Have you ever noticed that you always seem to stand in the exact same spot during dance class?

The front left. The back corner. Your favorite place at the barre. The same row every time it's time to learn the combination.

In this episode, I share a simple experiment that completely changed the way I experienced class. By moving just a few feet to a different part of the room, I found myself paying closer attention, relying less on familiar visual cues, and learning choreography in a surprisingly different way.

That experience sent me down one of my favorite research rabbit holes.

We'll explore what dance science and motor-learning research have to say about changing the conditions under which we practice, including concepts like variable practice, desirable difficulties, and how our brains use information from the environment to organize movement. Along the way, we'll also talk about neuroplasticity, adaptability, and why something as simple as standing somewhere different might make you a more resilient learner… not just in dance, but in life.

If you're a dancer, dance teacher, or anyone who loves learning through movement, I hope this episode inspires you to try one very small experiment the next time you walk into class.

Research & Resources Mentioned

• Wilmerding, V., & Krasnow, D. (2022). Motor Control and Dance. Healthy Dancer Canada – The Dance Health Alliance of Canada
• Creating Desirable Difficulties to Enhance Learning (Bjork & Bjork, 2011)
• Additional motor-learning and neuroplasticity research discussed throughout the episode.

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