Dance movement therapy for dementia.

Science.gov (United States)

Karkou, Vicky; Meekums, Bonnie

2017-02-03

Dementia is a collective name for different degenerative brain syndromes which, according to Alzheimer's Disease International, affects approximately 35.6 million people worldwide. The latest NICE guideline for dementia highlights the value of diverse treatment options for the different stages and symptoms of dementia including non-pharmacological treatments. Relevant literature also argues for the value of interventions that acknowledge the complexity of the condition and address the person as a whole, including their physical, emotional, social and cognitive processes. At the same time, there is growing literature that highlights the capacity of the arts and embodied practices to address this complexity. Dance movement therapy is an embodied psychological intervention that can address complexity and thus, may be useful for people with dementia, but its effectiveness remains unclear. To assess the effects of dance movement therapy on behavioural, social, cognitive and emotional symptoms of people with dementia in comparison to no treatment, standard care or any other treatment. Also, to compare different forms of dance movement therapy (e.g. Laban-based dance movement therapy, Chacian dance movement therapy or Authentic Movement). Searches took place up to March 2016 through ALOIS, Cochrane Dementia and Cognitive Improvement's Specialized Register, which covers CENTRAL, a number of major healthcare databases and trial registers, and grey literature sources. We checked bibliographies of relevant studies and reviews, and contacted professional associations, educational programmes and experts from around the world. We considered randomised controlled trials (RCTs) in any language, including cross-over design and cluster-RCTs for inclusion. Studies considered had to include people with dementia, in any age group and in any setting, with interventions delivered by a dance movement therapy practitioner who (i) had received formal training (ii) was a dance movement

Definition of dance and dance movement therapy: overview of dance styles and their application for the scopes of the dance movement therapy in different countries and cultures

OpenAIRE

Di Dio, Kristina

2017-01-01

The master thesis discusses the areas of dance and dance movement therapy. Moreover it presents an overview of the artistic dance, which is applied for therapeutic treatment purposes. Furthermore, it defines concepts and dance genres that are present within different dance movement therapy approaches. Dance description is further elaborated in those chapters dedicated to the understanding and development of dance movement therapy. The thesis presents different dance genres and forms, whi...

Philosophical biography : some problems of conceptualization

OpenAIRE

Polyakova, Irina

2014-01-01

This article considers the specificity of the genre of philosophical biography and brings to light its conceptual grounds. “Philosophical biography” is defined as an understanding of human life, which has received not only a literary but also a philosophical form of expression. It shows that philosophical biography has a variety of features, which limit the applications of chronology, rubrication and other principles of organizing in a linear manner the material of a biography. In this contex...

Dance movement therapy and falls prevention.

Science.gov (United States)

Veronese, Nicola; Maggi, Stefania; Schofield, Patricia; Stubbs, Brendon

2017-08-01

Falls are a leading cause of morbidity, healthcare use and mortality. Dance is a popular form of physical activity among older people and previous research has suggested that it may improve various health outcomes in this population, including balance, gait and muscle performance. A systematic review of the potential benefits of dance on falls and fear of falling is lacking. Thus, we conducted a systematic review considering all randomized controls trials (RCTs) investigating if dance can reduce falls and improve fear of falling in older adults. Major databases were searched from inception until 1 March 2017 and a total of 10 RCTs were identified, which included a total of 680 people (n=356 dance, n=324 control). Overall, the mean age of the samples was 69.4 years, and 75.2% were female. Across four RCTs, dance therapy reduced falls versus usual care in only one study. Dance therapy improved fear of falling in two out of three included RCTs. There were no serious adverse events reported in the RCTs. In summary, we found a paucity of studies investigating the effect of dance on falls and fear of falling and the evidence base is preliminary and equivocal. Given the heterogeneity of the included samples and interventions, in addition to the short-term follow-up, no firm conclusions can be drawn. However, dance appears to be safe and, given its popularity and demonstrated benefits on other health/wellbeing outcomes in older adults, it is important that future research considers its potential benefits on falls/fear of falling in older age. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Biography. Advisory List of Instructional Media.

Science.gov (United States)

North Carolina State Dept. of Public Instruction, Raleigh. Div. of Media Evaluation Service.

The 65 biographies reviewed in this annotated bibliography are suitable for readers in grades pre-kindergarten through 12. Full bibliographic data, appropriate grade level indication, and annotations are supplied for each entry. The names and addresses of the publishers are also provided. Biographies of women, children, authors, actors, historical…

Dance Facilities.

Science.gov (United States)

Ashton, Dudley, Ed.; Irey, Charlotte, Ed.

This booklet represents an effort to assist teachers and administrators in the professional planning of dance facilities and equipment. Three chapters present the history of dance facilities, provide recommended dance facilities and equipment, and offer some adaptations of dance facilities and equipment, for elementary, secondary and college level…

Psychophysiological responses to Salsa dance.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Laura Guidetti

Full Text Available Speculation exists whether dance provides physiological stimuli adequate to promote health and fitness benefits. Unfortunately, research to date has not addressed the affective and exertional responses to dance. These responses are of interest as positive affective and exertional responses experienced during physical activity may play an important role in predicting adherence. The present study aims to examine the psychophysiological responses of different Salsa dance styles. Ten pairs of dancers performed two different structured lessons of Salsa dance, including Typical Salsa and Rueda de Casino lessons, and a non-structured Salsa dance at a night club. Physiological responses (i.e., percent of heart rate reserve; %HRR were continuously assessed and perceived exertion and affective valence were rated every 15 min throughout the trials. %HRR responses differed between the Salsa dance styles (%HRR from 41.3 to 51.9%, and participants were dancing at intensities near their ventilatory threshold. Specifically, Typical Salsa lesson elicited lower %HRR responses than Rueda de Casino lesson (p 0.05. Surprisingly, exertional (from 8 to 11 and affective (from +3 to +5 responses were unaffected by Salsa dance styles (p > 0.05. These data support that different Salsa dance styles provide physiological stimuli adequate to promote health and fitness benefits, and perhaps more importantly, produce pleasurable experiences, which in turn might lead to an increase in adherence to Salsa dancing which likely provides exercise-like health benefits.

Washington Alexandria Architecture Center students merge creative concepts of dance and space to design dance studio in Arlington

OpenAIRE

Micale, Barbara L.

2009-01-01

Elements of dance and dance-theatre -- including movement and exercise, flowing costumes, and expressive lighting --inspired students in the Architecture Master's design studio at the Washington Alexandria Architecture Center to imagine innovative ways of merging public and private space for a dance studio in nearby Arlington.

Dancing through the School Day: How Dance Catapults Learning in Elementary Education

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Becker, Kelly Mancini

2013-01-01

The necessity for engaging the body in learning, the need for students to move throughout the school day, and the positive effects that dance has on students' development are all good reasons for dance to be included in the elementary curriculum. There are many ways for teachers to integrate movement into the school day, using math, science,…

Dance floors as injury risk: analysis and evaluation of acute injuries caused by dance floors in professional dance with regard to preventative aspects.

Science.gov (United States)

Wanke, Eileen M; Mill, Helmgard; Wanke, Alice; Davenport, Jaqueline; Koch, Franziska; Groneberg, David A

2012-09-01

A dance floor is often the only support of movements in dance. A dance floor surface that shows deficiencies, can result in acute injuries and chronic problems. Although the significance of an adequate dance floor is well known, there is still a lack of differentiated analyses of dance floor-related acute injuries. This study presents data on acute injuries exclusively caused by the dance floor. The data were obtained from standardized work accident reports from consultants (F 1000), documentary accident records from all Berlin theatres, a state ballet school (n=2,281), and case records from the Berlin State Accident Insurance (UKB) covering a period of 17 years. All analyses and descriptive statistics were conducted with Excel 2007 and SPSS 18. Dance floor surfaces were the causative factor in 12.8% of all accidents (n=291, female 183, male 108). Almost two thirds (62.6%) of all accidents in professional dancers happened on stage, and almost half (49.5%) occurred during performances. As for causative factors, 53.1% of the professional dancers (P) and 42.5% of the dance students (S) claimed that the floor had been "too slippery," with "getting stuck" or (tripping) as the second most common problem (P 18.4%, S 11.3%). Of the injured dancers, 41.8% were older than 30 years and can therefore be categorized as experienced. Dance floors play a significant role in the occurrence of acute injuries, even in experienced dancers. Performances on stage seem to be a particular risk. However, injury prevention measures should include all work locations (P) as well as non-dance-specific locations (S).

Dancing for Healthy Aging: Functional and Metabolic Perspectives.

Science.gov (United States)

Rodrigues-Krause, Josianne; Krause, Mauricio; Reischak-Oliveira, Alvaro

2018-02-10

); (3) aerobic dance with no partner required, which mixes aerobic moves with dance moves; (4) dance therapies, whichare special dance programs including emotional and physical aspects; and (5) classical dances, which are dances with a unique tradition and technique, such as ballet or jazz dance. Outcome Measures • Studies needed to have evaluated functional and/or metabolic outcomes. Functional outcomes included (1) static and/or dynamic balance, (2) gait ability, (3) upper and/or lower muscle strength or power, (4) cardiorespiratory fitness, (5) flexibility, (6) risk of falls, and (7) quality of life. Metabolic outcomes included (1) lipid and glycemic profile; (2) systolic and diastolic blood pressure; (3) body composition; and (4) other specific cardiovascular risk factors or inflammatory or oxidative stress markers. Results • The research team retrieved 1042 articles, with 88 full texts assessed for eligibility, and 50 articles included in the analysis. Of the analyzed studies, 22 were RCTs evaluating dancing vs controls, and 3 were RCTs evaluating dancing vs other exercise. Regarding the participants of the reviewed studies: (1) 31 evaluated healthy individuals, (2) 7 evaluated patients suffering from Parkinson's disease, (3) 4 evaluated postmenopausal women, (4) 2 evaluated obese women, (5) 2 evaluated patients with chronic heart failure, (6) 1 evaluated frail older adults, (7) 1 evaluated individuals with visual impairments, (8) 1 evaluated persons with metabolic syndrome, and (9) 1 evaluated individuals with severe pain in the lower extremities. Regarding the interventions, most interventions were 12 wk long, 3 ×/wk, for 60 min each session. The dance styles most used were ballroom and cultural dances. Regarding the outcomes, functional and metabolic benefits were described in most of the included studies. Balance was the functional outcome most often assessed. Conclusions • Any dance style can induce positive functional adaptations in older adults

Marketing communication of dancing school Luas Dancing School.

