Using Mirrors: Pros & Cons
As a product of competitive dance, primarily from a Euro-centric based training, when I think about the basic elements that make up a dance studio, I include the floor, stereo, barre, and of course, mirrors. Although this is not always the case for other styles, especially those not rooted in ballet, what would happen if we removed mirrors from all dance classes? Would we need to adapt training methods? Teaching methods? Would we get a different dancer in terms of athleticism or artistry as a result? Having always danced in front of mirrors (I can’t remember my first dance class, I was so young) I continued dancing in college and beyond as a professional still in front of mirrors. Because of this, I have a love/hate relationship with them. I used mirrors a lot to self-correct and in my opinion, accelerate my development as a pre-professional. On the other hand, I also feel like being in front of a mirror for so many hours as a child got in my head and gave me body dysmorphia and affected my eating habits. Either way, there were both benefits and drawbacks from using a mirror so often as a dancer.
Mirrors were first used in Europe in the late 1800s to assist in training. The mirror was used as a tool to improve alignment, to create specific shapes, and to attain symmetry and unison with group choreography. In the 1920s-30s, as more training centres developed curricula for ballet and other styles, they also included the use of mirrors. This was the norm until modern dance icons like Isadora Duncan rejected the use of mirrors as they were described as antithetical to expressive movement. By mid-century, mirrors were common practice and the shift from using them for alignment to more aesthetic began.
When comparing to more Afro or Indigenous rooted dance, we have to first recognize that use of mirrors is deeply tied to Eurocentric ideals within dance: form, uniformity, and visual correction. Afro-diasporic or Indigenous rooted movement learning tends to be more embodied, communal, and rhythmic, relying on auditory, tactile, and interpersonal cues instead of mirrors. As jazz, hip hop, and other Afro-diasporic styles entered western academic and commercial spaces, tools like mirrors were inherited. While this can have benefits in cross-training, it may also unintentionally distort the very essence of these dance styles. If groove, improvisation, and personal expression are all important to keeping your class authentic to the style you are teaching, then mirrors may not be the best choice for your students.
In 2021, Julliard removed mirrors from their studios, claiming promotion of internal learning and proprioception. The advancement in science related to dance training allows us now to ask the question of whether mirrors are worth using for external visual feedback or removing mirrors actually adds more internal body awareness. Let’s dive in a bit further.
When examining the biomechanical benefits of using a mirror in dance class, let‘s look at three areas: visual feedback loop, corrective potential, and early motor learning. Visual feedback loop helps dancers identify misalignments in real time. This can help to support technical learning, especially for beginners. Corrective potential reinforced corrections when you combine visual with verbal or tactile cues from a teacher. This is particularly useful in more visual-dominant learners. Mirrors can also help in the early stages of acquiring complex motor sequences and developing dance specific motor patterns.
The drawback of using a mirror in a more biomechanical sense is typically surrounding over-reliance. Although visual feedback is beneficial and a part of the dance training and rehearsal process, over-reliance can delay the development of kinaesthetic awareness and proprioception. This issue comes to light when teachers cover a mirror with a curtain and then notice dancers not executing skills as well without the visual, real-time feedback. Another drawback is altered motor patterns. This would come into play when dancers are altering their movement simply to see themselves in the mirror (craning their necks for example).
When shifting from a biomechanical to psychological perspective, there are also benefits and drawbacks. Often, dancers find a confidence boost when affirming or reinforcing improvement with the use of self-correction. This helps dancers then perform better and be more bold with stylistic choices. Seeing progress themselves also helps with internal motivation and fosters a relationship with goal setting.
Some of the psychological drawbacks include body image and self-criticism, as well as issues concerning external versus internal validation. As we know, mirrors can contribute to body dysmorphia, perfectionism, and disordered eating (particularly in adolescents). Dancers also often focus on aesthetic flaws over functional improvement which can pull into a more negative-focused headspace. Dance doesn’t always have to look perfect to be good or worthy. Using a mirror sometimes promotes looking outward for approval rather than cultivating an internal trust in technique and training.
When Julliard removed their mirrors, the world took notice. Julliard wanted to improve internal cueing, Proprioceptive training, and creative development. Some other institutions have created what are called “mirror-free days” or mirrors uncovered during barre but covered during centre. Adding a curtain helps dancers and educators remove the mirror to evaluate the need without changing other factors like facing a different direction (which may also impact and skew the information for said educator).
Overall, best practices includes using mirrors, but using them strategically instead of habitually. Using a mix of cues (verbal, tactile, proprioceptive) helps more dancers achieve the results you are focussing on. Encouraging dancers to dance without a mirror closer to performance helps dancers shift from athleticism to artistry. For dancers, my recommendation is to always learn by feeling as well as seeing. Try to reflect on if you are using a mirror for confidence or correction and use accordingly.
Looking back on my dance training, I was fortunate my teachers would sometimes have us dance facing away from the mirrors. I also had private lessons at a young age, where I had teachers lay the foundation of how to use a mirror, actually teaching me this skill. Reflect on your experience as both a student and a teacher, and find what works for you and your classroom. Seeing an institution such as Julliard make a huge shift gives me hope that the dance world is an example of ever evolving for the benefit and growth of the next generation.
