MoveSpeakSpin

MoveSpeakSpin

What do mathematics and dance have in common? For years Karl Schaffer and Erik Stern have been showing the magical connections through highly physical, engaging choreography peppered with their unique brand of humor and entertaining audience interactions.

MoveSpeakSpin, founded in 1987, encompasses the Dr. Schaffer and Mr. Stern Dance Ensemble, which tours its engaging dance concerts and presents workshops on the connections between dance and mathematics internationally, as well as local productions such as The Daughters of Hypatia: Circles of Mathematical Women, a dance concert about the lives and work of great women mathematicians throughout history.

The Dr. Schaffer and Mr. Stern Dance Ensemble has appeared on major venues such as the Kennedy Center, at children’s festivals, conferences, schools and on hundreds of stages internationally. Delighting audiences of all ages, the ensemble has received numerous national grants, and taught hundreds of workshops on how to connect dance and mathematics in the classroom. Their book, Math Dance with Dr. Schaffer and Mr. Stern, is popular among arts and mathematics educators worldwide.

EDUCATOR CONTACT INFO

karl_schaffer@yahoo.com

http://www.schafferstern.org/index.html

  P.O. Box 8055, Santa Cruz, CA 95061

831-246-2112

The Secret Life of Squares

Program description

From the stately “Shadowed Flight” to a vaudevillian handshake routine to Chinese legends of flight told with giant Tangrams, the Dr. Schaffer and Mr. Stern Dance Ensemble addresses symmetry, number sense, the history of ideas and, ultimately, how we think. Their show The Secret Life Of Squares, with company dancer Saki, has inspired reviewer’s comments like these: “This duo showed the playful and engaging side of science… If I had known science and math could be so much fun, I would have paid more attention at school.”

Booking / scheduling contact

Karl Schaffer

   831-246-2112

 karl_schaffer@yahoo.com

Program detail
Artistic discipline: Dance
Cultural Origin: Multicultural
Program type: Performance, Professional Development, Residency (including camps)
Population served: Pre-K, Kindergarten, Grade 1, Grade 2, Grade 3, Grade 4, Grade 5, Grade 6, Grade 7, Grade 8, Grade 9, Grade 10, Grade 11, Grade 12
Subject: Math
Bilingual: No
Available dates:

Open and depends on performers’ schedules.

Available times:

Any

Max number of students: 600
Length of program: 55 minutes
Space / technical requirements:

30 ft. wide by 20 ft. deep, smaller may be possible, depending on space arrangement.

Location(s):

Bay Area

Fees / Ticketing:

$1000 plus travel (if necessary)

Qualifications

Conducts educational programming for 2 or more years: Yes
Performs criminal background checks on staff with youth contact: Yes
Maintains general liability insurance: Yes
Three letters of recommendation / references available: Yes
Provides study guides for teachers and or students: Yes
Connects to State and or Common Core Curriculum Standards: Yes
Provides tools to assess student learning (workshops and residencies): Yes
Provides scholarship and reduced fees: Yes
Conducts ongoing assessments of program quality: Yes

Educator Qualifications

Conducts educational programming for 2 or more years: Yes
Performs criminal background checks on staff with youth contact: Yes
Maintains general liability insurance: Yes
Three letters of recommendation / references available: Yes
Provides study guides for teachers and or students: Yes
Connects to State and/or Common Core Curriculum Standards: Yes
Provides tools to assess student learning (workshops and residencies): Yes
Provides scholarship and reduced fees: Yes
Conducts ongoing assessments of program quality: Yes