The Execs & Cons of Mirrors within the Studio — A Dancer’s Life
2 min read
CON: don’t develop their very own dance type
A pupil’s dance type takes some time to excellent because it’s distinctive to them solely. As they develop and achieve expertise within the trade, they study from others and aren’t vulnerable to copying one dance type (except suggested to when studying a mode like Fosse). Though, college students can subconsciously replicate actions which prevents them from growing their very own type if that mirror will get in the best way. By encouraging college students to attend workshops and courses run by a myriad of academics, they gained’t simply replicate your type, as a substitute it’ll broaden their horizons.
So far as coaching instruments go, mirrors could be a superb assist for college kids learning dance, however identical to all coaching instruments, there could be disadvantages to mirrors in the event that they’re not used carefully. To cut back the potential for college students changing into depending on them, strive splitting your class in two teams to face one another and rehearse. This may problem college students to make use of their muscle reminiscence and really feel prompted by their friends dancing throughout from them. Do not forget that the important thing to a troupe that performs as a collective is how nicely they know one another, so that you’ll be shocked at how confidently a bunch performs with out mirrors after they construct that sense of belief outdoors of dance as nicely. Weeks previous to that dance examination, flip the scholars round to face a wall as a substitute of the mirror. This may help college students in having the ability to memorise the choreography with it embedded of their physique. They may then be capable to mechanically differentiate issues like a sickled and pointed foot by the way it feels, not by the way it seems to be. Along with this, asking college students to appropriate their method can train them to determine and regulate positions versus getting within the behavior of mirroring them. To counteract the hazards of observing your self within the mirror, encourage a wholesome perspective on physique picture by being intentional about your language when referring to college students our bodies. Our our bodies are fairly unbelievable, so by inserting emphasis on what they will do and never what they appear like, you may have fun the distinctiveness of all physique varieties.
Sources:
Mirror, Mirror on the Wall: A Dance Teacher’s Perspective
Article by Lara Divitcos
Pictures by Elly Ford
