I’ve been a little uncommunicative on this blog lately but for good reason. I’ve been hip deep in developing my new game based on my flagship program Math in Your Feet. The Moving Patterns game is an active, self directed game about about patterns, footwork, friends, and math. Dancing makes life fun and math makes the dancing more interesting!

Back in February I did a three month pilot at a local Boys & Girls club and I was completely thrilled to see the game in action and looking almost exactly the same kind of activity from the kids…EXCEPT in an even more self-directed manner than the school-based version! Program Director Lauren Hong commented on the many gains and successes  in children who participated in the Moving Patterns pilot:

The Moving Patterns game has has subtly worked its way to the heart of the Crestmont Boys & Girls Club and is transforming our members step by step. I have seen individuals on the edge of an emotional eruption be convinced to try their hands (feet) with the game and have witnessed the shift to positive engagement and pride at making up their own dance steps and accomplishing the games various mathematical challenges. The Moving Patterns game is fun, interactive and engaging.”

This playful and creative body-based game challenges players to collaboratively decode and dance a series of footwork-based “maps.” Challenge cards add a variety of mathematical challenges along the way to enhance game play and the development of original new dance patterns.​ Moving Patterns is based on a style of dance called “percussive dance” where you make rhythm and patterns with your feet at the same time. Percussive dance includes tap dance, step dance, clogging, and many other foot based styles.

An early version of the game will be out around (American) Thanksgiving. If interested, you can add your email to: http://bit.ly/movingpatterns for updates about the game, including when the instructional video piece is online (hopefully some time in Spring 2020.) I am also planning  a variety of teacher and parent supports. This project is the culmination my work in and around educational settings since 2002. I’m thrilled to be getting this game out in the world!

Malke Rosenfeld is a percussive dance teaching artist, Heinemann author, editor, math explorer, and presenter whose interests focus on the learning that happens at the intersection of math and the moving body. She delights in creating rich environments in which children and adults can explore, make, play, and talk math based on their own questions and inclinations.You can find out more about her work at malkerosenfeld.com,  on Twitter,  Instagram, or Facebook.