Pas de deux: kinesthetic empathy and mirror neurons. Dialogue on the language of the body in movement

Abstract

Recently, the concept of kinesthetic empathy has gained prominence in the living arts, mainly in dance, to refer to the sensory and affective connection between performers and audiences. The term highlights the ability to perceive other people’s movements and establish inter-subjective links without resorting to spoken language. Growing interest in the phenomenon is linked to the discovery of mirror neurons, cells located in the premotor cortex that allow us to simulate the movements we observe in others. This article explores the intersection between kinesthetic empathy and mirror neurons, tracing key moments in the literature of both paradigms. It first reviews the theory of John Martin, a pioneer in thinking about bodily imitation in dance, and contemporary critiques of his proposal. This is followed by an analysis of research on mirror neurons by Giacomo Rizzolatti and other researchers at the University of Parma, as well as recent empirical studies in neurodance. The article concludes by reflecting on the interdisciplinary links between art and science, emphasising how this dialogue allows us to delve into the way in which the body transmits sensations, intentions and mental states constitutive of non-verbal communication through movement.