Mirrors, a commonality found in pretty much every dance studio there is today. There are so many uses and so many alternative ways dance students can benefit from the use of mirrors. Although, it can act as a hindrance in ways we might not expect. For the most part, dance teachers love to ensure students follow their lead whilst demonstrating movements facing the mirror. This also enables students the opportunity to dance in unison and watch each other for timing purposes. However, it can become more of a problem when students are unsure of how to translate the choreography learnt in a studio on stage. It’s one thing knowing the routine, but self-corrections are an issue of their own. Let’s go on to explore more about the pros and cons of mirrors at your dance studio.

PRO: following the teacher’s lead

Imagine entering the rehearsal space, unaccustomed to the environment, perhaps wearing a leotard and/or skirt for the very first time. Wherever you assemble students; in a circle, at the corner or in the centre, the use of mirrors become incredibly useful. Younger dancers can copy arm or leg movements and “mirror” different positions. While the dance teacher provides verbal and physical cues and instructions, dance assistants provide further corrections or encouragement, meaning the mirrors are there as that visual aid which students can depend on. Mirrors are also helpful when initially teaching or cleaning the choreography.

Jarryd Byrne teaching students at Transit Dance

CON: Self-confidence can lower

Dancing with others around you can be uplifting as well as empowering. You might find students bounce off of other people’s energy and feel inspired to dance their best for this reason. At the same time, mirrors can be a dangerous tool whereby students become overly conscious of their body and begin comparing their capabilities to others. When students are unsure of the next step or struggle to grasp the timing, self-doubt can be formed when constantly glancing across towards their peers. Feeling like an outlier could cause them to lose their sense of belonging which teachers want to avoid.

PrO: Students can dance in unison

Unison, a major aspect that contributes to impressive choreography and performance. A dance doesn’t need to be technically difficult for it to be a masterpiece. Unison proves to be able to break that mould and elevate a routine. It’s also important to note that this term often plays a part in how a troupe is assessed by an adjudicator at competitions. There are diverse elements that can be combined to help form unison, like the music chosen or the dancers’ skillset, although ultimately mirrors can help determine what a piece looks like on stage. Students can refer to the mirrors to improve their timing and see whether the movement, shape or lines they’re making are correct. By picking up on errors such as this, unison can be achieved.

COn: unaware of how to self-correct on stage

Rehearsing right up until that routine, performance or audition is ready can involve blood, sweat and tears. You can spend 80% of time rehearsing students in one studio with dancers who become accustomed to the space. This is where you as the teacher can help alleviate any disorientation when moving the choreography to the stage. With corrections being called out loud and dancers also noticing their own errors through the mirrors in the studio, they may alter an incorrect arm or two. Yet, as soon as the dance transitions to the stage dress rehearsals, much of that knowledge can disappear, purely because of how many rely on those mirrors. To avoid this, turning the dance around to face another wall in the rehearsal studio challenges students to recognise mishaps and learn how the choreography must feel instead of appear. Reminding them to rehearse by themselves in another space might not be a bad idea either!

PRO: useful for a range of exercises

The mirror follows you everywhere. One of the perks of this is that it allows your students the ability to watch themselves whilst at the barre, ensuring their buttocks are tucked in with shoulders down in preparation for those pliés or developpés. Likewise, students can be made aware of hunched backs or bent supporting legs for jazz kicks from the corner by observing their posture through the mirror. If your studio has portable mirrors, you may discover even more positives, such as being able to view and alter your technique from diverse angles.

En Pointe School of Ballet students at the barre

CON: don’t develop their own dance style

A student’s dance style takes a while to perfect as it’s unique to them only. As they grow and gain experience in the industry, they learn from others and aren’t prone to copying one dance style (unless advised to when learning a style like Fosse). Although, students can subconsciously replicate movements which prevents them from developing their own style if that mirror gets in the way. By encouraging students to attend workshops and classes run by a myriad of teachers, they won’t just replicate your style, instead it’ll broaden their horizons.

As far as training tools go, mirrors can be an excellent aid for students studying dance, but just like all training tools, there can be disadvantages to mirrors if they’re not used conscientiously. To reduce the possibility of students becoming dependent on them, try splitting your class in two groups to face each other and rehearse. This will challenge students to use their muscle memory and feel prompted by their peers dancing across from them. Remember that the key to a troupe that performs as a collective is how well they know each other, so you’ll be surprised at how confidently a group performs without mirrors when they build that sense of trust outside of dance as well. Weeks prior to that dance exam, turn the students around to face a wall instead of the mirror. This will assist students in being able to memorise the choreography with it embedded in their body. They will then be able to automatically differentiate things like a sickled and pointed foot by how it feels, not by how it looks. In addition to this, asking students to correct their technique can teach them to identify and adjust positions as opposed to getting in the habit of mirroring them. To counteract the hazards of staring at yourself in the mirror, encourage a healthy perspective on body image by being intentional about your language when referring to students bodies. Our bodies are quite incredible, so by placing emphasis on what they can do and not what they look like, you can celebrate the uniqueness of all body types.

Sources:

Mirror, Mirror on the Wall: A Dance Teacher’s Perspective

Article by Lara Divitcos

Photography by Elly Ford