ERIC Number: EJ1389488
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2023
Pages: 11
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1529-0824
EISSN: EISSN-2158-074X
Learning and Practicing Dance Phrases with and without a Mirror: A Comparative Study
Journal of Dance Education, v23 n2 p155-165 2023
Mirror visual feedback increases neural activity, enhances performance, and induces neuroplasticity; however, mixed results have been observed during the learning of motor skills. While mirrors are commonplace in Western dance education, further research is needed to determine how mirrors are used when learning dance phrases. This study measured the movement accuracy and timing performance of 20 experienced dancers, randomly placed into three groups, with mirrors present/absent during different learning phases while learning thirty-two counts of modern dance movements. Results showed group one (mirrors during demonstration and explanation only), had the best accuracy, while group two (mirrors only during practice) had the best timing. Group three (mirrors during the demonstration and practice phase) had the most errors in accuracy and the second-most timing errors. These data suggest there may be learning benefits from removing the mirror during either the demonstration or the practice phase.
Descriptors: Dance, Dance Education, Feedback (Response), Visual Stimuli, Teaching Methods, Accuracy, Learning Processes, Equipment, Comparative Analysis, Error Patterns, Motor Development, Psychomotor Skills, Skill Development, Physical Fitness, Undergraduate Students
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A