The Importance Of Motor Learning

Dance instruction is enhanced when instructors draw from a variety of techniques to assist in teaching motor dance skills. A motor skill is defined as an activity or task that requires voluntary head, body or limb movement to reach a specific purpose or goal (Magill, 2006, p.3) The discipline of motor learning focuses on the acquisition of motor skills and/or the improvement of learned or highly experienced motor skills, and involves principles that can be implemented by instructors to aid in skill acquisition. Instructors using motor learning principles will enable dancers to reach their full potential in learning and developing dance skills leading to more effective performance on the stage and off. The following is a two-part series, summarizing

Transfer of learning is one of the most universally applied principles of learning because it applies the basis for arranging the sequence in which the skills are taught (Magill, 2006, p.290). Positive transfer of learning occurs when the previous experience aids the performance of a skill in a new context or the learning of a new skill. Negative transfer of learning occurs when previous experience hinders the performance of a skill in a new context or the learning of a new skill, so the learner performs less well that they would have without prior experience (Magill, 2006, p.291). Transfer of learning is neutral when the previous experience has no influence on the performance of a skill in a new context or the learning of a new skill. The transfer principle helps us to understand the processes underlying the learning and control of motor

Once a skill is learned, it can be transferred to a new setting or routine or be the foundation for new learning. An example is having the dancer practice getting into the retiré position in relevé without a barre for support, and spotting in chaînés turns before teaching pirouette turns. There is positive transfer from both the retiré and spotting as both are fundamental aspects of a pirouette. The mechanics of a pirouette turn can transfer over to the learning of many one legged turns in ballet. Although positive transfer is a powerful means of learning, dance instructors should be aware of the temporary effects negative transfer can have as well. When a dancer initially trained in Barathanatyam Indian classical dance begins ballet training, there will be a period of negative transfer. In Barathanatyam, the araimandi position is similar to a plié in ballet, except for the tilt of the pelvis. The araimandi uses a slightly anterior tilt in the pelvis and the plié stresses a slightly posterior tilt in the pelvis. Since the effects of negative transfer are not permanent, the instructor needs to be patient as the dancer distinguishes the difference and trains her body to adapt to the new ballet