In this episode we're joined by Sally Radell, Professor of Dance at Emory University, to talk about her 30 years of research findings on mirrors and body image in dance. We talk about, among other things, body image issues in dance, when mirrors help/hurt, and how to build better body awareness.

One of her most prominent findings is that body image, when low, can poorly impact growth in dance by 6x. This means that another student who’s feeling more confident will more easily refrain from looking in the mirror and self-critique thus, helping them tap further into their body. When students are more in tune with their bodies they find positive growth with technical development and can align their movement with a sense of body awareness even without a mirror.

Another interesting finding is that not only does body image impact growth on the way into class but even at the beginning of your dance or exercise journey. This is reflected by newer students doing best with a mirror to start as they enjoy dressing the part and learning what the moves look like. As the movement journey progresses and the learner understands how a move should feel, the need for a mirror and the impact of a mirror changes.

Instagram: https://instagram.com/sallyradell

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Join pole instructor & personal trainer Rosy Boa as she chats with experts about the evidence-based practices you can introduce to your pole journey to improve your pole journey and feel better. The Evidence-Based Pole Podcast aims to help pole dancers feel better on and off the pole by talking with experts and diving into relevant scientific research to find evidence-based insights we can apply to our pole journeys. It’s a production of Slink Through Strength, the inclusive, evidence-based online pole studio, which can be found online at slinkthroughstrength.com.

Edited by: Simone Rossette

Simone.rossette77@gmail.com

Some of the papers we talked about:

• Adame, D. D., Radell, S. A., Johnson, T. C., & Cole, S. P. (1991). Physical fitness, body image, and locus of control in college women dancers and nondancers. Perceptual and motor skills, 72(1), 91-95.

• Radell, S. A., Mandradjieff, M. P., Adame, D. D., & Cole, S. P. (2020). Impact of mirrors on body image of beginning modern and ballet students. Journal of Dance Medicine & Science, 24(3), 126-134.