Friday, April 28, 2023

Frozen fractals: how geometric design creates magic.

Hello actors and mathematicians!
Today I welcome you to a shorter entry of the blog, because this week I'm recovering from surgery. I've talked to my classmates about the clases I've missed, and they've told me some things that have been discussed.
For example, fractals have been mentioned, and well, everything I know about fractals I've learned from a musical movie that could be an interesting tool to engage primary school students: Disney's Frozen.
In the lyrics of the modern classic Let It Go in english, the character of Elsa, voiced by Broadway star Idina Menzel, says "My power flurries through the air into the ground/My soul is spiraling in frozen fractals all around", and in the animated movie, when the Snow Queen uses her power to build herself a castle, the way everything is drawn is very geometric, mostly to help convey the icy magic. 
The way she builds the lamp as something that could keep endlessly expanding makes a viewer that is learning geometry, like me or our future students, make better sense of the concept of fractals.
I'll leave you with this, and until next time, break a leg!

Saturday, April 22, 2023

That's what you call a dream: how geometry serves actors.

 Hello actors and mathematicians! In today's post I want to discuss something that is greatly employed in both stages and classrooms everywhere: acting. If there's something I have learned from watching future educators´ presentations since I begun studying this degree is no one acts like a teacher who wants to be engaging. And since we put our heart and soul into performing, I wonder, how can geometry help us?

The art of acting calls for actors to embody characters, convey emotions, and interact with their surroundings. Even though it might not seem related, geometry is important in the world of acting. Geometrical concepts and spatial reasoning are used by actors to improve their performances and establish a commanding presence on stage. This blog post will examine the use of geometry by actors in their acting processes and how it affects their ability to portray characters and command the stage.

An actor's body awareness and movement on stage are influenced by geometry. Using ideas like planes, lines, and angles to create dynamic and expressive movements, actors must comprehend the relationships between their bodies and the space they occupy. Actors can captivate an audience with their precise and deliberate movements by examining the geometry of their physical presence and using their bodies to communicate emotions, intentions, and relationships with other characters.

Knowing spatial relationships on stage requires a solid understanding of geometry. The actors must move around the stage, interact with the props and scenery, and keep the stage as a whole. Actors can produce visually appealing and harmonious stage pictures by using geometric principles like balance, symmetry, and perspective. Actors can craft interesting and well-organized scenes that captivate the audience by having a clear understanding of the spatial relationships between themselves, their fellow actors, and the set's components.

Geometry is also used in blocking, the choreographed movement and placement of actors on stage. For each character in a scene, directors and actors use geometric principles to determine their positions, angles, and movement trajectories. The precise arrangement of actors on stage enhances the dramatic effect, creates visual interest, and guides the audience's focus. For actors to comprehend the staging instructions and carry out their movements with accuracy and purpose, geometry provides a framework.

In summary, it plays a significant role in acting techniques, enhancing an actor's body awareness, movement, spatial relationships, and stage compositions. By applying geometric principles, actors can create precise and intentional movements, compelling stage pictures, and dynamic interactions with their scene partners. The understanding of geometry enables actors to communicate emotions, intentions, and relationships effectively, captivating audiences through their physical presence and stagecraft. Through the integration of geometry into acting techniques, actors elevate their performances, bringing characters to life with depth, authenticity, and a heightened awareness of the spatial dynamics that shape their theatrical presence. Actors must be aware of the distance between themselves and other characters, as well as the angles and physical orientations that convey different emotional dynamics. By utilizing geometric principles, actors can create meaningful connections and establish the desired relationship dynamics through their spatial positioning and body language, adding depth and authenticity to their performances.

Friday, April 7, 2023

Remember my name: mathematicians who contributed to theatre and vice-versa.

Hello, actors and mathematicians! Since last post wefocused on Escher, I thought we could devote this entry to exploring some other experts in the field whose work contributed to theatre.


Although maths and theatre may appear to be unrelated fields, there have been notable mathematicians throughout history who not only excelled in their mathematical endeavors but also made noteworthy contributions to the field of theatre. In this blog post, we'll look into the fascinating lives of these mathematicians and how their enthusiasm for both the stage and mathematics intertwined, having a profound effect on both disciplines. This post lists a few:


Archimedes.

We meet the mathematician, physicist, engineer, and time traveler Archimedes in the distant past. Despite being primarily recognized for his contributions to science and mathematics, Archimedes also dabbled in theater. He is rumored to have created clever sets for theatrical performances, including automated controls for special effects and scenery changes. Mathematical and mechanical expertise of Archimedes improved the theatrical experience by offering creative fixes that delighted audiences and paved the way for later developments in stagecraft.

Lewis Carroll.

Charles Lutwidge Dodgson, better known by his pen name Lewis Carroll. Yes, the Alice in Wonderland writer. his fanciful tales are not only fascinating stories, but they also incorporate mathematical concepts and puzzles into the story. Carroll's aptitude for fusing mathematical puzzles with captivating storytelling produced a distinctive blend of entertainment and education that still holds the attention of readers, both young and old, to this day, and his work has been adapted to the stage countless times, be it as straight plays or musicals like Wonderland and Alice by Heart.

Sophie Germain.

The 18th-century French mathematician Sophie Germain made significant contributions to number theory and mathematical physics. Germain was renowned for her tenacity and resolve in continuing her mathematical studies at a time when it was thought inappropriate for women, but she also delved into other branches of philosophy and science. She emphasized the significance of creativity and imagination in the pursuit of knowledge by using the metaphor of the theater to represent the development and exchange of ideas, so, in a way, theatre contributed to her work. 


Through history, mathematicians have brought their logical reasoning and imaginative thinking to the stage, bridging the gap between the worlds of mathematics and theater, which helps both disciplines in a beautifully simbiotic relationship. Were you aware of all these great minds and their appreciation for or contribution to the craft?

I learnt a lot this week, and until next time, break a leg.

So long, farewell, auf Wiedersehen, goodbye: the last post on the blog.

 Hello, actors and matematicians (writing this for the last time feels weird). This entry will be shorter than most on the blog, as I'm ...