Bear with. Imagine a square tile. Now imagine, or rather suppose, an infinite number of such squares, such that when tessellated, i.e. laid out without gaps between them, the patterns they create are repeated ad infinitum. You can do the same with triangles: six of them arranged around a point have angles equal to 360^o. A pentagon will tessellate only with the addition of a star shape to fill the gaps. The mathematical quest is to find a single irregular shape that will tessellate infinitely without repeating the pattern. A pattern which is non-random, but never repeats suggests, does it not, an artistic enterprise?

At the top of the show we were given a primer on aperiodic tiling by Dr Sean Dewar from Bristol Uni. What surprised me was that having been thus sensitised, the following performance took on a richer hue in light of the intellectual context. The mix of dance styles and musical genres, albeit in an admittedly inchoate way, played out the notion of physical shapes interlocking and interacting in endlessly pleasing ways. Symmetry gave way to harmony.

The interaction between the fluidity of classical dance and the energetic and seemingly indisciplined, ‘breakdancing’, which is elevated into a recognisable art form by Sebastián Morales Castillo, shows how the two forms are part of a larger whole. South West Dance Theatre has artists who span the various genres: Anna Demming Davis brings a wealth of classical experience to the mix whilst Katarzyna Niznik and Silvia Orazzo show how contemporary and breakdance can be used to great expressive effect in the service of giving form to an idea.

Trinity Centre who host the event as part of the Aperiodic Festival are running workshops for would-be dancers of any age (last night seemed mostly school age) who would like a taster of the maths-to-art experience. Performances are free, but limited space makes it essential to book in advance.

The show is a true interplay of art and science and is a great example of how a little bit of brain fizz can enhance one’s enjoyment of the creative act.