Observational Learning of Ballet Sequences: The Role of Kinematic Information

Abstract

This study explored the role of movement-produced (kinematic) information in the observational learning of a complex motor and aesthetic skill. Thirty-four female college students with no prior dance training watched 30 s videotaped ballet routines and then attempted to perform them. Each participant dancer served in one of three conditions which varied the kind of stimulus information presented: In kinematic with music, dancers saw the sequence of positions and movements performed (by a trained ballerina) and heard the accompanying musical soundtrack; kinematic dancers were shown the same videotape without the soundtrack; static ones saw a series of stills taken from critical points in the dance sequence. There were two videotaped dances: Every participant received five trials with each of them. Their performances were scored in two ways: (a) by a group of naive judges rating overall quality; (b) by an expert ballerina, who rated 13 separate performance categories. Both analyses revealed significant differences between conditions. The naive judges rated the dancers in the kinematic condition as significantly better than those in static. The expert's ratings scored both kinematic with music and kinematic dancers higher than static, but only on two categories: movement flow and rhythm and hesitation. Kinematic information evi- dently makes a specific contribution to the observational learning of qualitative aspects of movement. The learning occurred gradually: A significant trial effect appeared for 12 of the 13 categories.