OpenAIRE

Vařechová, Alice

2016-01-01

Title: Marketing communication of dancing school Luas Dancing School. Objectives: This thesis is trying to come up with new and effective marketing communication for dancing school. It is based on the old propagation methods and trying to do it better with documents obtained from theoretical part. Methods: Methods we used for this thesis are interview with owner and founder of this dancing school and discussion with dancers of this school. Some of them are long term dancers and some of them a...

Dance Dynamics. Athletes & Dancers Training & Moving Together.

Science.gov (United States)

Pruett, Diane Milhan, Ed.; And Others

1981-01-01

This series of articles explores the various ways in which training procedures in both dance and athletics are compatible. Topics include: traditional and adapted dance class structures and materials; the inclusion of dance in the physical education curriculum; and the physical fitness of dancers as compared to athletes. (JN)

"Dance for Your Health": Exploring Social Latin Dancing for Community Health Promotion

Science.gov (United States)

Iuliano, Joseph E.; Lutrick, Karen; Maez, Paula; Nacim, Erika; Reinschmidt, Kerstin

2017-01-01

The goal of "Dance for Your Health" was to explore the relationship between social Latin dance and health as described by members of the Tucson social Latin dance community. Social Latin dance was selected because of the variety of dances, cultural relevance and popularity in Tucson, and the low-key, relaxed atmosphere. Dance has been…

Whey protein stories - An experiment in writing a multidisciplinary biography.

Science.gov (United States)

Jensen, Tenna; Bechshoeft, Rasmus L; Giacalone, Davide; Otto, Marie Haulund; Castro-Mejía, Josue; Bin Ahmad, Hajar Fauzan; Reitelseder, Søren; Jespersen, Astrid Pernille

2016-12-01

This is an experimental, dual-purpose article about whey protein and how to conduct interdisciplinary analyses and writings. On the one hand, this article is a multidisciplinary commodity biography, which consists of five descriptions of whey protein written by the five different research groups involved in the interdisciplinary research project CALM(Counteracting Age-related loss of Skeletal Muscle Mass). On the other hand, it is a meta-analysis, which aims to uncover and highlight examples of how the five descriptions contribute to each other with insights into the contextualisation of knowledge, contrasts between the descriptions and the new dimensions they bring to established fields of interest. The meta-analysis also contains a discussion of interdisciplinary study objects and the usefulness of the multidisciplinary commodity biography as a format for interdisciplinary publications. The article contributes to the field of food studies with a multidisciplinary biography of whey protein - including its sensory qualities and challenges, insights into its cultural history, its nutritional value and effects on the human body and an analysis of how it is perceived by people who consume it. The biography thereby expands upon existing understandings of whey protein while discussing the usefulness of employing the commodity biography format in interdisciplinary writing. Moreover, the article contributes to the field of interdisciplinary research by providing a practical example of a joint publication and reflections upon the existence, interaction and possibilities of monodisciplinary knowledge structures within interdisciplinary studies and publications. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Dancing beyond exercise: young people's experiences in dance classes

OpenAIRE

Gardner, SM; Komesaroff, P; Fensham, R

2008-01-01

Dance classes in urban settings may have a role in health-promotion programmes seeking to increase physical activity amongst young people. However, little is so far known about the motivations, experiences or health outcomes of those participating in dance classes. This qualitative study of young people attending recreational dance classes addressed motivations, the nature of the class experience, and implications for health and well-being. Data show that young dance participants' experiences...

BIOGRAPHY GENRE IN RUSSIAN LITERATURE: EUROPEAN AND BRITISH INFLUENCES

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Eugenia V. Ivanova

2016-12-01

Full Text Available The article examines the development of the genre of biography and life writing that influenced Russian biographical tradition. This tradition stems from Plutarch’s Comparative Biographies that influenced English life writing represented by such names as James Boswell, Lytton Strachey, and others. Philosophical premises of the English biography genre are to be found in the treatise Heroes, HeroWorship, and The Heroic in History (1841 by Thomas Carlyle. French tradition represented by Gaston Tissandier’s book Science Martyrs pursued the opposite aim: to honor ordinary scientists and inventors, responsible for the technical advance of the modern civilization. Wilhelm Dilthey and Georg Simmel practiced a different approach to life writing in that they conceived biography as the history of the person’s spiritual development. This conception had direct influence on the theorists of biography genre in Russia, G. O. Vinokur, and A. G. Gabrichevsky.

The dancing plague: a public health conundrum.

Science.gov (United States)

Donaldson, L J; Cavanagh, J; Rankin, J

1997-07-01

The phenomenon of mass, frenzied dancing affected large populations in various parts of Europe from the thirteenth century and lasted, on and off, for three centuries. The exact aetiology of the Dancing Plague (or Dancing Mania) is still unclear. Retrospective historical review of this public health problem reveals claims for causative factors including demonic possession, epilepsy, the bite of a tarantula, ergot poisoning and social adversity. It seems unlikely that Dancing Mania resulted from a single cause but rather resulted from multiple factors combining with a predisposing cultural background and triggered by adverse social circumstances. Dancing Mania remains one of the unresolved mysteries of public health.

Current and Future Research at DANCE

Science.gov (United States)

Jandel, M.; Baramsai, B.; Bredeweg, T. A.; Couture, A.; Hayes, A.; Kawano, T.; Mosby, S.; Rusev, G.; Stetcu, I.; Taddeucci, T. N.; Talou, P.; Ullmann, J. L.; Walker, C. L.; Wilhelmy, J. B.

2015-05-01

An overview of the current experimental program on measurements of neutron capture and neutron induced fission at the Detector for Advanced Neutron Capture Experiments (DANCE) is presented. Three major projects are currently under way: 1) high precision measurements of neutron capture cross sections on Uranium isotopes, 2) research aimed at studies of the short-lived actinide isomer production in neutron capture on 235U and 3) measurements of correlated data of fission observables. New projects include developments of auxiliary detectors to improve the capability of DANCE. We are building a compact, segmented NEUtron detector Array at DANCE (NEUANCE), which will be installed in the central cavity of the DANCE array. It will provide experimental information on prompt fission neutrons in coincidence with the prompt fission gamma-rays measured by 160 BaF2 crystals of DANCE. Unique correlated data will be obtained for neutron capture and neutron-induced fission using the DANCE-NEUANCE experimental set up in the future.

Ethical issues in ageing and biography.

Science.gov (United States)

Kenyon, G M

1996-11-01

The increasing use of biographical materials in research and intervention in the field of ageing gives rise to significant ethical issues. In this inquiry, four of these issues are explicated. First, the notion of informed consent is explored in relation to selected contexts of research and intervention in ageing and biography. Second, the issues of autonomy and competence are considered from the point of view of identifying contexts where biography is a prerequisite for ethically responsive action. The third ethical issue concerns respecting the groundrules of various biographical approaches. Finally, the notions of authenticity and truth in lifestories are explored in an attempt to clarify the limitations and expectations of ageing and biography. The discussion of these ethical issues proceeds on the basis of an argument that indicates the fundamental importance of biographical ageing or the stories we are.

Dancing as an Intervention Tool for People with Dementia: A Mini-Review Dancing and Dementia.

Science.gov (United States)

Klimova, Blanka; Valis, Martin; Kuca, Kamil

2017-01-01

Research studies show a positive impact of physical activities such as dancing on the improvement of cognitive reserves of people with dementia. The purpose of this study is to explore dancing efficacy on people with dementia and list the key benefits and limitations of dancing therapy for these people. The methods used in this study include a method of literature review of available Englishwritten sources with respect to the dancing therapy and dementia in the acknowledged databases Pub- Med, Web of Science, Springer, and Scopus, and a method of comparison and evaluation of their findings. The findings of this mini review confirm positive efficacy of dancing therapy on cognitive, physical, emotional and social performance of people with dementia. More randomized controlled clinical trials should be conducted in this field, as well as other non-pharmacological therapies should be employed in order to holistically contribute to the prevention and treatment of dementia. Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.org.

Irish set dancing classes for people with Parkinson's disease: The needs of participants and dance teachers.

Science.gov (United States)

Shanahan, Joanne; Bhriain, Orfhlaith Ní; Morris, Meg E; Volpe, Daniele; Clifford, Amanda M

2016-08-01

As the number of people diagnosed with Parkinson's disease increases, there is a need to develop initiatives that promote health and wellbeing and support self-management. Additionally, as exercise may slow physical decline, there is a need to develop methods that facilitate greater engagement with community-based exercise. The aim of this study is to examine the needs of (1) people with Parkinson's disease and (2) set dancing teachers to enable the development of participant-centred community set dance classes. A mixed methods study design was used. Two consensus group discussions using nominal group technique were held to (1) identify factors pertaining to the needs of people with Parkinson's disease from a set dance class and (2) the educational needs of set dancing teachers to enable them to teach set dancing to people with Parkinson's disease. Group discussions began with silent generation of ideas. A round-robin discussion and grouping of ideas into broader topic areas followed. Finally, participants ranked, by order of priority (1-5), the topic areas developed. Final data analysis involved summation of participants' ranking scores for each topic area. Rich information on the needs of people with Parkinson's disease from a dance class and the educational guidance sought by set dancing teachers was gathered. Topic areas developed include "teaching method" for set dances and "class environment". Accessing community exercise programmes is important for this population. The results of this study will inform the development of an educational resource on Parkinson's disease for set dancing teachers. This resource may facilitate a larger number of teachers to establish sustainable community set dancing classes for people with Parkinson's disease. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

'Shall We Dance'? Older Adults' Perspectives on the Feasibility of a Dance Intervention for Cognitive Function.

