IADMS Madrid 2001   [back to the Category]

Dance students’ perceptions of lateral bias   [read the french version]

Author :   Marliese Kimmerle, PhD

Friday 2 November 2001
12:45 – 1:05 pm Room 2

Dance students’ perceptions of lateral bias

Marliese Kimmerle, PhD, Dept. of Kinesiology, University of Windsor, Windsor, Karen Bowes-Sewell, Dance Department, York University, Toronto; Ontario, Canada

Dance teaching tends to be right biased (Kimmerle, 2001; Puretz, 1984). Skills and combinations are first demonstrated and practiced on the right leg/side, due to traditions in dance training or because 90 % of the population has a right preference.
The present study examined student perception of this bias. A questionnaire was administered to 117 undergraduate dance majors. Areas explored were: students’ preference in performing skills; their perception of performance asymmetries and their expectations of lateral teaching in classes. Data were analyzed quantitatively and qualitatively. There was a clear hand preference (89%) but not a consistent foot preference. Preference in 8 dance skills averaged 5 right. The pirouette showed the largest bias for the preferred side/foot, the leap the least. This supports Provins’ 1998 review of hand studies, which concluded that the degree of lateralization is task dependent.
The major findings in students’ expectations for teacher behavior were: center skills and adagio combinations would start on the right (84%) and barre work would be slightly less biased (64%). An adagio would be performed on the other side (76%), but would not be re-demonstrated. The qualitative analysis examined rationale for the student’s expectations and strategies for transferring skills to the non-preferred side.
A number of questions warrant further study. Which dance skills show the most lateral asymmetry? Are students’ preferences reflected in measurable differences in performance, strength, flexibility or balance? What are injury statistics for the preferred and non-preferred leg? Should new skills be taught first on the preferred or the non-preferred side? Should bilateral skills be emphasized from the beginning? Is this critical to a dancer’s professional career or do choreographers also work with a lateral bias? An analysis of a small choreographic sample will be presented to discuss these final questions.