ABSTRACT
The interdependence between the brain and the body forms a continuing relationship of cause and effect between the two. The brain responds to what the body does, and the body responds to what the neural transmitters or the pathways in our brain do. This means that certain physical actions and muscles movement can affect the emotional centers in our brain, just as certain emotional centers in our brain can affect our body or physicality. This neural feedback system is called proprioception. Mirror neurons are special brain cells that permit and enhance our ability to learn from and empathize with others by listening to them and paying attention to their actions. Understanding how mirror neurons work in our brain is a testament to the power and influence of performance, both as audience members and as actors. As audiences empathize the thoughts, feelings, and experiences of characters, it is mirror neurons that allow actors to empathize with the characters they portray.