Science.gov (United States)

Thøgersen-Ntoumani, Cecilie; Papathomas, Anthony; Foster, Jonathan; Quested, Eleanor; Ntoumanis, Nikos

2017-12-28

We explored perceptions of social dance as a possible intervention to improve cognitive functioning in older adults with subjective memory complaints. Thirty participants (19 female; M age = 72.6; SD=8.2) took part in the study. This included 21 participants who had self-reported subjective memory complaints and 9 spouses who noticed spousal memory loss. Semi-structured interviews were conducted and thematic analysis was used to analyze the data. Three main themes were constructed: 1) dance seen as a means of promoting social interaction; 2) chronic illness as a barrier and facilitator to participation; 3) social dance representing nostalgic connections to the past. Overall, the participants were positive about the potential attractiveness of social dance to improve cognitive and social functioning and other aspects of health. It is important in future research to examine the feasibility of a social dance intervention among older adults with subjective memory complaints.

The Dancing Brain: Structural and Functional Signatures of Expert Dance Training.

Science.gov (United States)

Burzynska, Agnieszka Z; Finc, Karolina; Taylor, Brittany K; Knecht, Anya M; Kramer, Arthur F

2017-01-01

Dance - as a ritual, therapy, and leisure activity - has been known for thousands of years. Today, dance is increasingly used as therapy for cognitive and neurological disorders such as dementia and Parkinson's disease. Surprisingly, the effects of dance training on the healthy young brain are not well understood despite the necessity of such information for planning successful clinical interventions. Therefore, this study examined actively performing, expert-level trained college students as a model of long-term exposure to dance training. To study the long-term effects of dance training on the human brain, we compared 20 young expert female Dancers with normal body mass index with 20 age- and education-matched Non-Dancers with respect to brain structure and function. We used diffusion tensor, morphometric, resting state and task-related functional MRI, a broad cognitive assessment, and objective measures of selected dance skill (Dance Central video game and a balance task). Dancers showed superior performance in the Dance Central video game and balance task, but showed no differences in cognitive abilities. We found little evidence for training-related differences in brain volume in Dancers. Dancers had lower anisotropy in the corticospinal tract. They also activated the action observation network (AON) to greater extent than Non-Dancers when viewing dance sequences. Dancers showed altered functional connectivity of the AON, and of the general motor learning network. These functional connectivity differences were related to dance skill and balance and training-induced structural characteristics. Our findings have the potential to inform future study designs aiming to monitor dance training-induced plasticity in clinical populations.

Dance and Music in "Gangnam Style": How Dance Observation Affects Meter Perception.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Kyung Myun; Barrett, Karen Chan; Kim, Yeonhwa; Lim, Yeoeun; Lee, Kyogu

2015-01-01

Dance and music often co-occur as evidenced when viewing choreographed dances or singers moving while performing. This study investigated how the viewing of dance motions shapes sound perception. Previous research has shown that dance reflects the temporal structure of its accompanying music, communicating musical meter (i.e. a hierarchical organization of beats) via coordinated movement patterns that indicate where strong and weak beats occur. Experiments here investigated the effects of dance cues on meter perception, hypothesizing that dance could embody the musical meter, thereby shaping participant reaction times (RTs) to sound targets occurring at different metrical positions.In experiment 1, participants viewed a video with dance choreography indicating 4/4 meter (dance condition) or a series of color changes repeated in sequences of four to indicate 4/4 meter (picture condition). A sound track accompanied these videos and participants reacted to timbre targets at different metrical positions. Participants had the slowest RT's at the strongest beats in the dance condition only. In experiment 2, participants viewed the choreography of the horse-riding dance from Psy's "Gangnam Style" in order to examine how a familiar dance might affect meter perception. Moreover, participants in this experiment were divided into a group with experience dancing this choreography and a group without experience. Results again showed slower RTs to stronger metrical positions and the group with experience demonstrated a more refined perception of metrical hierarchy. Results likely stem from the temporally selective division of attention between auditory and visual domains. This study has implications for understanding: 1) the impact of splitting attention among different sensory modalities, and 2) the impact of embodiment, on perception of musical meter. Viewing dance may interfere with sound processing, particularly at critical metrical positions, but embodied familiarity with

The Dancing Brain: Structural and Functional Signatures of Expert Dance Training

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Agnieszka Z. Burzynska

2017-11-01

Full Text Available Dance – as a ritual, therapy, and leisure activity – has been known for thousands of years. Today, dance is increasingly used as therapy for cognitive and neurological disorders such as dementia and Parkinson’s disease. Surprisingly, the effects of dance training on the healthy young brain are not well understood despite the necessity of such information for planning successful clinical interventions. Therefore, this study examined actively performing, expert-level trained college students as a model of long-term exposure to dance training. To study the long-term effects of dance training on the human brain, we compared 20 young expert female Dancers with normal body mass index with 20 age- and education-matched Non-Dancers with respect to brain structure and function. We used diffusion tensor, morphometric, resting state and task-related functional MRI, a broad cognitive assessment, and objective measures of selected dance skill (Dance Central video game and a balance task. Dancers showed superior performance in the Dance Central video game and balance task, but showed no differences in cognitive abilities. We found little evidence for training-related differences in brain volume in Dancers. Dancers had lower anisotropy in the corticospinal tract. They also activated the action observation network (AON to greater extent than Non-Dancers when viewing dance sequences. Dancers showed altered functional connectivity of the AON, and of the general motor learning network. These functional connectivity differences were related to dance skill and balance and training-induced structural characteristics. Our findings have the potential to inform future study designs aiming to monitor dance training-induced plasticity in clinical populations.

Land of a Couple of Dances: Global and Local Influences on Freestyle Play in Dance Dance Revolution

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gillian

2006-01-01

Full Text Available This paper traces successful and unsuccessful attempts to shape the meanings of the video game Dance Dance Revolution, specifically with reference to what "dancing" means in this context, as the game moves between various interested parties - game developers, players, Internet forum participants, and other media producers. Drawing on Actor-Network Theory and the network analyses of Manuel Castells, the paper reconstructs the forces shaping players' stylistic decisions through an analysis of dance game machines and software, and of a single forum thread on DDRFreak.com, a major website in the dance game community. The paper asks who decides how DDR players dance and at what times? Are the decisions about play made in the development meeting, the arcade, competitions, online or around the home console? Globally, how do some regions or groups emerge as experts or leaders in play style? Analysis indicates that within the United States, Californian players from major cities dominate discussion, supported by the global flows of people, resources, and capital through the state. The dominant players support their stated norms for play through recourse to mainstream conceptions of masculinity, rap music and associated styles of dance.

Nuclear pursuits: The scientific biography of Wilfrid Bennett Lewis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fawcett, R.

1994-01-01

The scientific life of Wilfrid Bennett Lewis. The biography covers Lewis's role in the development of radar, his tenure as the Chief Superintendent of the Telecommunications Research Establishment at Malvern through his heading of the then fledgling Canadian nuclear research facility in Chalk River, Ontario. Lewis's drive, intelligence, and remarkable organizational skills placed him at the forefront of Canada's nuclear program. His influence lead to a collaboration between Atomic Energy of Canada Limited and Ontario Hydro that ultimately resulted in the development of the CANDU reactor. His influence was also profound in the near by town of Deep River with one prime legacy being the W.B. Lewis Library. Lewis's bibliography is included in the biography

Engaging Youth through African-Derived Dance and Culture

Science.gov (United States)

Franklin, Kikora

2013-01-01

This article provides a brief history of African and African-derived dance and culture and highlights the physical health, dance education, historical, and cultural benefits of a school-based program that incorporates African dance as its core component. The article also includes the phases of the programming and brings attention to potential…

Efficacy of ACA strategies in biography-driven science teaching: an investigation

Science.gov (United States)

MacDonald, Grizelda L.; Miller, Stuart S.; Murry, Kevin; Herrera, Socorro; Spears, Jacqueline D.

2013-12-01

This study explored the biography-driven approach to teaching culturally and linguistically diverse students in science education. Biography-driven instruction (BDI) embraces student diversity by incorporating students' sociocultural, linguistic, cognitive, and academic dimensions of their biographies into the learning process (Herrera in Biography-driven culturally responsive teaching. Teachers College Press, New York, 2010). Strategies have been developed (Herrera, Kavimandan and Holmes in Crossing the vocabulary bridge: differentiated strategies for diverse secondary classrooms. Teachers College Press, New York, 2011) that provide teachers with instructional routines that facilitate BDI. Using systematic classroom observations we empirically demonstrate that these activate, connect, affirm, strategies are likely to be effective in increasing teachers' biography-driven practices. Implications for theory and practice are discussed.

Dance Education Research and Supplementary Articles.

Science.gov (United States)

Minton, Sandra, Comp.

This bibliography presents listings in the following areas: assessment in dance education; attitudinal studies in dance education; dance certification, standards, status; dance curricula; dance education history; dance education and technology; dance education theory; dance teacher behaviors; dance teacher preparation; descriptions of dance…

Traces across the body: influence of music-dance synchrony on the observation of dance.

