Dancing without seeing: The influence of vision on movement sequence learning and motor imagery in dance

Abstract

ABSTRACT Dance is commonly taught through model observation, aided by verbal and gestural cues. Trained dancers are also capable of learning dance movements from verbal instructions in the absence of a visual model, using elaborate multimodal movement representations in long-term memory acquired through training. The role of vision in this situation remains unclear. To investigate the influence of vision on dance sequence learning from verbal instruction, we conducted an online study with 76 professional-level dancers. Participants filmed themselves while learning and subsequently recalling and reproducing a dance phrase from spoken verbal instructions presented as pre-recorded audio. They were randomly assigned to one of two conditions: closing their eyes and wearing a blindfold or keeping their eyes open during learning. As a measure of learning success, recall performance was evaluated with quantitative movement criteria. Motor imagery during learning and recall was assessed via self-report questionnaires. Results showed no differences between the two conditions in recall performance or motor imagery; however, external and kinaesthetic motor imagery quality and quantity showed large to medium positive correlations with recall performance. The findings suggest that vision may not be crucial for successful learning of movement sequences from verbal instructions alone. Motor imagery, however, could be a powerful tool in dance learning as it may enhance memory for movement sequences. Further research should focus on the use of imagery (especially dynamic imagery) in dance during different phases of movement learning and recall under varying sensory and task-based (artistic) conditions.