Dance Learning and the Mirror: Comparison Study of Dance Phrase Learning with and without Mirrors

Abstract In the dance studio, the mirror can play a large role in the dancer's learning process. Research on learning and memory shows that reducing the amount of feedback during training enhances long-term motor skill retention and that more externally focused attention may aid performance. Research testing the effectiveness of training with a mirror as a source of external feedback is scarce. This study involved 22 college dance students between the ages of 17 to 22 who had studied dance for an average of 13 years. The purpose of the research was to examine how learning and performing dance combinations in mirrored and non-mirrored situations affected student's ability to remember and replicate movement sequences one week later. The testing occurred over two weeks during which time subjects learned and performed the given movement phrases and completed a questionnaire. Collected data included electronic scoring of footwork accuracy and video analysis and scoring by five dance teachers. Results showed that initial learning in a mirrored setting produced better performances in the retest one week later.