Science ceilidhs: How tricky scientific concepts are being explained through the medium of Scottish country dance
12 March 2019
At first glance, there might not seem to be much of a connection between the world of science and that of Scottish country dancing.
But Lewis Hou spotted that the ‘calling’ of dance steps at ceilidhs was similar to his own line of work as a scientist.
He explained on Out for the Weekend, “In ceilidh dancing you can break down all the steps into simple concepts and we do the same with science.”
Lewis formed the Science Ceilidh Band, which tours communities to promote dancing and the understanding of scientific ideas.
This is achieved by taking traditional Scottish dances – such as the Dashing White Sergeant and the Orcadian Strip the Willow – and transforming their simple steps to replicate the immune system in the Dashing White Blood Cell and DNA in the Orcadian Strip the Helix.
Science ceilidhs
Lewis Hou reveals how dancing can help to explain complex scientific issues.
How (not) to do a Canadian Barn Dance
Canadian Barn Dance c貌mhla ri Torcuil
A Canadian Barn Dance with Torcuil.
Dancing transformations
| Traditional dance | Scientific dance |
|---|---|
| Dashing White Sergeant | Dashing White Blood Cell |
| Orcadian Strip the Willow | Orcadian Strip the Helix |
| Canadian Barn Dance | Canadian Brain Dance |
Making sense of science
On 大象传媒 Sounds
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Out for the Weekend
Dan Snow, Science Ceilidh and Street Art.
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