Guest speaker, Dr Corinne Jola, from Abertay University, will present a talk on her research
A number of recent studies showed evidence that the brain of an onlooker, who observes others’ actions, “mirrors” the movements observed. This process is automatic and subthreshold; meaning, that an observer internally simulates the actions seen even while remaining physically still.
Moreover, it has been found that the spectator’s neuronal response is malleable through motor as well as visual experience, which partly explains the different emotional responses audiences have when watching their preferred style of performance.
In dance, the effects of watching others perform as well as actively participating in dance practice are multifaceted, entailing enhancements in cognitive, affective, and interpersonal skills. These are in addition to the motor-related physiological improvements found in both healthy participants as well as individuals who suffer from long-term mental and physical impairments. Based on these findings, one could argue that our brain’s functional properties are inherently kinaesthetic, hence, we benefit from activities that relate to our experience of the position and movements of the body in space on many levels.
In this presentation, Corinne Jola will present her research findings within such a framework of kinaesthetic cognition; i.e. how experimental and performative research using brain imaging, qualitative as well as behavioural methods show supporting evidence that the functional processes involved in watching dance and dancing might in fact underlie language processing, social interaction, and emotional experiences.
Lastly, you are invited to come to the presentation if you would like to understand why a Scottish Dialect is being used in the title.
*Keek at that jiggin is Dundonian for "Watch me dance".
