About The Mechanics of Life
The Mechanics of Life brought together engineers from the University of Leeds, artists from Northern Ballet, and educators and young people from Batley Girls’ High School to explore the mechanics of movement through dance. Through co-production between engineers, teachers, students and artists, the project developed and disseminated cross-curricular and experimental learning activities and experiences.
These activities connected the curriculum areas of design technology, biology, physics, mathematics and performing arts, inspired by the concept of the human body as a remarkable ‘machine’.
The project team came together over several months to co-produce a series of learning activities for Year 8 students at Batley Girls’ High School. Facilitated workshops drew out connections between disciplinary areas and developed concepts for a range of learning experiences both within and beyond the classroom. Students participated in action-packed engineering days at the University of Leeds to inform the development of activities. Trampolining demonstrated the physics and forces in spinning and somersaults, and students took part in engineering challenges and visited research labs.
The collaborative process culminated in an ‘experience day’ for students at the Northern Ballet studios. Sessions were designed to inspire cross-disciplinary thinking with activities that connected topics such as anatomy, language, range of motion and limits of the body, and the physics of a pirouette. Comparisons between expression in mechanical and organic movement were explored through a robot versus dancer challenge.
Students toured the Northern Ballet wardrobe department and considered the engineering behind theatre experiences. Each activity produced a content that is woven into the short dance films. Whether a visual, a position or pose, or sequence of movements, these were co-created with students who experienced live choreography with the artistic team. The finale of the day was a ballet showcase, which drew the learning content together, providing the foundation of the choreography for our short dance films.
Key outcomes
The Mechanics of Life films were premiered at the Everyman cinema to the school and invited guests from the engineering, education and cultural sectors; they tell the story of our journey together across the disciplines. The ‘Behind the Scenes’ film captures the collaborative experiences and ‘insights’ film shares interviews with dancers and engineers will form the basis of learning resource packs for schools. This brings to life how advances in engineering can help us all to live longer, stronger, and healthier lives.
Through this unique collaboration, the project challenged the stereotypes and perceptions of engineers and engineering – who they are and what they do – through creative exploration of the impact of medical engineering and its role in society. It opened spaces of work and shared the worlds to create exciting learning experiences that bring to life the applications of engineering and the science of dance.
To find out more about this project, read our case study and hear more from the project team.
