Thermodance: a dance-based modeling approach to enhance scientific conceptual understanding and outreach

The Thermodance project combines dance and scientific pedagogy to (i) develop modeling approaches based on the participants body movement and interaction, (ii) practice scientific intuition by putting the participants into movement (principles of embodied cognition), (iii) produce immersive outreach activities to engage the public through dance, and (iv) co-create choreographies inspired from the developed body-based models and their underlying scientific concepts. Since 2022, several courses and workshops have been held with students and participants from a wide range of backgrounds. Each occurrence concluded with an open performance during which the audience was invited to actively participate, manipulate, feel and embody scientific concepts through dance. Participants showed great engagement in scientific practice, and self-reported improvements in conceptual comprehension and scientific curiosity. Through this practice, scientists, students, and the general public are invited to focus on feeling, sensations and intuition, offering an alternative and accessible approach to advanced scientific concepts.