Hi, lovely Elite Families!
Today we wanted to take the time to write to you about muscle memory within dance, and the importance of this skill.
Muscle memory has been defined as “the ability to reproduce a particular movement without conscious thought, acquired as a result of frequent repetition of that movement.”. Meaning once a physical activity has been repeated more than one time the muscles start to remember the way they had to work and repeat this the next time they come into contact with the same challenge.
Within dance, muscle memory is of key importance, it is what allows a dancer to perform their solo when at a competition even through the nerves. Your body takes over and performs from muscled memory whilst the adrenaline rushes through!
Muscle memory also allows dancers to apply feedback. It has been suggested many times that once a piece of feedback has been given, the dancer should repeat the action after applying the feedback as many times as possible to allow the body to integrate it into the muscle memory!
The New York Times wrote – “Dancers call it muscle memory. According to neuroscientists, is that the movements become thoroughly mapped in the brain, creating a shorthand between thinking and doing. “Of course you need a body to dance,” he said. “But as dancers transition from conscious awareness of a newly acquired routine to the automatic performance of it, the brain is not doing any less work.” https://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/28/arts/28iht-dance.html
Muscle memory allows us to thoroughly embody a dance, and find new levels of creativity within movement!
Maybe in your lessons this week, have a think about when you have used muscle memory!
Best Wishes
Miss Emily and The Elite Dance Team!