Abstract
Applications of EEG-neurofeedback to the performing arts with actors are reviewed and compared with relevant studies of musicians and dancers. Neurofeedback involves learning to self-regulate targeted brain rhythms, rhythms that here have putative relevance to artistic performance. Actors received sensory-motor rhythm training, theorised to favour authenticity in acting, with a training context immersing them in an onstage theatre auditorium through either 2D or 3D representation. The more immersive format led to superior acting according to experts, especially on creativity subscales. Furthermore the actors’ experience of flow in performance was superior following neurofeedback, with affirmative associations between subjective flow and objective expert ratings. A slow wave protocol which involves training-up the theta rhythm over alpha with eyes closed before entering sleep (see Sect. 14.1) showed consistent benefits for elite music performance, especially musicality/creativity and extending to communication and technique. This benefit was also found with novice performers, to include school children, where the sensory-motor rhythm protocol also enhanced performance, perhaps facilitating lower-lever processes such as attention, memory and psychomotor skill. With competitive ballroom and contemporary dancers the alpha/theta protocol was compared with heart rate coherence biofeedback; both interventions were of value. The evidence adds to the rapidly accumulating validation of neurofeedback, while performing arts studies offer an opportunity for real life validity in creativity research for both creative process and product.
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Notes
- 1.
The neurofeedback field began half a century ago, and in this millennium has been extended to other central nervous system modalities, notably functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Whereas biofeedback of the peripheral nervous system involving muscle tension, systolic blood pressure, heart rate, skin temperature, etc. entered Behavioural Medicine, in the early days EEG knowledge was preliminary and practitioner claims were overstated so that it fell out of fashion in academia. Following new evidence of validation, rehabilitation has occurred, though with an international perspective. A majority of grass roots practitioners, steadfast and with valuable expertise, have resided in North America where the academic stigma surrounding EEG-neurofeedback still lingers, though interestingly not with respect to fMRI-neurofeedback. The majority of EEG validation research in both clinical and nonclinical optimal performance fields comes from Europe, and the Far and Middle East.
- 2.
For a more detailed introduction written for a performing arts readership see Gruzelier and Egner (2004).
- 3.
For technical treatments of these performing arts studies see a review (Gruzelier 2014b) and the empirical reports cited therein and in this chapter.
- 4.
For technical details see Egner and Gruzelier (2003).
- 5.
Furthermore, the lack of improvement following SMR training shows that the gain in communication was not just because singing improved with familiarity, practice, or training.
- 6.
Rudolf Laban was a dancer and theorist born in Hungary who emigrated from Nazi Germany to England where he consolidated his theories of choreography, movement and dance notation (choreology).
- 7.
Unfortunately a large scale study comparing the two neurofeeedback protocols versus controls was aborted due to a failure of commitment on the part of the acting academy to schedule post-training acting performances.
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Gruzelier, J.H. (2018). Enhancing Creativity with Neurofeedback in the Performing Arts: Actors, Musicians, Dancers. In: Burgoyne, S. (eds) Creativity in Theatre. Creativity Theory and Action in Education, vol 2. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-78928-6_14
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