Dance Studio Mirrors

29 August 2018

Do our calisthenic venues have mirrors?

This article from Dance Informa covers the positive and negative aspects of using mirrors at the front of dance studios.

Author Erica Hornthal is a Dance/Movement Therapist and says

I have used the mirror to check my own alignment, see where I should be in a formation and to manage the aesthetics of my performance

but admits that she experiences a lack of internal body awareness when relying on the reflection.

Does using a mirror at the front of a studio place focus on what dancers see instead of how a correct movement should feel?

Do they focus on body image and not self expression?

Is it a necessary tool to allow for self-correction?

Or do they not know the work when the mirror isn’t available to copy reflections?

Erica suggests that we should:

Encourage students to use other methods of learning that help develop skills.
Incorporate imagery, creative movement, authentic movement and body awareness exercises.
Use the mirror sparingly
Challenge students to perform without the mirror.
Observe how dependent students are on the mirror and how they are influenced by it’s presence.