First Advisor

Ray Schwartz

First Committee Member

Megan E. Odom

Degree Name

Masters of Arts

Document Type

Thesis

Date Created

12-2024

Department

College of Performing and Visual Arts, Theatre Arts and Dance, Theatre Arts and Dance Student Work

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to understand the use of mirrors vs. not using mirrors in the high school classroom. This thesis also expanded on research done in the last twenty years regarding students' relationship to the mirror and how educators could better use or not use the mirror in the classroom. The researcher asked five essential questions that guided this thesis:

Q1 How does using mirrors vs. not using mirrors affect a student's body image in a high school dance class?

Q2 Is it necessary to always use mirrors in the classroom as a learning tool for students?

Q3 Does performing in front of the mirror or not in front of the mirror affect students' performance quality?

Q4 Can students feel more confident in their body image when facing or not facing the mirror?

Q5 Can students self-correct better when facing or not facing the mirror?

The instruments used in this study were a pre-survey and a post-survey. The pre-survey was taken via Google Forms before the first unit, and the post-survey after completing both units. Each unit was four weeks long, one utilizing the mirror and one without the mirror. The first was a musical theater unit (facing the mirror), and the second was ballet (away from the mirror). It is unknown if the two dance styles of units affected the study's outcome. The study initially included 28 intermediate high school dance students who consented and took the pre-survey. The day the post-survey was conducted, only 25 participants were present and had completed the survey, skewing the data slightly. This study's main limitations were the short time for each unit and the small focus group.

The researcher discovered through the surveys that the mirror mildly affected dancers' body image when facing the mirror. Conversely, not using the mirror could help dancers be less critical of themselves and help their body image. The researcher also learned that not using the mirror helped participants worry less about performing the movement perfectly but did cause stress when trying to learn choreography. Overall, the findings of this study suggested that mirrors could cause body image distress for some dancers and influence their performance quality. However, most dancers still found the mirror an essential tool in the classroom.

Abstract Format

html

Disciplines

Dance

Keywords

Dance; High School; Intermediate Dancer; Mirrors

Language

English

Extent

82 pages

Rights Statement

Copyright is held by the author

Digital Origin

Born digital

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