Exploring STEM Through Dance: Pace STEAM

By Karen LaCava, Director, Community Investment

In November 2009, Time Warner Cable launched its signature STEM program, Connect a Million Minds, designed to address the declining proficiency of middle school students in the United States in science, math, and technology.  Initially partnering with STEM organizations such as FIRST, we quickly shifted focus to help young people discover the less-than-apparent connection of math and science to virtually all aspects of everyday life.

In New York City, we brought a unique experience to middle school students from some of the most underserved communities in the city, partnering with the Pace STEM Collaboratory of Pace University.  Directed by faculty members at the Seidenberg School of Computer Science in collaboration with faculty at the Pace School of Education, the Collaboratory seeks to identify and develop a pipeline of talented STEM students and teachers in grades 6-12 and motivate learners to persevere in the study of STEM, among other goals.  With Time Warner Cable’s support, the Collaboratory successfully piloted Pace STEAM in 2014, a program seeking to engage students and staff in the exploration of STEM concepts through the innovation and creativity of the arts.

Following up again this year, on February 6 over 150 middle school students participated in a workshop with Koresh Dance Company and Pace faculty designed to illustrate math and science topics through dance. Students gathered in small groups each led by a professional  dancer, diligently working with math concepts such as sequencing to create and “code” a short choreographed dance piece to accompany a Tupac poem.  Each group then presented their work to their fellow students, to great acclaim and enthusiasm. Pairing the role of math and science with dance (something kids naturally love), increased the STEM “cool” factor.  Later that evening students, along with their parents / guardians, attended the Koresh performance at the Michael Schimmel Center for the Arts.  For many of the students this was their first opportunity to attend a professional dance company performance, made all the more special by their hands-on interaction with the dancers a few hours earlier. It also demonstrated in spectacular fashion, the sequencing, geometry, and coding the students themselves had experienced.