Science.gov (United States)

Woolhouse, Matthew Harold; Lai, Rosemary

2014-01-01

In previous studies investigating entrainment and person perception, synchronized movements were found to enhance memory for incidental person attributes. Although this effect is robust, including in dance, the process by which it is actuated are less well understood. In this study, two hypotheses are investigated: that enhanced memory for person attributes is the result of (1) increased gaze time between in-tempo dancers; and/or (2) greater attentional focus between in-tempo dancers. To explore these possible mechanisms in the context of observing dance, an eye-tracking study was conducted in which subjects watched videos of pairs of laterally positioned dancers; only one of the dancers was synchronized with the music, the other being asynchronous. The results were consistent with the first hypothesis-music-dance synchrony gives rise to increased visual inspection times. In addition, there was a preference for upper-body fixations over lower-body fixations across both synchronous and asynchronous conditions. A subsequent, single-dancer eye-tracking study investigated fixations across different body regions, including head, torso, legs and feet. Significantly greater dwell times were recorded for head than torso and legs; feet attracted significantly less dwell time than any other body region. Lastly, the study sought to identify dance gestures responsible for torso- and head-directed fixations. Specifically we asked whether there are features in dance that are specially designed to direct an observer's gaze towards the face-the main "communicative portal" with respect to the transmission of intent, affect and empathy.

Dance Therapy: Focus on Dance VII.

Science.gov (United States)

Mason, Kathleen Criddle, Ed.

This document is a collection of essays by various authors on the subject of dance therapy. Dance therapy, in the introduction of this document, is defined as a form of psychotherapy in which the therapist utilizes movement interaction as the primary means of accomplishing therapeutic goals. The document is divided into five parts: a)…

WHEN PROSE DANCES AND DANCE WALKS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ana Marques Gastão

2011-04-01

Full Text Available To Paul Valéry, prose follows the less action path, as in marching in a straight line, and poetry, as in dancing – in as much as it is a «system of acts» – it not only intends to go nowhere but it remains in its own realisation, creating its own purpose. Why then does his prose contain this commanded impulse, led by desire, and his poetry does not, since they are so often one and the same? In this essay, looking at works by Rainer Marie Rilke, Fernando Pessoa, António Vieira and Yvette K. Centeno, I develop the idea that, very often, to establish a distinction between genres can be impractical and useless, if one considers concepts such as march/walk and dance from a choreographic perspective. Even if it be a possible question and since it has nevertheless been the object of study by scholars of all times, why is it undertaken? Why can’t prose be danced to, and poetry marched to? Can the walking essence unconsciously dance?

The Dance Within: A Pilot Project in Dance for the Handicapped and Teaching Dance for the Handicapped: A Curriculum Guide.

Science.gov (United States)

Michigan Dance Association, Lansing.

The Michigan Dance Association's Dance Project for the Handicapped is the subject of the two pamphlets that make up this document. The first pamphlet, "The Dance Within," describes the history, nature and goals of the Jackson Pilot Project, the first handicapped dance program in Michigan; it also offers suggestions on how to set up similar…

Nordic Dance Spaces

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

This volume identifies different kinds of dance activities and examines their distribution and modes of operation across and beyond the Nordic region. The focus of the research is on dance and how it moves between different locations, organizations and networks of individuals. The study integrates...... three complementary perspectives. One looks at the interplay between politics and larger global flows on the one hand and the movements of dance and dancers on the other. Another looks at the contribution of localized activities such as dance festivals, competitions and cultural mobility pro......-grammes to the transnational movements within dance. The third looks at the ways in which the impact of the transnational context is supported, resisted or commented upon either by the general public, in the dance itself or by the dancers themselves. The book presents a critical analysis of cul-tural location, relocation...

Making Sense of Scientific Biographies: Scientific Achievement, Nature of Science, and Storylines in College Students' Essays

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Hwang, Seyoung

2015-01-01

In this article, the educative value of scientific biographies will be explored, especially for non-science major college students. During the "Scientist's life and thought" course, 66 college students read nine scientific biographies including five biologists, covering the canonical scientific achievements in Western scientific history.…

Sports dance artistic expression culture analysis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chen Zegang

2017-01-01

Full Text Available At present, the sports dance has entered every stage of the people’s life, has become the public’s favorite sport. Sports dance has been well developed. This article mainly uses the literature material law to carry on the detailed analysis to the sports dance constitution, elaborated in detail the sports dance artistic expression. The composition of sports dance elements; sports dance is a form of dance art show; sports dance through the dance art can be divided into three aspects, namely, form, music, shape of the expressive force. In this paper, the study will be more in-depth excavation of the cultural connotation of sports dance, and promote the development of sports dance can be more comprehensive. In 20s of last century, Chinese Sports Dance Association officially joined the International Sports Dance Association, which also makes our country’s sports dance and international exchange more frequent. However, due to China’s sports dance sports dance learning time is not long, while learning is influenced by Chinese traditional culture, the sports dance movements are too conservative, there is a very large gap and international enthusiasm, bold and unrestrained, the pursuit of individual sports dance in the dance style, music and performance hand. Sports dance originated from abroad, it is produced in the daily life of people in foreign countries. China’s domestic sports dance players in learning dance at the same time, the production and the connotation of dance is not very understanding, therefore, it is difficult to better reflect the emotional expression of sports dance. Although the sports dance is a kind of similar to the competitive projects, but it is also a kind of dance culture, and to constitute a force from the dance art show a detailed study, detailed mining playing officer of sports dance performance further, reducing China’s sports dance and international sports dance gap.

Smiljana Mandukic (1908-1992 Beginning of Modern Dance and Dance Expressionism in Europe

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Vera Obradović

2018-02-01

Full Text Available Smiljana Mandukić (1908-1992 a dancer, choreographer, and teacher, was among those dancers who pioneering the modern dance in Serbia. The beginning of the 20th century brought new forms of art as the old ones were not sufficient to express new feelings and experiences, in that era of rapid technological progress. Mandukic was educated as a dancer in interwar Vienna, so she happened to be at the centre of Central European expressionist dance, free dance, at the time of her formation as a dancer. Smiljana acquired dance knowledge from her teachers, famous dancers and choreographers, Gertrud Bodenwieser, who developed her own style of modern expressionist dance, known as “Bodenwieser Viennise Style”, and Grete Wiesenthal, who was a member of the corps de ballet of the Hofoper in Vienna (Vienna Court Opera Ballet. Both her teachers were the representatives of “Ausdrukstanz” or “Neur Tanz”, and were rejected formalism and virtuosity of classical dance in favour of more natural movements. Like her pair, Maga Magazinovic (1882-1968, who introduced expressionist dance in Serbia, established the first school of modern dance in 1910, and founded the first modern dance group consisted of female dancers, Mandukic advocated for the importance of dance in education of female population. In the traditional, patriarchal Serbian society, she opened the second school of modern dance in 1931, and was the first artist who established a professional group of modern dance. Her greatest achievement was the creation of “epic-patriotic choreodrama”. The main goal of this article is to confirm that Smiljana Mandukic’s pioneer work in establishing modern dance in Serbia was the part of the European expressionist modern dance movement of the equal importance and significance not only when considering the Western Balkans but the broader European context.

Dance Theatre of Harlem: Inspiring the Deprived

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Weil, Henry

1976-01-01

The Dance Theatre of Harlem, which includes both a school and a publicly performing dance company, is described from its inception by its artistic director, Arthur Mitchell, to its current activities. Budgets, student characteristics, and philosophy are discussed. (LBH)

Shall We Dance?

Science.gov (United States)

Black, Susan

2001-01-01

Of all art forms, dance is experienced least and considered low-priority. Art educators and the NAEP's arts education framework view dance as essential for every child's complete development. The National Dance Association has set high standards. Baltimore and South Bronx programs are profiled. (MLH)

Conditioning Methodologies for DanceSport: Lessons from Gymnastics, Figure Skating, and Concert Dance Research.

Science.gov (United States)

Outevsky, David; Martin, Blake Cw

2015-12-01

Dancesport, the competitive branch of ballroom dancing, places high physiological and psychological demands on its practitioners, but pedagogical resources in these areas for this dance form are limited. Dancesport competitors could benefit from strategies used in other aesthetic sports. In this review, we identify conditioning methodologies from gymnastics, figure skating, and contemporary, modern, and ballet dance forms that could have relevance and suitability for dancesport training, and propose several strategies for inclusion in the current dancesport curriculum. We reviewed articles derived from Google Scholar, PubMed, ScienceDirect, Taylor & Francis Online, and Web of Science search engines and databases, with publication dates from 1979 to 2013. The keywords included MeSH terms: dancing, gymnastics, physiology, energy metabolism, physical endurance, and range of motion. Out of 47 papers examined, 41 papers met the inclusion criteria (validity of scientific methods, topic relevance, transferability to dancesport, publication date). Quality and validity of the data were assessed by examining the methodologies in each study and comparing studies on similar populations as well as across time using the PRISMA 2009 checklist and flowchart. The relevant research suggests that macro-cycle periodization planning, aerobic and anaerobic conditioning, range of motion and muscular endurance training, and performance psychology methods have potential for adaptation for dancesport training. Dancesport coaches may help their students fulfill their ambitions as competitive athletes and dance artists by adapting the relevant performance enhancement strategies from gymnastics, figure skating, and concert dance forms presented in this paper.

Why Do You Dance? Development of the Dance Motivation Inventory (DMI)

OpenAIRE

Maraz, Aniko; Kir?ly, Orsolya; Urb?n, R?bert; Griffiths, Mark D.; Demetrovics, Zsolt

2015-01-01

Dancing is a popular form of physical exercise and studies have show that dancing can decrease anxiety, increase self-esteem, and improve psychological wellbeing. The aim of the current study was to explore the motivational basis of recreational social dancing and develop a new psychometric instrument to assess dancing motivation. The sample comprised 447 salsa and/or ballroom dancers (68% female; mean age 32.8 years) who completed an online survey. Eight motivational factors were identified ...

