Imitation involves the action of observing another individual and of positioning limbs in the same way, i.e. mimicking. Sometimes a symmetric or mirror-image may be used, where the leaders left limb is copied by the right limb.
I see imitation as a method for propagating the new skill across propinquitous individuals of the species. Imitation can also propagate a skill from the parent generation to the offspring generation, thus functioning somewhat like DNA-based evolution, but restricted to observable skills.
It is likely that this method can propagate a new skill faster than DNA-based inheritance. It has the same limits as mating in needing propinquity for diffusion.