Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Dedication
- Epigraph
- Contents
- List of figures
- List of tables
- List of contributors
- Preface
- Acknowledgments
- I INTRODUCTION TO MINDFULNESS: HISTORY AND THEORETICAL UNDERSTANDING
- II FORMAL MINDFULNESS INTERVENTIONS IN SPORT
- III MINDFULNESS: THEORY TO PRACTICE IN SPORT AND EXERCISE
- IV MINDFULNESS AND THE PERFORMING ARTS
- 15 Langerian Mindfulness and Optimal Performance
- 16 Mindfulness and Dancers
- 17 Attention, Centering, and Being Mindful: Medical Specialties to the Performing Arts
- 18 Mindfulness in Music
- V MINDFULNESS FOR COACHES, PRACTITIONERS, AND MENTORS
- VI FUTURE DIRECTIONS
- Index
- References
16 - Mindfulness and Dancers
from IV - MINDFULNESS AND THE PERFORMING ARTS
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 05 January 2016
Edited by
Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Dedication
- Epigraph
- Contents
- List of figures
- List of tables
- List of contributors
- Preface
- Acknowledgments
- I INTRODUCTION TO MINDFULNESS: HISTORY AND THEORETICAL UNDERSTANDING
- II FORMAL MINDFULNESS INTERVENTIONS IN SPORT
- III MINDFULNESS: THEORY TO PRACTICE IN SPORT AND EXERCISE
- IV MINDFULNESS AND THE PERFORMING ARTS
- 15 Langerian Mindfulness and Optimal Performance
- 16 Mindfulness and Dancers
- 17 Attention, Centering, and Being Mindful: Medical Specialties to the Performing Arts
- 18 Mindfulness in Music
- V MINDFULNESS FOR COACHES, PRACTITIONERS, AND MENTORS
- VI FUTURE DIRECTIONS
- Index
- References
Summary
Within the preceding decade, researchers have gained rapid interest in understanding mindfulness in sport performance. Mindfulness in sport research has included exploring differing conceptual models; understanding the relationship of mindfulness to other factors, such as flow, attention and affect; and providing empirical evidence that supports the implementation of specific mindfulness-based interventions (see Pineau, Glass, & Kaufman, 2014). Similar to sport, the performing arts are another domain of human performance, and as such, parallels are commonly drawn between the two, particularly the physical-based pursuits of sport and dance. This has led to many theoretical and applied practice models from the field of sport psychology being applied directly into the world of dance, with a growing body of research becoming evident that critically highlights the suitability and applicability of such an approach (see Nordin-Bates, 2012). As a result, this chapter aims to provide an overview of the current research and exploration of mindfulness with dancers, with particular focus upon the implementation of a mindfulness meditation (MM)–based program within the curriculum of a university dance training program.
Mindfulness in Performance
Mindfulness has its roots in Eastern meditation, specifically in a contemplative Buddhist practice called vipassana (Andersen, 2012; Park-Perin, 2010). Kabat-Zinn's (2005) definition of mindfulness (i.e., nonjudgmental, moment-to-moment awareness) is utilised regularly as the foundation for conceptualising mindfulness within performance domains and incorporates two components: regulation of attention in order to maintain focus within the present moment; and adopting an acceptance- and openness-based approach to personal experiences (Bishop et al., 2004).
Moore and Gardner (2014), and many of their colleagues within a sporting context who implement modern-day approaches to mindfulness, often adopt these Eastern traditions and apply them within the frameworks of Western psychological science. Some of these mindfulness approaches, whether intentionally or not, resulted in implementation of mindfulness that also focuses upon the act of drawing novel distinctions that can be developed without meditative practices (e.g., Langer, 1989). While this Langerian mindfulness approach is viewed as more goal-directed with a focus upon the processing of information that is external to the individual (Pineau et al., 2014), its conceptualisation has also been observed to align with the theoretical underpinnings of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) (Hayes & Wilson, 1994) – a clinical therapeutic approach that forms one of the key foundations of the Eastern-influenced Mindfulness-Acceptance-Commitment (MAC) intervention utilised within the sport and performance domains (Gardner & Moore, 2010).
