Anita Lanszki, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Hungarian University of Dance, Department of Pedagogy and Psychology
Modern educational research and cognitive sciences increasingly point to the fact that mathematical learning cannot be separated from bodily experience, a concept referred to in the literature as “embodied cognition” (Shvarts et al., 2021). This theoretical framework rejects the traditional view that learning is merely abstract information processing occurring in the brain, and instead emphasizes that knowledge is created through the dynamic interaction between the body, the environment, and the mind. As Jennifer Way and Paul Ginns (2024) explain, the roots of mathematical concepts lie in actions and representations in the physical world, even if later school mathematics appears to move away from this pragmatic source. During the learning process, children construct internal representational systems, which they develop and communicate through external expressions they create themselves, such as movement, drawing, or gestures. Building on this idea, Anna Shvarts and her colleagues (2021) introduce the concept of the body-artifact functional system, in which tools—whether digital software or a dancer’s choreography—become part of the thought process as extensions of the body.
1. Areas of Application in the Integration of Mathematics and Dance
The integration of dance and movement into mathematics education offers opportunities for development in numerous areas, ranging from basic spatial skills to complex algebraic and trigonometric relationships.
1.1. Spatial Awareness and Geometric Thinking
The relationship between spatial thinking and mathematical success is extremely strong and predictable. Gunderson et al. (2012) demonstrated that spatial abilities measured at age 5 significantly predict a child’s performance in counting and basic arithmetic operations at age 8. Barbara Ann Temple and colleagues (2020) point out that spatial awareness aids in the mental manipulation of objects, which is essential for reading graphs and understanding diagrams. Through dance, children use their own bodies to form shapes and trace paths through space, which aids in a deeper understanding of geometric concepts such as symmetry, angles, and parallelism. McCluskey and colleagues’ (2023) scoping review confirms that children’s bodily engagement with space provides direct insight into their nonverbal mathematical reasoning.
1.2. Number Sense and the Mental Number Line
Movement plays a fundamental role in understanding the order of magnitude of numbers. The development of the mental number line is facilitated by stepping along a physical number line or counting with fingers from left to right. Way and Ginns (2024) emphasize the importance of egocentric (relative to one’s own body) movement experiences, such as “take three steps forward” or “two steps back,” which provide direct physical experience of the abstract operations of addition and subtraction. According to research by Jorelyn E. Insorio (2025), encoding mathematical symbols (e.g., plus, minus, multiplication, division) as dance steps helps children internalize the rules of these operations.
1.3. Number Theory and Divisibility
The combination of rhythm and movement is ideally suited for illustrating abstract concepts such as the least common multiple (LCM) or prime numbers. In her analysis, Susan Gerofsky (2013) presents Sarah Chase’s method, which uses the asynchronous movement of the arms to make it visible and tangible when two different cycles come back into sync. Belcastro and Schaffer (2011) point out that the rhythmic patterns and repetitions of movements in dance can be directly mapped onto structures in number theory and graph theory.
1.4. Function Graphs and Trigonometry
Although graphing functions is traditionally a paper-based activity, dance is capable of “embodying” these abstract curves. Gerofsky (2013) describes the “function calisthenics” method, in which students use their arms to model the graphs of quadratic or absolute value functions. Shvarts et al. (2021) present a case study demonstrating how students can use their bodies to understand the sine function, creating mental models and metaphors such as the “unrolling measuring tape,” linking arc length to linear distance.
1.5. Affective Development and Reducing Math Anxiety
Movement-based learning not only offers cognitive benefits but also has a significant impact in the affective domain. Insorio (2025) demonstrated that integrating dance and song into math classes made students more motivated, energetic, and confident, reducing their fear of making mistakes. In their systematic literature review, Chappell et al. (2021) found that dance contributes to a sense of identity, a feeling of belonging, and improved self-esteem, which indirectly enhances academic performance.
2. Research Findings by Age Group
Studies examining the relationship between dance and mathematics demonstrate the effectiveness of dance interventions across different stages of life.
2.1. Early childhood (ages 0–8)
At this age, children are primarily “physical thinkers” who discover the patterns of the world through their senses and movement. McCluskey et al. (2023) emphasize that for the youngest children (ages 0–3), observing “schemas” (repeating movement patterns) is key to identifying mathematical thinking. A longitudinal study by Gunderson et al. (2012) confirmed a causal relationship between early spatial skills and later numeracy performance. Temple and colleagues (2020), analyzing the Wolf Trap Institute’s program, found that mathematics instruction integrated with dance significantly increased preschoolers’ use of spatial vocabulary (e.g., under, over, behind) and their recognition of geometric shapes. According to research by Pálinkás-Molnár and Bernáth (2020) conducted with first-graders, creative children’s dance positively influences numeracy skills, particularly in the areas of estimation tasks and handling inequalities. Zámbó and colleagues (2026) also found, in a study of first-grade students, that folk dance-based math tasks improved students’ creative rule-making, while movement-based tasks increased their willingness to participate.