Traces across the body: influence of music-dance synchrony on the observation of dance

Science.gov (United States)

Woolhouse, Matthew Harold; Lai, Rosemary

2014-01-01

In previous studies investigating entrainment and person perception, synchronized movements were found to enhance memory for incidental person attributes. Although this effect is robust, including in dance, the process by which it is actuated are less well understood. In this study, two hypotheses are investigated: that enhanced memory for person attributes is the result of (1) increased gaze time between in-tempo dancers; and/or (2) greater attentional focus between in-tempo dancers. To explore these possible mechanisms in the context of observing dance, an eye-tracking study was conducted in which subjects watched videos of pairs of laterally positioned dancers; only one of the dancers was synchronized with the music, the other being asynchronous. The results were consistent with the first hypothesis—music-dance synchrony gives rise to increased visual inspection times. In addition, there was a preference for upper-body fixations over lower-body fixations across both synchronous and asynchronous conditions. A subsequent, single-dancer eye-tracking study investigated fixations across different body regions, including head, torso, legs and feet. Significantly greater dwell times were recorded for head than torso and legs; feet attracted significantly less dwell time than any other body region. Lastly, the study sought to identify dance gestures responsible for torso- and head-directed fixations. Specifically we asked whether there are features in dance that are specially designed to direct an observer’s gaze towards the face—the main “communicative portal” with respect to the transmission of intent, affect and empathy. PMID:25520641

Music, dance and memory: Towards deliberation of field research of dance

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Rakočević Selena

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Although ethnochoreology and ethnomusicology as related academic disciplines have decades-long histories, reviewing and redefining their basic epistemological and methodological principles remained one of the main focuses of disciplinary discussion. Most ethnochoreologists and ethnomusicologist agrees that “field” work (in all its traditional and contemporary forms remains an essential and constitutive quality of their research and disciplinary fields. The inherent interdisciplinary networking of ethnochoreology and ethnomusicology starts from the theoretical premise that the relationship between the kinetic and musical components of dance is not only unbreakable, but also interactive, and that complex and dynamic manifestations of dance performances represents an expressive medium through which a particular community constructs and represents itself. Since the importance of the individual experience of researchers has been ephasized during the last few decades, a comprehensive method of participant observation remains a central and unifying aspect of fieldwork, both in ethnochoreology and ethnomusicology. Based on field research of musical and dance practices of the village of Svinica (Sviniţa in Romania, this paper reviews the application and combination of various methods of field research (observation, participation in the performance process, filming, interviews and writing field notes as the primary tools for the acquisition and shaping of scientific knowledge about dance and music. Issues that will be discussed include the following questions: What are the advantages of personal kinetic/auditory experience during simultaneous perception of dance movement and dance music? How can different methods of field research be combined in order to improve cognitive processes? Are there border areas between ethnochoreological and ethnomusicological fieldwork? Does the variety of methods of field research represents a weakness of the

The Negro Dance

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Katherine Dunham

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Katherine Dunham’s The Negro Dance (1941 focuses on dances in the West Indies and on their similarities with North American dance forms rooted in African culture. Though backed up by the New Negro arguments of the time, it shows Dunham’s prominent elaboration of a dignified African-American art based on syncretic bodily practices, which anticipated theorizations in dance and cultural studies. By uniting a theoretical approach and performance ability, she also made methodological choices which, decades later, became standard practices in the field of dance anthropology. Moreover, she is now considered an ante litteram exponent of public or applied anthropology due to the fact that, by using various strategies, she managed to take anthropological knowledge out of the academic world and use it as an instrument for social transformation. The Negro Dance is introduced by Rossella Mazzaglia and followed by an afterword by Cristiana Natali and a biographical note by Marie-Christine Dunham Pratt.

The Underdog Effect: The Marketing of Disadvantage and Determination through Brand Biography

OpenAIRE

Neeru Paharia; Anat Keinan; Jill Avery; Juliet B. Schor

2011-01-01

We introduce the concept of an underdog brand biography to describe an emerging trend in branding in which firms author a historical account of their humble origins, lack of resources, and determined struggle against the odds. We identify two essential dimensions of an underdog biography: external disadvantage, and passion and determination. We demonstrate that such a biography can increase purchase intentions, real choice, and brand loyalty. We argue that these biographies are effective beca...

Intra-dance variation among waggle runs and the design of efficient protocols for honey bee dance decoding

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Margaret J. Couvillon

2012-03-01

Noise is universal in information transfer. In animal communication, this presents a challenge not only for intended signal receivers, but also to biologists studying the system. In honey bees, a forager communicates to nestmates the location of an important resource via the waggle dance. This vibrational signal is composed of repeating units (waggle runs that are then averaged by nestmates to derive a single vector. Manual dance decoding is a powerful tool for studying bee foraging ecology, although the process is time-consuming: a forager may repeat the waggle run 1- >100 times within a dance. It is impractical to decode all of these to obtain the vector; however, intra-dance waggle runs vary, so it is important to decode enough to obtain a good average. Here we examine the variation among waggle runs made by foraging bees to devise a method of dance decoding. The first and last waggle runs within a dance are significantly more variable than the middle run. There was no trend in variation for the middle waggle runs. We recommend that any four consecutive waggle runs, not including the first and last runs, may be decoded, and we show that this methodology is suitable by demonstrating the goodness-of-fit between the decoded vectors from our subsamples with the vectors from the entire dances.

Sexuality and Sexual Identity: Critical Possibilities for Teaching Dance Appreciation and Dance History

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Dils, Ann

2004-01-01

The intersections of dance and sexuality and sexual identity are part of the critical discourse important to teaching dance appreciation and dance history. This essay presents aspects of my teaching practice, informed by current writings in queer studies, dance studies, education, and sociology. Awareness of potential classroom diversity helps…

Why do you dance? Development of the Dance Motivation Inventory (DMI).

Science.gov (United States)

Maraz, Aniko; Király, Orsolya; Urbán, Róbert; Griffiths, Mark D; Demetrovics, Zsolt

2015-01-01

Dancing is a popular form of physical exercise and studies have show that dancing can decrease anxiety, increase self-esteem, and improve psychological wellbeing. The aim of the current study was to explore the motivational basis of recreational social dancing and develop a new psychometric instrument to assess dancing motivation. The sample comprised 447 salsa and/or ballroom dancers (68% female; mean age 32.8 years) who completed an online survey. Eight motivational factors were identified via exploratory factor analysis and comprise a new Dance Motivation Inventory: Fitness, Mood Enhancement, Intimacy, Socialising, Trance, Mastery, Self-confidence and Escapism. Mood Enhancement was the strongest motivational factor for both males and females, although motives differed according to gender. Dancing intensity was predicted by three motivational factors: Mood Enhancement, Socialising, and Escapism. The eight dimensions identified cover possible motives for social recreational dancing, and the DMI proved to be a suitable measurement tool to assess these motives. The explored motives such as Mood Enhancement, Socialising and Escapism appear to be similar to those identified in other forms of behaviour such as drinking alcohol, exercise, gambling, and gaming.

Why do you dance? Development of the Dance Motivation Inventory (DMI.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Aniko Maraz

Full Text Available Dancing is a popular form of physical exercise and studies have show that dancing can decrease anxiety, increase self-esteem, and improve psychological wellbeing. The aim of the current study was to explore the motivational basis of recreational social dancing and develop a new psychometric instrument to assess dancing motivation. The sample comprised 447 salsa and/or ballroom dancers (68% female; mean age 32.8 years who completed an online survey. Eight motivational factors were identified via exploratory factor analysis and comprise a new Dance Motivation Inventory: Fitness, Mood Enhancement, Intimacy, Socialising, Trance, Mastery, Self-confidence and Escapism. Mood Enhancement was the strongest motivational factor for both males and females, although motives differed according to gender. Dancing intensity was predicted by three motivational factors: Mood Enhancement, Socialising, and Escapism. The eight dimensions identified cover possible motives for social recreational dancing, and the DMI proved to be a suitable measurement tool to assess these motives. The explored motives such as Mood Enhancement, Socialising and Escapism appear to be similar to those identified in other forms of behaviour such as drinking alcohol, exercise, gambling, and gaming.

Dance: Verities, Values, Visions.

Science.gov (United States)

Boorman, Joyce, Ed.; Harris, Dorothy, Ed.

The Binational Dance Conference was organized into three focal themes--verities, values, and visions in dance--to emphasize the known and accepted worth and value of dance, and to stimulate through knowledge and idea exchange, imaginative directions for dance in the future of both the United States and Canada. This thematic structure is also the…

Sports dance artistic expression culture analysis

OpenAIRE

Chen Zegang

2017-01-01

At present, the sports dance has entered every stage of the people’s life, has become the public’s favorite sport. Sports dance has been well developed. This article mainly uses the literature material law to carry on the detailed analysis to the sports dance constitution, elaborated in detail the sports dance artistic expression. The composition of sports dance elements; sports dance is a form of dance art show; sports dance through the dance art can be divided into three aspects, namely, fo...

Preventive effects of group dance movement therapy on participants of oriental dance courses

OpenAIRE

Jevšenak, Vesna

2014-01-01

The connection of mind and body as well as the impact of physical activity on mental state of the person is defined in the theoretical part of the thesis. It featured dance as an expressive means of non-verbal communication in the therapeutic process in the group and stressed the importance of creativity in dance expression. It has given a historical overview of the role of women in dance and described the therapeutic characteristics of oriental dance. In addition to presenting dance - moveme...

The effect of dance training on menstrual function in collegiate dancing students.

Science.gov (United States)

To, W W; Wong, M W; Chan, K M

1995-08-01

A total of 98 dancing students from a collegiate school of dancing were studied through interview using a highly structured questionnaire to elicit details of the duration and intensity of dance training, menstrual patterns and musculoskeletal injuries sustained during training; 70 (72%) of these dancing students were eumenorrhoeic, while 15 (15.4%) had oligomenorrhoea. Thirteen (13.4%) either had amenorrhoea for over 90 days at the time of the study, or were on hormonal treatment because of amenorrhoea for over 3 months in the past 1 year. Those who were amenorrhoeic had longer training hours per week when compared with eumenorrhoeic and oligomenorrhoeic students. Both oligomenorrhoeic and amenorrhoeic students had a lower body mass index (18.25 kg/m2 and 18.26 kg/m2 versus 19.45 kg/m2, p dance, modern dance and musical theatre dance students as well as a significantly lower average body mass index. These data suggest a proportional correlation between menstrual dysfunction and proneness to musculoskeletal injuries in training, which could be explained by a hormonal mechanism.

