Mapping movement: A systematic review on the role of mental representation in dance.

Mental representations are essential for understanding the creation and teaching of dance. Recent research from cognitive and dance sciences has described the interaction between imaginary abilities, dance movement, and creative performance. This systematic review explores the role of mental representations in dance, focusing on their influence on motor performance and creativity. We aim to (a) identify the key themes and concepts that the current body of literature has endeavored to investigatewithin the field ofmental representations and dance, (b) evaluate the extent to which this literature aligns with the revised applied model of deliberate imagery use, and (c) describe and showcase the benefits and purposes of mental imagery in dance. This systematic review was guided using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Protocols and the Cochrane Collaboration Handbook. Thirty-five articles meeting the inclusion criteria were selected. To report our findings, we employed the “revised applied model of deliberate imagery use” to identify and describe “the 5Ws and the how” of imagery use within the scientific literature published: where,when, why, what,who, and how. The benefits of incorporating imaginary training into dance teaching were frequently reported, but few studies specifically addressed the interaction between imagery and dance creation. Our review shows that the literature addressing the use of mental representations and imagery in dance creation is limited, and future studies are needed to explore the interactions between cognitive performances during movement production, especially within the creative practice. This is essential to understanding the interplay between cognition, artistic expression, and creativity within the performing arts.