“The Daughters of Hypatia: Circles of Mathematical Women” is set for 2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 24, at UAB’s Alys Stephens Performing Arts Center, 1200 10th Ave. South. Tickets are $9 for children, $11 for adults. Call 205-975-2787 or visit www.AlysStephens.org. A special sensory-friendly performance will take place earlier in the day at 11 a.m.
The Santa Cruz, California-based dance company MoveSpeakSpin honors the often-overlooked contributions of women to mathematics in this ensemble piece. The dancers recount intriguing stories from the lives of the foremothers of mathematics, as well as leading contemporaries in the field, and perform in patterns suggestive of the mathematicians’ work.
Choreographer Karl Schaffer, a mathematician himself, uses live projections of video mosaics of dancers. The production features geometric art designs by Marjorie Rice, guest choreography by Sarah-Marie Belcastro and musical compositions by the women’s vocal ensemble Zambra, as well as songs by Vi Hart and Victor Spiegel.
MoveSpeakSpin has created groundbreaking dance performances linking mathematics and dance with humor, playfulness and physicality, and members have performed at the opening of the National Museum of Mathematics in New York City and a conference on math and the arts in Seoul, Korea.
An additional free sensory-friendly performance of this show is planned at 11 a.m. at the ASC. Presented by ArtPlay in partnership with KultureCity, the sensory-friendly performance will feature a friendly, supportive environment for an audience of families and friends with children or adults who are diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder or other sensitivity issues. Slight adjustments to the production have been made, including the reduction of any jarring sounds or strobe lights focused into the audience. The outer lobby will include quiet areas and an activity area staffed with autism specialists for those who need to leave their seats during the performance. All are welcome to come to the performance, with the understanding that the theater is a judgment-free zone with a performance geared toward individuals with sensory issues. Call 205-975-2787 or visit www.AlysStephens.org.
ArtPlay is the Alys Stephens Center’s home for arts education. ArtPlay also presents Meet the Artist school shows, set for 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. Friday, Oct. 23.