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Extra Credit Event 1

The event I chose to write about is UCLA's Leonardo Art Science Evening Rendezvous (LASER). Particularly, the work of Kelly Nipper stood out to me when she mentioned the work she does includes the minds of both engineers and dancers. I was initially skeptical of what engineers and dancers could possibly have in common, but after listening to what work she is involved with, I realized that even art, in the form of dance, is connected to science. Her work involves the scientific study of the moving body in space. This really caught my attention as dance, one of the most common forms of art, uses concepts of geometry, a fundamental type of math, to create movements in a conceptual way. 

The use of geometry in dance is something I've never thought about. I'm no dancer, but I always imagined choreographers just coming up with moves that they feel look good out of thin air. However, after doing a bit of research, I come to realize that choreographers use many mathematical concepts in order to construct a pattern of movements in a given amount of space. In an article called, "The Choreographer's Toolbox," some of the "tools" a choreographer uses to create a dance routine are shapes, space, symmetry/asymmetry, timing, and dynamics ("Making Dance"). Aside from timing, the other tools require the use of mathematical concepts, which clearly show the connection between the lecture "Math and Art." In my engineering classes, I've had to study the dynamics of a ballet dancer as they changed their rotational speeds and accelerations with arm movements. The word "dynamics" is referred to as a common dance term to indicate the change in physical abilities with different motions ("Contemporary Dance Terms. Definitions"). As for symmetry and asymmetry, they are used for both individual dances and group dances for the purpose of placing the attention of the viewer during the performance (Voerman). From these pieces of information, it can be seen how the mathematical concepts and dance are connected as each "tool" proves to have a significant purpose in choreography.

In Nipper's talk, she mentioned that shapes are used to portray meanings with the interaction of the human body in a given space. Her example was given as a dancer was on top of a polygon shape sideways. She said that the message behind this image was that the shape was inside the dancer's body and with each movement the dancer made, the shape would remain affecting the body in different ways. Shapes and space are important in dance as it demonstrates an act, feeling, or idea through the movement of the body (Riley). Furthermore, there is an Atlas of Emotion, which is the graphical representation of five emotions (anger, fear, disgust, sadness, enjoyment) (Armstrong). In a way, these graphs show the emotions that are associated with certain types of shapes, which can be used in dance and movements to implicitly send a message to the viewer. I would recommend this event as it gave a very clear, interesting, and new connection between art and math that I've never considered until hearing the lecture by Kelly Nipper.

Kelley Nipper giving the presentation

Nipper with her work of the dancer on the polygon shape

selfie with Nipper

Citation:

Armstrong, Zan. “The Shapes of Emotions – Hi.Stamen.” Hi.Stamen, Hi.Stamen, 27 July 2016, hi.stamen.com/the-shapes-of-emotions-72c3851143e2.

“Contemporary Dance Terms. Definitions.” Contemporary-Dance.org, www.contemporary-dance.org/dance-terms.html.

“Making Dance.” Scenic Design: A History of Change and Innovation | Imagined Spaces, www.artsalive.ca/en/dan/make/toolbox/elements.asp.

Riley, Susan. “Math and Dance | Dance Geometry.” EducationCloset, 13 Mar. 2017, educationcloset.com/2012/11/15/the-geometry-of-dance/.

Voerman, Peter. “Symmetry & Asymmetry.” Dancing Capital, www.dancingcapital.com/index.php/space-as-an-element-of-dance/80-space-symm-asymm.