“Mirrors on Wheels” Transform Rehearsals for QHS Performing Arts Students

February 3, 2026
QPSF_Grants in Action_Mirrors on Wheels

Grant-Funded Mirrors Help  Students Rehearse with Confidence

Before this year, students in Quincy High School’s show choir, pom, theatre, and dance programs had a familiar challenge: they could hear corrections, watch choreography being taught, and practice their routines—but they couldn’t always tell if they were actually performing the movements correctly.

“Students were able to see what the choreography looked like but never had the chance to see if they were actually doing the given choreography correctly,” said Ben Dombroski, Director of Show Choir. “This allows them to see how they look and make adjustments in real time to enhance their overall performance.”

Thanks to a new set of portable, glassless mirrors that challenge is disappearing. The mirrors are lightweight, mounted on rolling stands, and equipped with Grab-n-Go handles for easy transport. Since their addition to the program last fall, they’re already reshaping how rehearsals look and feel across multiple performing arts programs.

A Missing Tool in High-Stakes Rehearsals

In performance-based classes and activities, students are expected to master not only choreography, but also timing, spacing, technique, posture, and synchronization. Yet until now, instructors were often forced to give feedback to large groups without a reliable way for individuals to confirm whether the critique applied to them.

“Giving feedback to a group of 40+ students without mirrors can be difficult to individually critique each member,” Dombroski said. “Therefore, throughout the learning process, a lot of blanket critiques are given but students never truly knew if the critique was meant for them specifically.”

Without mirrors, students might assume their posture matched the expectation or that their arm placement was aligned with everyone else. But in performance groups, clean lines and uniform movement matter—and without visual reinforcement, improvement can be slower and less consistent.

Now, students can immediately check their movements and make adjustments on the spot.

“If their arms are all supposed to be at the same angle, they can visually see if they are off,” Dombroski said. “The mirrors allow students better insight to the issues we as directors and coaches see and which critiques and corrections apply to them.”

Why Glassless Mirrors?

The decision to purchase glassless mirrors instead of traditional wall-mounted mirrors was intentional—both for safety and practicality.

“Not only were they more affordable, but they are also convenient for mobile use,” Dombroski said. “We practice in a variety of venues so the lightweight, glassless mirrors on wheels allow for easy accessibility.”

Because QHS rehearsal spaces change depending on schedules and events, portability is essential. The mirrors can travel to the QHS stage, commons, the A-Building lobby, cafeteria, Baldwin stage—or wherever students need them most.

“[They’re] extremely lightweight, easily portable, and great for any rehearsal venue,” Dombroski said.

More Efficient Practices—and Stronger Programs

The biggest improvement instructors have seen so far is efficiency. With the mirrors in place, corrections can happen while choreography is being taught, reducing the need for extensive clean-up sessions before competitions and performances.

“Corrections can be made while choreography is being taught which should hopefully minimize the amount of cleaning required before competitions and performances,” Dombroski said. “The opportunities that these mirrors provide for rehearsals will drastically impact the trajectory of our programs and impact them positively for years to come.”

Confidence and Leadership Growing in Real Time

Beyond technical improvement, the mirrors are helping students develop a stronger sense of confidence and ownership in their performance.

“The overall efficiency and effectiveness of practice is the biggest benefit,” Dombroski said. “Students are less timid. They self-correct. They correct each other. They become leaders that are able to push themselves and their peers forward.”

He added that mirrors do something more powerful than just help students clean up choreography—they help students see themselves as performers.

“When you can see yourself performing in a mirror, you know you are seen,” Dombroski said. “You can’t hide from the ‘audience.’ YOU become the audience and the performer. And when you can’t hide, you step up to make yourself better.”

That shift has already impacted rehearsal culture. Students are building confidence, improving technique, and supporting one another.

“It has also been great for students who do pick up on choreography quickly to help those they see struggling,” Dombroski said. “I’ve seen a lot more student-to-student help throughout practices which has been really cool to see.”

Better Prepared for Competitions and Performances

The mirrors are also helping students prepare in a more realistic performance environment—especially before big events.

“Besides better preparing our own groups before competitions and performances, it can also be used as a great warmup room experience,” Dombroski said. “Whether we put them in the warmup room for Showcase of Excellence, musical, New Faces, etc., students can have that last boost of confidence before hitting the stage.”

Dombroski notes that timing and synchronization—the details that make a performance look clean and cohesive—are easier to achieve with mirrors.

“The synchronization of choreography is so important when trying to look clean and cohesive,” he said. “That’s why every dance studio that I know has mirrors mounted on the walls. So now, we can go count by count and students can see if what they are doing matches what everyone else is doing without me going around person to person correcting each move.”

“Saves so much time,” he added.

A Long-Term Investment in the Arts

While the immediate benefits are clear, Dombroski believes the long-term impact will be even greater. As students gain confidence and rehearsal productivity rises, programs will be able to increase expectations and raise performance standards over time.

“These mirrors will help build up our program because we will become more confident as performers,” Dombroski said. “Practices will be more productive and students will have the ability to take more ownership and leadership roles within the group. When students can step up and succeed in leadership roles, programs thrive.”

More Than “Just Mirrors”

The grant that provided the mirrors also represents something bigger: a community message that performing arts matter.

“We are lucky to live in a community who value and appreciate the arts,” Dombroski said. “As a math teacher, I’ll be the first to tell you that academics are beyond important… But I also firmly believe that the skills and lessons they learn outside of the classroom in extracurriculars plays a major role in shaping our students’ future as well.”

He acknowledged that on paper, the grant might appear simple—but the real effect is profound.

“Although people may look at this grant as ‘just a bunch of mirrors,’ this grant is helping to create a major confidence boost in students,” Dombroski said. “It takes their role from student to teacher.”

“And if something as silly as mirrors can produce a shift in confidence among high school students,” he added, “then I’d say they are worth it.”

A New Way to See Growth

Before now, the only time students could truly visualize their performance was by recording rehearsal videos and watching them later. Now, they can see themselves in real time—making adjustments instantly, supporting each other, and stepping into their roles as performers with confidence.

For Quincy High School students, “Mirrors on Wheels” are doing more than reflecting choreography—they’re reflecting growth.

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