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We can clearly see, from the analysis, that dancers generally seem to be less satisfied with their bodies when compared to non-dancers, regardless of the age. Because of this, we should be looking into adapting teaching methods. One element of the ballet classroom that is unique to dancers, and may hold a solution to this problem is the use of the mirrors. Dancers utilize mirrors more than any other activity. Mirrors are supposed to act as a tool to provide visual feedback, but often are taken advantage of by students and used as a crutch. Visual feedback is important, especially in the beginner level, to see the alignment that your body is in, and associate the image with the proprioceptive cues that your body is giving you. The ability to depend primarily on those proprioceptive cues is extremely important for dancers, because we do not have a mirror to depend on while we perform. Theoretically, once a certain level of technique is achieved by a student, the mirror could be done away with. This is important, because the presence of the mirror could have huge implications in body image. With a mirror constantly in front of you, as humans, one cannot help but to draw comparisons between yourself and your peers. It is the nature of the profession to always want more, to never feel satisfied. The mirror is a constant reminder of what you are not. Future research should be aimed to discover any discrepancies of body image between dancers who take class in rooms with mirrors vs no mirrors.

Discussion

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