Traces Across the Body: The Influence of Music-Dance Synchrony on the Observation of Dance

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Matthew Harold Woolhouse

2014-12-01

Full Text Available In previous studies investigating entrainment and person perception, synchronized movements were found to enhance memory for incidental person attributes. Although this effect is robust, including in dance, the process by which it is actuated are less well understood. In this study, two hypotheses are investigated: that enhanced memory for person attributes is the result of (1 increased gaze time between in-tempo dancers, and/or (2 greater attentional focus between in-tempo dancers. To explore these possible mechanisms in the context of observing dance, an eye-tracking study was conducted in which subjects watched videos of pairs of laterally positioned dancers; only one of the dancers was synchronized with the music, the other being asynchronous. The results were consistent with the first hypothesis—music-dance synchrony gives rise to increased visual inspection times. In addition, there was a preference for upper-body fixations over lower-body fixations across both synchronous and asynchronous conditions. A subsequent, single-dancer eye-tracking study investigated fixations across different body regions, including head, torso, legs and feet. Significantly greater dwell times were recorded for head than torso and legs; feet attracted significantly less dwell time than any other body region. Lastly, the study sought to identify dance gestures responsible for torso- and head-directed fixations. Specifically we asked whether there are features in dance that are specially designed to direct an observer’s gaze towards the face—the main communicative portal with respect to the transmission of intent, affect and empathy.

Dance and the brain: a review.

Science.gov (United States)

Karpati, Falisha J; Giacosa, Chiara; Foster, Nicholas E V; Penhune, Virginia B; Hyde, Krista L

2015-03-01

Dance is a universal form of human expression that offers a rich source for scientific study. Dance provides a unique opportunity to investigate brain plasticity and its interaction with behavior. Several studies have investigated the behavioral correlates of dance, but less is known about the brain basis of dance. Studies on dance observation suggest that long- and short-term dance training affect brain activity in the action observation and simulation networks. Despite methodological challenges, the feasibility of conducting neuroimaging while dancing has been demonstrated, and several brain regions have been implicated in dance execution. Preliminary work from our laboratory suggests that long-term dance training changes both gray and white matter structure. This article provides a critical summary of work investigating the neural correlates of dance. It covers functional neuroimaging studies of dance observation and performance as well as structural neuroimaging studies of expert dancers. To stimulate ongoing dialogue between dance and science, future directions in dance and brain research as well as implications are discussed. Research on the neuroscience of dance will lead to a better understanding of brain-behavior relationships and brain plasticity in experts and nonexperts and can be applied to the development of dance-based therapy programs. © 2014 New York Academy of Sciences.

Cognitive benefits of social dancing and walking in old age: the Dancing Mind randomized controlled trial

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Dafna eMerom

2016-02-01

Full Text Available Background: A physically active lifestyle has the potential to prevent cognitive decline and dementia, yet the optimal type of physical activity/exercise remains unclear. Dance is of special interest as it complex sensorimotor rhythmic activity with additional cognitive, social and affective dimensions. Objectives: to determine whether dance benefits executive function more than walking, an activity that is simple and functional. Methods: Two-arm randomised controlled trial among community-dwelling older adults. The intervention group received 1 hour of ballroom dancing twice weekly over 8 months (~69sessions in local community dance studios. The control group received a combination of a home walking program with a pedometer and optional biweekly group-based walking in local community park to facilitate socialisation. Main outcomes: Main outcomes: executive function tests: processing speed and task shift by the Trail Making Tests (TMT, response inhibition by the Stroop Colour-Word Test (SCWT, working memory by the Digit Span Backwards (DSB test, immediate and delayed verbal recall by the Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test (RAVLT and visuospatial recall by the Brief Visuospatial Memory Test (BVST. Results: One hundred and fifteen adults (69.5 years, SD6.4 completed baseline and delayed baseline (3 weeks apart before being randomised to either dance (n=60 or walking (n=55. Of those randomized, 79 (68% completed the follow-up measurements (32 weeks from baseline. In the dance group only, ‘non-completers’ had significant lower baseline scores on all executive function tests than those completed the full program. Intention-to-treat analyses showed no group effect. In a random effects model including participants who completed all measurements, adjusted for baseline score and covariates (age, education, estimated verbal intelligence, community, a between group effect in favour of dance was noted only for BVST total learning (Cohen’s D Effect size

Decolonizing Dance Pedagogy: Application of Pedagogies of Ugandan Traditional Dances in Formal Dance Education

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Mabingo, Alfdaniels

2015-01-01

Dances from African communities are gradually getting incorporated into formal education at pre-tertiary and tertiary levels in the United States. Whereas strides have been made to embrace this artistic and cultural diversity, the instructional methodologies that are applied in teaching these dances are commonly founded on Western pedagogic canons…

The lived experience of volunteering in a palliative care biography service.

Science.gov (United States)

Beasley, Elizabeth; Brooker, Joanne; Warren, Narelle; Fletcher, Jane; Boyle, Christopher; Ventura, Adriana; Burney, Susan

2015-10-01

Many patients approaching death experience hopelessness, helplessness, and a depressed mood, and these factors can contribute to a difficult end-of-life (EoL) period. Biography services may assist patients in finding meaning and purpose at this time. The aim of our study was to investigate the lived experience of volunteers involved in a biography service in Melbourne, Australia, using a qualitative methodology. The participants were 10 volunteers who had participated in a biography service within a private palliative care service. Each volunteer was interviewed separately using a study-specific semistructured interview guide. The transcripts of these interviews were then subjected to thematic analysis. Analysis yielded the following themes: motivations for volunteering; dealing with death, dying, and existential issues; psychosocial benefits of volunteering; and benefits and challenges of working with patients and their families. Our results indicated that volunteering gave the volunteers a deeper appreciation of existential issues, and helped them to be more appreciative of their own lives and gain a deeper awareness of the struggles other people experience. They also suggested that volunteers felt that their involvement contributed to their own personal development, and was personally rewarding. Furthermore, the results highlighted that volunteers found that encounters with family members were sometimes challenging. While some were appreciative, others imposed time limits, became overly reliant on the volunteers, and were sometimes offended, hurt, and angered by what was included in the final biography. It is hoped that the findings of the current study will provide direction for improvements in the biography services that will benefit patients, family members, and volunteers. In particular, our findings highlight the need to provide ongoing support for volunteers to assist them in handling the challenges of volunteering in a palliative care setting.

The Dancing Picture - The Ritual Dance of Native Australians

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Monica Engelhart

1996-01-01

Full Text Available What kind of message does -or did — the dance convey to the Native Australians? Several types of communication can be distinguished in ritual dance. There is the narrative aspect, i.e., the dramatization of a myth, or of certain social relations, there is an aspect of explanation, i.e., the visual performance of significant conditions, an expressive aspect of worship, and even an aspect of transmission, as when the body of the dancer is thought to mediate divine power to the audience. When a dancer is considered possessed, the boundaries between his human identity and the divine are wiped out. This last aspect leads us to the second item of interest regarding the ritual dance in Australia, an issue that has been discussed at length regarding masked dancers in other societies, i.e., the question of whether the dancer is identified with the being represented, or merely performs as an actor in a play. In this discussion, the very technique of dancing may have some explanatory faculty, at least as long as we are dealing with Native Australian ritual dance.

Physics and the Art of Dance - Understanding Movement

Science.gov (United States)

Swope, Kenneth Laws

2005-03-01

Written by a physicist with professional dance training, Physics and the Art of Dance explains how dancers can achieve better, safer performances through an understanding of physics in motion. Using simple, non-technical terms, Kenneth Laws combines his knowledge of both physics and dance to describe how the laws of gravity, momentum, and energy affect dancing bodies. The book explores the natural laws that govern the subtleties of balance, the techniques of leaps and pirouettes, and the impressive lifts and turns executed by ballet partners. Finally, Laws offers insight into two current discussions in the dance world--the effect of body size on ballet technique, and the relationship between science and the art of dance. Beautiful, original stop-action photographs by Martha Swope, along with clear diagrams, illustrate the concepts described in the text. Plus, an intriguing "puzzler" at the beginning of each chapter provides an engaging entree into the topics presented. For those who want a more advanced understanding of the physics, extensive appendices are provided. This new book combines the best features of Laws's widely acclaimed The Physics of Dance and Physics, Dance, and the Pas de Deux by Laws and Cynthia Harvey. Its expert application of the basic principles of physics to the art of dance will be an invaluable resource for dancers and dance instructors and will open a new level of appreciation for lovers of the form. It will also appeal to physicists who seek to include the arts in their scientific pursuits.

The construction of the Black dance/African Peoples' dance section in Britain: Issues arising for the conceptualisation of related choreographic and dance practices

OpenAIRE

Adewole, Funmi

2016-01-01

This chapter will discuss the construction of the Black dance/African Peoples’ Dance sector (APD) in Britain in the 1990s. The debate about the definition of the terms Black dance and African peoples’ dance is shown to be part and parcel of the quest for appropriate infrastructure to sustain the work of black dancers and those using African and Diasporan dance forms and aesthetics in their productions. I argue therefore that a fuller understanding of this field of practice can only be gained ...

