over and over. in the music, counting 1-8 over and over.

Parallel Parallel Lines:Lines:

Dancers often have to think about staying parallel Dancers often have to think about staying parallel to other dancers to preserve formations. They to other dancers to preserve formations. They need to keep the same distance between need to keep the same distance between themselves and the other dancers no matter how themselves and the other dancers no matter how they move. they move.

This could be as simple as ronde de This could be as simple as ronde de jambe, or as fluid as all the circles jambe, or as fluid as all the circles necessary to keep movement smooth.necessary to keep movement smooth.

Circles:Circles:

AngleAngles:s:Dancers need to focus on the angles they Dancers need to focus on the angles they

make with their bodies to form the correct make with their bodies to form the correct shapes. shapes.

These dancers are making right angles with These dancers are making right angles with their bodies. You can find the degrees of the their bodies. You can find the degrees of the

angles of their bodies.angles of their bodies.

This dancer is making a 180° angle with her This dancer is making a 180° angle with her leg. The slope of her line is undefined.leg. The slope of her line is undefined.

The The term is term is called called Penche.Penche.

This dancer is making a 90° angle with her This dancer is making a 90° angle with her leg.leg.

This term This term is called is called ArabesqueArabesque

The slope of his line is 0. His arm is making a The slope of his line is 0. His arm is making a curved line.curved line.

This term This term is called is called a Grand a Grand JeteJete

This dancer's leg in making a scalene This dancer's leg in making a scalene triangle. Her arms are also making a straight triangle. Her arms are also making a straight

line on an angle.line on an angle.

This This term is term is called called Passe.Passe.

TuttingTuttingTutting is a style of dance Tutting is a style of dance that is based totally on that is based totally on geometry and patterns geometry and patterns and angles, mosty with and angles, mosty with your arms. your arms.

Hip hop brought a style of Hip hop brought a style of pop locking that involves pop locking that involves geometrical movements geometrical movements to form 90 degree angles. to form 90 degree angles. This is such a sick style of This is such a sick style of dance when it's done dance when it's done right. It's pretty crazy how right. It's pretty crazy how dope it looks. dope it looks.

SymmetrySymmetryo Dance can also be very symmetrical. Dancers are Dance can also be very symmetrical. Dancers are

constantly moving their bodies across the stage so constantly moving their bodies across the stage so that it reflects the same consistent pattern. that it reflects the same consistent pattern.

o Often, formations in a dance create reflection or Often, formations in a dance create reflection or rotational symmetry. Also, partner dancing often rotational symmetry. Also, partner dancing often uses both reflection and rotational symmetry.uses both reflection and rotational symmetry.

The two ballerinas are creating reflection symmetry, with the line of symmetry drawn in pink

The girls are illustrating rotational symmetry, with the point of rotation in the middle of the circle as well as reflection symmetry.

Dancers also have reflection symmetry in their Dancers also have reflection symmetry in their own bodies. own bodies. The first two images are symmetrical; the third The first two images are symmetrical; the third is asymmetrical. is asymmetrical.

Suzana Paripovic

Thanks you for listening