The Role of the Proprioceptive System In Learning Dance While Studying The Axis Syllabus

Miranda Janeschild

article

The purpose of this paper is to discuss the role of the proprioceptive system (PS) in learning athletic movement while studying the Axis Syllabus. The overlying question is: how can the proprioceptive system act as a resource to dancers to learn athletic movement? It is this authors operative assumption that the proprioceptive system offers the dancer a rich supply of information for learning optimal skeletal joint ranges and stability while expanding his or her movement skills into the arena of dynamics to move safely and efficiently. This paper discusses current ideas in proprioception neurophysiology and learning complex movement. These concepts are then applied to the embodiment of dynamic movement as cataloged by the Axis Syllabus to demonstrate how a dancer can build skills to appraise safe movement choices automatically.