Move Through Math | Rethinking Learning Through the Body

Das sagt der/die Veranstalter:in:

Overview

⏱️ Schedule: Doors 18:30 → Talk 19:00 → Q&A → Mingle
🌐 Language: English

What if mathematics wasn't something you just solved on paper—but something you could feel, move, and experience?

We've been taught that math lives in textbooks and on chalkboards. But for most of human history, knowledge was embodied—passed down through rhythm, gesture, and movement. What happens when we bring the body back into learning?

In this talk, Janani Suresh Ram explores embodied learning through the lens of Bharatanatyam, one of India's classical dance forms. By bringing together movement, rhythm, and spatial awareness, she reimagines mathematical thinking as a lived, physical experience rather than an abstract concept.

Together, we'll explore:

• Why use the body to understand and interact with mathematics?
• What is Bharatanatyam—and how can a classical dance form become a tool for mathematical thinking through rhythm, space, and gesture?
• How can concepts like infinity, numbers, and fractals be experienced through the body?
• What happens in a Move Through Math workshop, and how does this approach work in practice?
• What might an embodied mathematics book for foundational concepts look like?

Speaker

Janani Suresh Ram
 

Janani Suresh Ram is a mechanical engineer, Bharatanatyam performer, and researcher exploring the intersection of movement, mathematics, and learning. With a background in mechanical engineering and a doctorate in Performing Arts from the University of Tübingen, her work brings together analytical thinking and artistic practice. Through her initiative Move Through Math, she develops workshops and interdisciplinary experiences, and is currently designing an interactive book for elementary-aged children and facilitators—making mathematics tangible, embodied, and deeply human.