The Trials and Tribulations of Anglophone and Hispanic Biography: A Personal Reflection

OpenAIRE

Paul Garner

2018-01-01

This article reflects on the evolution and the current state of An- glophone biography, focusing on the inherent and persistent tensions with regard to its definition, value, and purpose, and on its belated acceptance within the Anglophone academy. It also highlights the profound gap between Anglophone biography and the limited scope, practice, and academic mar- ginalisation of Hispanic biography.

Tracing Lines of Meaning: A Course Redesign for Dance Pedagogy

Science.gov (United States)

Enghauser, Rebecca Gose

2012-01-01

The 21st-century dance milieu demands that a dancer possess a highly diverse skill set, including effective teaching skills and a broader appreciation of a pedagogical orientation. It is vital that in preparing dance educators, we create opportunities for students to reflect on their dance learning histories and consequential beliefs about…

Dance Critique as Signature Pedagogy

Science.gov (United States)

Kearns, Lauren

2017-01-01

The curriculum of preprofessional university degree programs in dance typically comprise four components: theory and history, dance technique, creative process, and performance. This article focuses on critique in the modern dance technique and choreography components of the dance curriculum. Bachelor of Fine Arts programs utilize critique as a…

Someone Else's Life as Intertext: Antique Biographies in Ukrainian Interpretation

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Oksana Galchuk

2014-11-01

Full Text Available The article analyses the main interpretation tendencies of the antique biographies in Ukrainian lyrics of 1920–1930s. The role of artistic connotations of someone else’s life in a force field of mature modernism has been studied, the typological characteristics of thede connotations have been discovered, those common for the symbolistic (Pavlo Tychyna and neoclassic interpretation models of the antique text in partiqular (Eugen Malaniuk and “Kyiv” neoclassics. The dominant techniques and methods of integration of the antique biographies into the text have been revealed. They are citations, allusions, reminiscences, transformation of manes into images-symbols, adding to and transformation of traditional biography plots and so on. It was uncovered that historically real and literary-mythical antique characters of heroical andaesthetical types are the most often interpreted ones, with existential types to the lesser degree. The connection of principles of artistic interpretation of antique biographies with idea-aesthetical principles of creativity and worldview of a given author or tendency is emphasized. Thus, appealing to the life facts of antique figures, Eugen Malaniuk creates his own historiosophical concept. In poetry by neoclassics the biography fragments figures of the antique culture are replicated, thus the type “culturetrigger” prevails. The disappointed tragical “hero” prevail in symbolists’ works. Moreover, in Tychyna’s works “biography” of the myth figure transformation as well as rethinking of the antique concept of “heroic”. In general antique biographies play appeal, expressive, abstract and poetic functions that are inherent to intertext.

The Trials and Tribulations of Anglophone and Hispanic Biography: A Personal Reflection

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Paul Garner

2018-01-01

Full Text Available This article reflects on the evolution and the current state of An- glophone biography, focusing on the inherent and persistent tensions with regard to its definition, value, and purpose, and on its belated acceptance within the Anglophone academy. It also highlights the profound gap between Anglophone biography and the limited scope, practice, and academic mar- ginalisation of Hispanic biography.

Cognitive Benefits of Social Dancing and Walking in Old Age: The Dancing Mind Randomized Controlled Trial.

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Merom, Dafna; Grunseit, Anne; Eramudugolla, Ranmalee; Jefferis, Barbara; Mcneill, Jade; Anstey, Kaarin J

2016-01-01

A physically active lifestyle has the potential to prevent cognitive decline and dementia, yet the optimal type of physical activity/exercise remains unclear. Dance is of special interest as it complex sensorimotor rhythmic activity with additional cognitive, social, and affective dimensions. To determine whether dance benefits executive function more than walking, an activity that is simple and functional. Two-arm randomized controlled trial among community-dwelling older adults. The intervention group received 1 h of ballroom dancing twice weekly over 8 months (~69 sessions) in local community dance studios. The control group received a combination of a home walking program with a pedometer and optional biweekly group-based walking in local community park to facilitate socialization. Executive function tests: processing speed and task shift by the Trail Making Tests, response inhibition by the Stroop Color-Word Test, working memory by the Digit Span Backwards test, immediate and delayed verbal recall by the Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test, and visuospatial recall by the Brief Visuospatial Memory Test (BVST). One hundred and fifteen adults (mean 69.5 years, SD 6.4) completed baseline and delayed baseline (3 weeks apart) before being randomized to either dance (n = 60) or walking (n = 55). Of those randomized, 79 (68%) completed the follow-up measurements (32 weeks from baseline). In the dance group only, "non-completers" had significantly lower baseline scores on all executive function tests than those who completed the full program. Intention-to-treat analyses showed no group effect. In a random effects model including participants who completed all measurements, adjusted for baseline score and covariates (age, education, estimated verbal intelligence, and community), a between-group effect in favor of dance was noted only for BVST total learning (Cohen's D Effect size 0.29, p = 0.07) and delayed recall (Cohen's D Effect size = 0

Enhancement of Pleasure during Spontaneous Dance

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Bernardi, Nicolò F.; Bellemare-Pepin, Antoine; Peretz, Isabelle

2017-01-01

Dancing emphasizes the motor expression of emotional experiences. The bodily expression of emotions can modulate the subjective experience of emotions, as when adopting emotion-specific postures and faces. Thus, dancing potentially offers a ground for emotional coping through emotional enhancement and regulation. Here we investigated the emotional responses to music in individuals without any prior dance training while they either freely danced or refrained from movement. Participants were also tested while imitating their own dance movements but in the absence of music as a control condition. Emotional ratings and cardio-respiratory measures were collected following each condition. Dance movements were recorded using motion capture. We found that emotional valence was increased specifically during spontaneous dance of groovy excerpts, compared to both still listening and motor imitation. Furthermore, parasympathetic-related heart rate variability (HRV) increased during dance compared to motor imitation. Nevertheless, subjective and physiological arousal increased during movement production, regardless of whether participants were dancing or imitating. Significant correlations were found between inter-individual differences in the emotions experienced during dance and whole-body acceleration profiles. The combination of movement and music during dance results in a distinct state characterized by acutely heightened pleasure, which is of potential interest for the use of dance in therapeutic settings. PMID:29238298

Efficient Location of Research Reference Sources in the Field of Dance.

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Kissinger, Pat; Jay, Danielle

More than 45 basic dance reference research sources that would be useful to students, scholars, teachers, historians, and therapists are discussed in this bibliographic essay. Aspects of dance covered include choreography, criticism, teaching principles, aesthetic theory, dance therapy, and history. Sources are grouped by type: dictionaries and…

Dance in K through 12 Basic Education: adequacy of contemporary practices in dance teaching

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Josiane Gisela Franken

2014-09-01

Full Text Available This article focuses on dance teaching in K-12 basic education from a reflection about the relevant adoption of elements from post 1950’s artistic movement on dancing creative processes in a dialogue with authors as Hassan (1985, Silva (2005, and Rengel (2008. On this perspective, changes on dance teaching and learning practical attitudes are considered, resulting from postmodern dance transformations, such as: the reformulation of body concept, the conception of dance as a democratic, collective, and creative process and the progressively narrowed bounds between school artistic approaches and art forms developed outside of the school environment

HCI challenges in Dance Education

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K.El Raheb

2016-08-01

Full Text Available Dance learning is by nature multimodal, while dance practice presents a wide diversity across genres and contexts. Choreography and artistic contemporary dance performances have been using interactive technologies to support their creative process for several decades. Nevertheless the use of interactive technologies to support dance learning and education is still relatively immature and raises many challenges and interesting questions when it comes to choosing the appropriate human computer interaction methods. In this paper, we present the characteristics of dance teaching and learning in relation to interactive technology and we highlight the points/feedback that dance, as a field of mastering expressive movement, can bring to the design of whole-body interaction experiences.

The 5L Instructional Design For Exploring Legacies through Biography

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Boulware, Beverly J.; Monroe, Eula E.; Wilcox, Bradley Ray

2013-01-01

People who have impacted generations have left legacies we can explore today through biographies. The 5L instructional design introduced in this article includes five components: Listen, Learn, Locate, Link, and Legacy. In the "Listen" section, teachers use storytelling and read-alouds to introduce individuals who shaped history. During…

Dance Education in Korea

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Byeon, Jae-Kyung

2012-01-01

Despite a structured physical education system and related policies, dance education in Korea largely exists as a course in name only, without achieving its unique goals. It lacks standards within the physical education curriculum, which indicates that dance education is not conducted properly. Thus, the content and level of dance education vary…

Dance is more than therapy: Qualitative analysis on therapeutic dancing classes for Parkinson's.

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Rocha, Priscila A; Slade, Susan C; McClelland, Jodie; Morris, Meg E

2017-10-01

To understand the benefits and limitations of therapeutic dancing classes for people with Parkinson's disease (PD) and how best to design and implement classes. A stakeholder forum explored the opinions of 18 allied health clinicians, dance instructors, people with PD and caregivers. Data were thematically analysed and interpreted within a grounded theory framework. Four main themes were identified: (1) the need to consider the stage of disease progression when designing classes; (2) recognition that dance is more than just therapy; (3) the benefits of carefully selecting music to move by; (4) ways to design classes that are both feasible and engaging. These themes give rise to the theory that dancing classes can provide more than just therapeutic benefits. Dance affords creative expression and enables people to immerse themselves in the art-form, rather than focussing on the disease. The results highlight the benefits of enabling individuals with PD to be able to express themselves in a supportive environment that does not see them solely through the lens of Parkinson's. The feasibility of dance programs can be increased by educating dancing teachers about PD and the unique needs of people living with this condition. Well-structured dance classes can promote social-connectedness and joy, in addition to facilitating movement to music and physical activity. Consumers advised that careful planning of the classes and tailoring them to participant needs optimizes outcomes. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Dance in The Netherlands

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Wildschut, E.M.M.