- Type
- Chapter
- Information
- Mindfulness and Performance , pp. 367 - 388Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2016
References
(2004). The moment when it all comes together: Embodied experiences in ballet. European Journal of Women's Studies, 11(3), 263–276. doi: 10.1177/1350506804044462CrossRefGoogle Scholar
American Psychological Association (APA). (2011). Defining the practice of sport and performance psychology. Division 47, Exercise and Sport Psychology, Practice Committee. Retrieved from www.apadivisions.org/division47/about/resources/defining.pdf
(2012). Supervision and mindfulness in sport and performance psychology. In (Ed.), The Oxford handbook of sport and performance psychology (pp. 725–737). Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press.Google Scholar
, , , , and (2012). Reflections and directions: The profession of sport psychology past, present and future. Professional Psychology, Research and Practice, 43(1), 32–38. doi: 10.1037/a0025676CrossRefGoogle Scholar
, and (2003). Trait anxiety and coping strategies among ballet dancers. Medical Problems of Performing Artists, 18(2), 59–64.Google Scholar
(2011). Movement and mindfulness: A formative evaluation of a dance/movement and yoga therapy program with participants experiencing severe mental illness. American Journal of Dance Therapy, 33(2), 157–181. doi: 10.1007/s10465-011-9121-7CrossRefGoogle Scholar
, and (2007). Revisiting the value of somatic education in dance training through an inquiry into practice schedules. Journal of Dance Education, 7(2), 47–56. doi: 10.1080/15290824.2007.10387334CrossRefGoogle Scholar
, , , , and (2013). Facing the dreaded: Does mindfulness facilitate coping with distressing experiences? A moderator analysis. Cognitive Behaviour Therapy, 42(1), 21–30. doi: 10.1080/16506073.2012.713391CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
, , , and (2009). Mindfulness and acceptance approaches in sport performance. Journal of Clinical Sports Psychology, 25(4), 320–333.Google Scholar
, , , , , , … (2004). Mindfulness: A proposed operational definition. Clinical Psychology: Science and Practice, 11(3), 230–241. doi: 10.1093/clipsy.bph077Google Scholar
, and (2003). The benefits of being present: Mindfulness and its role in psychological well-being. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 84(4), 822–848. doi: 10.1037/0022–3514.84.4.822CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
(2000). The student dancer: Emotional aspects of the teaching and learning of dance. London, UK: Dance.Google Scholar
, , , , and (2013). Pilates, mindfulness and somatic education. Journal of Dance and Somatic Practices, 5(2), 141–154. doi: 10.1386/jdsp.5.2.141_1CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
, , , , and (2010). Developing mindfulness in college students through movement-based courses: Effects on self-regulatory self-efficacy, mood, stress, and sleep quality. Journal of American College Health, 58(5), 433–442. doi: 10.1080/07448480903540581CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
(2014). Eastern and Western approaches to mindfulness: Similarities, differences, and clinical implications. In , , and (Eds.), The Wiley Blackwell handbook of mindfulness (Vol. 1, pp. 48–57). Hoboken, NJ: Wiley-Blackwell.Google Scholar
(2009). A brief history of somatic practices and dance: Historical development of the field of somatic education and its relationship to dance. Journal of Dance and Somatic Practices, 1(1), 5–27. doi: 10.1386/jdsp.1.1.5/1CrossRefGoogle Scholar
, , and (2009). The experience of discourses in dance and somatics. Journal of Dance and Somatic Practices, 1(1), 47–64. doi: 10.1386/jdsp.1.1.47/1CrossRefGoogle Scholar
, and (2004). A Mindfulness-Acceptance-Commitment based approach to performance enhancement: Theoretical considerations. Behavior Therapy, 35(4), 707–723. doi: 10.1016/S0005-7894(04)80016-9CrossRefGoogle Scholar
, and (2007). The psychology of enhancing human performance: The Mindfulness-Acceptance-Commitment (MAC) approach. New York, NY: Springer.Google Scholar
, and (2010). Acceptance-based behavioural therapies and sport. In and (Eds.), Routledge handbook of applied sport psychology: A comprehensive guide for students and practitioners (pp.186–193). New York, NY: Routledge.Google Scholar
, and (2010). Teaching at the interface of dance science and somatics. Journal of Dance Medicine and Science, 14(2), 50–57.Google Scholar
(1997). The person behind the mask: A guide to performing arts psychology. Greenwich, CT: Ablex.Google Scholar
(1998). Advice for dancers: Emotional counsel and practical strategies. New York, NY: Jossey-Bass.Google Scholar
(2008). The dancer's way: The New York City Ballet guide to mind, body, and nutrition. New York, NY: St. Martin's Griffin.Google Scholar
(2012). The psychology of performance in sport and other domains. In (Ed.), The Oxford handbook of sport and performance psychology (pp. 24–45). Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press.Google Scholar
, and (1994). Acceptance and commitment therapy: Altering the verbal support for experiential avoidance. Behavior Analyst, 17(2), 289–303.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
, , , , and (2011). An examination of the effectiveness of an 8-week Bikram yoga program on mindfulness, perceived stress, and physical fitness. Journal of Exercise Science and Fitness, 9(2), 87–92. doi: 10.1016/S1728-869X(12)60003-3CrossRefGoogle Scholar
