2026 Galleries
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2026 Galleries // 2026 Spark: Spring Student // Rewriting Balance
Rewriting Balance
Winner - Gold
Competition:
Spark: Spring Student
Designer:
Roah Yang
Design Type:
Product & industrial
Company / Organization / School:
OrangeCube / CUBO
Team Members:
Roah Yang
Rewriting Balance is a prosthetic leg designed specifically for below knee amputee tap dancers, addressing the limitations of conventional exposed pipe pylon systems that prioritize basic mobility over the dynamic demands of dance performance. Tap dance relies on continuous weight transfer, rhythmic rebound, rapid toe heel transitions, and repetitive impact absorption, requiring both flexibility and structural stability within the same movement system. Existing prosthetics often lack the responsiveness and energy return needed for these motions, forcing dancers to negotiate between performance, comfort, and durability.
The project introduces a layered carbon fiber blade structure engineered to improve force transfer, rebound control, and rhythmic responsiveness during tap performance. Rather than relying on a conventional mechanical ankle, the prosthetic incorporates an integrated flex zone that stores and releases energy during heel strikes while maintaining stability across rapid directional changes. The streamlined S curve profile was developed through iterative sketching and structural studies informed by tap dance movement patterns and foot pressure distribution.
Detachable brushed metal tap plates allow the prosthetic to transition seamlessly between performance and everyday use, reducing the need for multiple specialized devices. TPU laminated carbon fiber components were selected to balance lightweight flexibility, durability, and shock absorption while preserving a clean visual language inspired by the grain patterns and directional wear marks found on wooden tap dance floors.
Rewriting Balance reframes prosthetic design not only as a mobility aid, but as a performance tool that supports rhythm, expression, and embodied movement through responsive structural design.