2.2. Adolescence and High School (Ages 12–18)
For high school students, dance serves as a tool for developing abstract geometric reasoning. Salinas Suárez and Martí González (2025) examined the effect of folk dance on geometric knowledge based on the Van Hiele levels among Colombian students and observed significant improvement at the visualization and recognition levels. Insorio (2025) demonstrated among 7th-grade students (ages 12–15) in the Philippines that mathematical dances drastically reduced the math anxiety typical of the post-pandemic period and increased engagement in class. Shamir and colleagues (2019) demonstrated in a STEM-focused program with 7th graders that combining dance and coding improves interest in mathematics and cognitive flexibility.
2.3. Adulthood and Higher Education
University-level research focuses on parallels between dance and advanced mathematics (e.g., group theory, topology). Belcastro and Schaffer (2011) describe how the Klein four-group can be used to model dance symmetries (reflection, rotation). Gerofsky (2013) points out that research mathematicians often use spatial gestures and mental images in their work, which confirms the lifelong relevance of the embodied approach.
3. Methodological Best Practices in the Literature
Research has identified several specific methods and exercises that are well-suited for practical application.
- Sarah Chase’s combinatorial arm movements: This method is based on bilateral movement and simultaneous storytelling. As described by Gerofsky (2013), students move one arm through 2 positions and the other through 3 positions until they are in sync again, physically demonstrating that 2 × 3 = 6.
- Rudolf Laban’s Kinesphere: Laban’s system places an imaginary polyhedron (an icosahedron) around the body. According to Fügedi (2008), dancers master the dimensions, directions, and angles of space through movements directed toward the vertices of the polyhedron, describing the movement with precise mathematical accuracy.
- Shaffer and Stern’s “Clap Your Name” game: In this exercise, children clap out the rhythm of their names, distinguishing between vowels and consonants, and then work in pairs to find the LKKT at the intersection of the stressed initial letters.
- Deans and Cohrssen’s “Conversation in Shape” task: This is a group activity in which one child assumes a static shape, and the others must use their bodies to fill in the empty spaces between the child’s body parts. According to McCluskey et al. (2023), this activity deepens the experiential understanding of spatial filling and dimensions.
- Polyxeni Evangelopoulou’s “Number 10 Sculptures” game: Children work in pairs: one child shows a “secret” number less than 10, and the other must touch the first child with as many body parts as needed to make 10.
- Crossing the Midline: Temple and colleagues (2020) emphasize the importance of cross-lateral movements in which the limbs cross the body’s midline. This activates both hemispheres of the brain, which is essential for processing mathematical data, reading, and handwriting.
- Function Calisthenics: An exercise described by Gerofsky (2013) in which students use their arms to model the shapes of functions depicted in a coordinate system, thereby aiding the consolidation of visual memory.
Based on the reviewed literature, interventions grounded in the principles of embodied cognition effectively support the internalization of mathematical concepts, reduce anxiety, and promote holistic development for all age groups.
References
Belcastro, S.-M., & Schaffer, K. (2011). Dancing mathematics and the mathematics of dance. Math Horizons, 18(3), 16–20.
Chappell, K., et al. (2021). The aesthetic, artistic, and creative contributions of dance to health and well-being across the life course: A systematic review. International Journal of Qualitative Studies on Health and Well-being, 16(1), 1950891.
Deans, J., & Cohrssen, C. (2015). Young children dancing mathematical thinking. Australasian Journal of Early Childhood, 40(3), 61–67.
Evangelopoulou, P. (2014). A case study on Maths Dance: The impact of integrating dance and movement in math teaching and learning in preschool and elementary school settings [Master’s thesis]. Stockholm University.
Gerofsky, S. (2013). Learning mathematics through dance. In G. W. Hart & R. Sarhangi (Eds.), Proceedings of Bridges 2013: Mathematics, Music, Art, Architecture, Culture (pp. 337–344). Tessellations Publishing.
Gunderson, E. A., et al. (2012). The relation between spatial skill and early number knowledge: The role of the linear number line. Developmental Psychology, 48(5), 1229–1241.
Insorio, J. E. (2025). Math dance and song: Means to reduce student mathematical anxiety and promote engagement. International Journal of Didactical Studies, 6(3), 32161.
McCluskey, C., Kilderry, A., Mulligan, J., & Kinnear, V. (2023). The role of movement in young children’s spatial experiences: A review of early childhood mathematics education research. Mathematics Education Research Journal, 35, 287–315.
Pálinkás-Molnár, M., & Bernáth, L. (2020). An investigation of the relationship between dance and mathematics among first-graders. Dance and Education, 1(1), 21–36.
Salinas Suárez, Y. M., & Martí González, M. (2025). Curricular integration of mathematics and dance to improve geometric reasoning in secondary school students. Revista de Gestão Social e Ambiental - RGSA, 19(1), 1-41.
Shvarts, A., Alberto, R., Bakker, A., Doorman, M., & Drijvers, P. (2021). Embodied instrumentation in learning mathematics as the genesis of a body-artifact functional system. Educational Studies in Mathematics, 107, 447–469.
Temple, B. A., Bentley, K., Pugalee, D. K., Blundell, N., & Pereyra, C. M. (2020). Using dance and movement to enhance spatial awareness learning. Athens Journal of Education, 7(2), 153–168.
Way, J., & Ginns, P. (2024). Embodied learning in early mathematics education: Translating research into principles to inform teaching. Education Sciences, 14(7), 696.