2005-01-01

The aim of my lecture is to give you an overview of the history of Dutch theatre dance. I will show you the richness of our dance landscape by the video examples. Dutch theatre dance has no long tradition and it is this lack of tradition that made dancers and choreographers curious for new elements

RE Rooted in Principal's Biography

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ter Avest, Ina; Bakker, C.

2017-01-01

Critical incidents in the biography of principals appear to be steering in their innovative way of constructing InterReligious Education in their schools. In this contribution, the authors present the biographical narratives of 4 principals: 1 principal introducing interreligious education in a

Using Dance to Deepen Student Understanding of Geometry

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Moore, Candice; Linder, Sandra M.

2012-01-01

This article provides an example of a collaborative effort between a dance specialist and four third-grade classroom teachers at an arts magnet school. They developed a dance and geometry integration project including implementation strategies, assessment tools, and reflections completed by both the classroom teacher and the third-grade students.…

Dancing in the 'Contact Zone'

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Monica Wulff

2006-09-01

Full Text Available In October 2002 I performed and exhibited Troppo Obscura: A Peepshow of Historical Perversity at the Performance Space as part of the multicultural Arts festival, Carnivale, in Sydney, Australia. Troppo Obscura is a multimedia installation that explores some aspects of the complex relationships between the West and Asia. The work looks at a large range of possibilities, from the colonial gaze through to personal relationships forged through artistic endeavor. This paper—the first of two extended mediations on the topic—focuses on one such personal relationship addressed in the installation, namely that between traditional master mask dancer Ibu Sawitri from Cirebon on the West coast of Java, Indonesia and myself, a Sydney based contemporary dancer and performance artist. Between 1992 and 1999, the year Ibu Sawitri passed away, I spent many long-term visits learning dance and living in Ibu Sawitri’s house in Losari. This essay focuses on Ibu Sawitri’s family and dance background and how she, the younger generation of dancers, the dance context, and the dance itself, have been transformed over time as a result of rapidly changing socio-historical conditions. In the second half of this paper I move the discussion to the broader issues of cross-cultural encounters in what Pratt terms the ‘contact zone’ (1992. This includes looking at dance as an embodied practice and its function in the ‘contact zone’ as well as dealing with Spivak’s debates about the subaltern voice in reference to my telling of Ibu Sawitri’s story, both in the installation and in text. A closer analysis of the dynamics of my dance with Ibu Sawitri in the ‘contact zone’ is addressed here.

Neurological implications and neuropsychological considerations on folk music and dance.

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Sironi, Vittorio A; Riva, Michele A

2015-01-01

Neurological and neuropsychological aspects of folk music and traditional dance have been poorly investigated by historical and scientific literature. Some of these performances could be indeed the manifestation of latent pathological conditions or the expression of liberation rituals. This chapter aimed at analyzing the relationships between traditional dance, folk music, and neurological and psychiatric disorders. Since ancient times, dance has been used in the individual or collective as treatment of some diseases, including epilepsy and movement disorders (dyskinesia, chorea, etc.). Dionysia in Ancient Greece, St. Vitus dance in the Middle Age, tarantism and other traditional dances of southern Italy and of non-Western countries might be credited as curative rituals of these neurological and psychiatric conditions. During the nineteenth century, dance was also used for the treatment of psychiatric patients; the relationship between dance and insanity could also be reflected in classical ballets and music of that period. Nowadays, neuropsychiatric manifestations could also be evidenced in modern dances (mass fainting at rock concerts, flash mobs); some ballroom dances are commonly used for the rehabilitation of patients suffering from neurodegenerative and psychiatric conditions. Interdisciplinary research on these subjects (ethnomusicology and cultural anthropology, clinical neurology and dynamic psychology, neuroradiology and neurophysiology, and socioneurology and neuromusicology) should be increased. © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Red Mandela: Contests of auto-biography and Auto/biography in South Africa

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Ciraj Rassool

Full Text Available This article examines the case of the red Mercedes-Benz built in 1990 by workers at the Mercedes-Benz plant in East London and presented to Nelson Mandela as a gift shortly after his release from prison. During the 1990s a biographic order marked by a discourse of heroic leaders was growing in South Africa, where biographic narration and self-narration played a noticeable and, at times, substantial part in political transformation and reconstruction. Nelson Mandela's 'long walk to freedom' became the key trope for South Africa's history, narrated as the triumph of reconciliation. The presentation of the car to Nelson Mandela in 1990 occurred at a time of transition in the life of his auto/biography, from the biography of desire for the absent revolutionary leader to the biography of a statesman and president. This partly explains the ambiguous, double-edged history of the gift, as a labour of love on the part of NUMSA workers and as donation by Mercedes-Benz South Africa (the corporate version of these events emphasised the 'friendship' that was 'sparked' between Nelson Mandela and Mercedes-Benz South Africa. Inspired by the East London autoworkers' commitment to produce the car for Mandela, as well as by the resilience some of them showed during their nine-week strike and sleep-in in the plant soon afterwards, Simon Gush's installation Red has intervened in how those events should be remembered. By choosing to exhibit the disassembled body panels of a replica car alongside reconstructed displays of sleep-in strike beds made of scaffolding, foam, upholstery and car headrests, with imagined uniforms of striking workers, Gush has chosen to appropriate the history of the events of 1990 from the celebratory frames of the Mandela biographic order. The installation turns into an inquiry into the labour process and the events of the strike that was critical of the reconciliatory and celebratory understanding of the gift as a product of a partnership

Ethnic Dance. The Origins of Jazz. A Curriculum Design for Dance.

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Hubbard, Karen W.

1988-01-01

The article describes the development, organization, goals, and activities of a course designed to trace the evolution of jazz dance and tie this dynamic dance form to the cultural experiences of African-Americans. (CB)

Genetic control of the honey bee (Apis mellifera) dance language: segregating dance forms in a backcrossed colony.

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Johnson, R N; Oldroyd, B P; Barron, A B; Crozier, R H

2002-01-01

We studied the genetic control of the dance dialects that exist in the different subspecies of honey bees (Apis mellifera) by observing the variation in dance form observed in a backcross between two lines that showed widely different dance dialects. To do this we generated the reciprocal of the cross performed by Rinderer and Beaman (1995), thus producing phenotypic segregation of dance forms within a single colony rather than between colonies. Our results are consistent with Rinderer and Beaman (1995) in that inheritance of the transition point from round dancing --> waggle dancing is consistent with control by a single locus with more than one allele. That is, we found one dance type to be dominant in the F(1), and observed a 1:1 segregation of dance in a backcross involving the F(1) and the recessive parent. However, we found some minor differences in dance dialect inheritance, with the most significant being an apparent reversal of dominance between our cross (for us "black" is the dominant dialect) and that of Rinderer and Beaman (1995) (they report "yellow" to be the dominant dialect). We also found that our black bees do not perform a distinct sickle dance, whereas the black bees used by Rinderer and Beaman (1995) did perform such a dance. However, our difference in dominance need not contradict the results of Rinderer and Beaman (1995), as there is no evidence that body color and dominance for dance dialect are linked.

How To Dance through Time. Volume III: The Majesty of Renaissance Dance. [Videotape].

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Teten, Carol

This 42-minute VHS videotape is the third in a series of "How To Dance Through Time" videos. It highlights the intricacies of an Italian court dance suite, which mirrors the episodic changes of courtship. Nido D'Amore" (The Nest of Love) exposes the technique for all the dance suites of the era, and features The Opening (which…

DSI--Dance Scene Investigation: Exploring a Time in Dance History as Dancer, Choreographer, Historian, and Critic

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Spear-Jones, Gwen

2008-01-01

This article provides a brief description of a dance program at the Old Donation Center Dance Education Program in Virginia Beach, Virginia. The mission of DSI--Dance Scene Investigation--is to nurture the full development of each student's dance potential through intense involvement in every aspect of the art. The program provides differentiated…

Agency in the Social Biographies of Young People in Belgrade

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Tomanovic, Smiljka

2012-01-01

The article deals with the formation of the social biographies of young people through the interplay of structure and agency. The aim is to provide a grounded typology of patterns of young people's agency within the process of shaping social biographies. The structural context addressed in the article consists of family resources and habitus. The…

What Does Dance History Have to Do with Dancing? Making College Dance History Usable for Dancers

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Kattner, Elizabeth

2016-01-01

This paper explores methods for bringing dance history directly into the studio. It shows how the movement components that have proven successful in introductory courses can be extended to in-depth studies of dance history with dancers who have formal training. Through the example of a research project on the early work of George Balanchine, it…

Historiography and biography genre in the Vita Caligulae from Suetonius - some impressions

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Danielle Lima

2010-06-01

Full Text Available This paper presents the reflections and the results of the Scientific Initiation Research about Vita Caligulae (Life of Caligula, from Suetonius (69/70 - 130? a.C. and his relation to the roman historiography. In our study, we start from the biography of Caligula emperor, named De Vita Caligulae, to analyze those generic aspects of the biography in the way to notice its features and how this biography is inserted in the historiographical roman tradition, to be known, as a way to write history or as a different genre. During the research, besides the translation of the biography, we realized a brief study about the roman historiography, as well as some considerations about the textual and stylish aspects of Suetonius.  

Expediency of Study of the Scientists' Biographies in Physics Course

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Igor Korsun

2017-04-01

Full Text Available The aim of this article is a justification of the expediency of study of the scientists' biographies in physics course. Study of the biographic materials is one of the ways of motivation of learning and development of morality, humanity, internationalism. The selection criteria of biographic material have been allocated and method of study of the scientists' biographies has been described. Biographical data, scientific achievements and character traits are the components of “scientist's image”. Results proved that the use of the biographic materials raises the level of emotional component of learners' cognitive activity in physics teaching. Method of study of the scientists' biographies can be used in teaching of other school subjects.

Injuries in Irish dance.

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Stein, Cynthia J; Tyson, Kesley D; Johnson, Victor M; Popoli, David M; d'Hemecourt, