This article, Human See, Human Do: Ballet Dancers\’ Brains Reveal The Art Of Imitation, describes recent research conducted into understanding the \”mirror system\” of our brains. The \”mirror system\” activates both when we practice a movement and when we observe it. What this research demonstrates is that activation of the system is more pronounced when we\’re observing a motion that we\’re practiced in versus when observing a motion that is unfamiliar.
Professor Patrick Haggard of UCL\’s Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience says: �We\’ve shown that the mirror system is finely tuned to an individual\’s skills. A professional ballet dancer\’s brain will understand a ballet move in a way that a capoiera expert\’s brain will not. Our findings suggest that once the brain has learned a skill, it may simulate the skill without even moving, through simple observation. An injured dancer might be able to maintain their skill despite being temporarily unable to move, simply by watching others dance. This concept could be used both during sports training and in maintaining and restoring movement ability in people who are injured.�
This might help explain why it\’s easier for an experienced dancer to understand and execute movements after brief viewings. It would also help explain why I find it so hard to sit still when watching a tango performance. 