Dancing Euclidean Proofs

I was amazed by the creativity that the authors put into using modern dance choreography to represent mathematical proofs. Before this class, I had never thought about connecting math with arts in this fashion. As mentioned by the authors, "proofs unfold over time in a way similar to the sequential moves of a dance", and the math concepts can definitely be embodied through artistic representations.

What I find interesting is how the dancers used intuition to make geometric shapes and imagining that the arms can represent equal lengths, because it's almost impossible to create precisely measured lines without any tools. At the same time, they can also be flexible and have unequal lengths to fit the parameters of a proof. I think using the body to guide the mind through geometric representations can be very helpful to the understanding of the mathematical ideas, as it provides more clarity with step-by-step movements rather than just static images on a piece of paper. Also, the time spent on practicing and memorizing the dance movements can ensure a better internalization and mental recreation of the Euclidean proofs.

I also like how the authors mentioned how their project can serve as a disciplinary practice which reveals the 'human mathematical agent.' In other words, the dance becomes symbolic of mathematics as humanity and humanity as mathematics. The dancers also become the mathematics themselves, going beyond the representations of a typical dance performance and transforming themselves as a 'rendition' of Euclid's first three propositions.

I believe using an embodied experience to recreate and even relive mathematics can enhance student's learning experience in the classroom. By adding artistic elements, students will be encouraged to use their creativity and imagination more than pure computation, and this is quite different from the right-or-wrong framework of mathematics they're accustomed to. A project like this could unlock their potential in mathematics through artistic inspiration.