, and (2014, July). Identity and the dance student: Implementing somatic approaches in the transition into tertiary dance education. Paper presented at Contemporising the Past: Envisaging the Future, World Dance Alliance Global Summit, Angers, France.Google Scholar
(2005). Coming to our senses: Healing ourselves and the world through mindfulness. New York, NY: Hyperion.Google Scholar
, , and (2009). Evaluation of Mindful Sport Performance Enhancement (MPSE): A new approach to promote flow in athletes. Journal of Clinical Sport Psychology, 25(4), 334–356.Google Scholar
(2010). Somatics in action: How “I feel three-dimensional and real” improves dance education and training. Journal of Dance Education, 10(2), 35–40. doi: 10.1080/15290824.2010.10387158CrossRefGoogle Scholar
, , and (2007). The joy dance: Specific effects of a single dance intervention on psychiatric patients with depression. The Arts in Psychotherapy, 34(4), 340–349. doi: 10.1016/j.aip.2007.07.001CrossRefGoogle Scholar
, and (1989) Anxiety and athletic performance: Traditional and cognitive-behavioural perspectives. In (Ed.), Anxiety in sports: An international perspective (pp. 77–94). Washington, DC: Hemisphere.Google Scholar
(2012). Mindfulness and education: Student's experience of learning mindfulness in a tertiary classroom. New Zealand Journal of Educational Studies, 47(1), 19–32.Google Scholar
(2013). Creative mindfulness: 20+ strategies for recovery and wellness. Warren, OH: Mindful Ohio.Google Scholar
, and (2014). Mindfulness and performance. In , , and (Eds.), The Wiley Blackwell handbook of mindfulness (Vol. 1, pp. 986–1003). Hoboken, NJ: Wiley-Blackwell.Google Scholar
(2007, October). Learnings from the implementation of performance psychology as a subject within a university dance program. In the 17th Annual Meeting of the International Association of Dance Medicine & Science, Canberra, Australia.Google Scholar
(2008). Performance psychology applied to dance. Australian Journal of Psychology, 60(1), 172. doi: 10.1080/00049530802385558Google Scholar
(2010). The art of the positive pas de deux: Putting positive psychology into dance! In V. Mrowinksi, M. Kyrios, and N. Voudouris (Eds.), Abstracts of the 27th International Congress of Applied Psychology (pp. 451–454).
(2012). Performance in the spotlight: Exploring psychology in the performing arts. InPsych, 34(6), 11–13.Google Scholar
(2014). Dr. Seuss and the “Great Balancing Act”: Exploring the ethical places you'll go within Australian sport, exercise, and performance psychology. In and (Eds.), Becoming a sport, exercise, and performance psychology professional: A global perspective (pp. 45–52). New York, NY: Psychology Press.Google Scholar
, and (2013, November). Mindfulness-meditation on the move: Implementation of an ACT-based mindfulness practice intervention and training within a university dance program. Paper presented at the Australian Society for Performing Arts Healthcare Conference, Brisbane, QLD, Australia.Google Scholar
, , and (2014). Mindfulness on the move: The impact of mindfulness training within a university dance program. Manuscript in preparation.
(2012). Performance psychology in the performing arts. In (Ed.), The Oxford handbook of sport and performance psychology (pp. 81–114). Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press.Google Scholar
(2010). Positive psychology. In and (Eds.), Routledge handbook of applied sport psychology: A comprehensive guide for students and practitioners (pp. 141–149). New York, NY: Routledge.Google Scholar
, , and (2014). Mindfulness in sport performance. In , , and (Eds.), The Wiley Blackwell handbook of mindfulness. (Vol. 1, pp. 1004–1033). Hoboken, NJ: Wiley-Blackwell.Google Scholar
, , , and (2012). Argentine tango dance compared to mindfulness meditation and a waiting-list control: A randomized trial for treating depression. Complementary Therapies in Medicine, 20(6), 377–384. doi: 10.1016/j.ctim.2012.07.003CrossRefGoogle Scholar
, and (2013). Mindfulness and the arts therapies: Theory and practice. London, UK: Jessica Kingsley.Google Scholar
(2009). Your brain at work: Strategies for overcoming distraction, regaining focus, and working smarter all day long. New York, NY: Harper Collins.Google Scholar
, , , and (2009). Yoga and mindfulness: Clinical aspects of an ancient mind/body practice. Cognitive and Behavioral Practice, 16(1), 59–72. doi: 10.1016/j.cbpra.2008.07.002CrossRefGoogle Scholar
(2014). Mindfulness-based mind fitness training: An approach for enhancing performance and building resilience in high-stress contexts. In , , and (Eds.), The Wiley Blackwell handbook of mindfulness (Vol. 1, pp. 964–985). Hoboken, NY: Wiley-Blackwell.Google Scholar
(2007). Dance helps you process feelings you may have trouble dealing with in conscious, verbal terms. Psychology Today, 40(2), 61–63.Google Scholar
, , , and (2010). Coherence between emotional experience and physiology: Does body awareness training have an impact?Emotion, 10(6), 803–814. doi: 10.1037/a0020146CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
(2008). Performance psychology: Being the best, the best you can be, or just a little better?InPsych, 30(1), pp. 8–11.Google Scholar
(2008). The effects of tai chi chuan on mindfulness, mood, and quality of life in adolescent girls (Doctoral dissertation). Retrieved from ProQuest, UMI Dissertations Publishing (3324384).
- 5
- Cited by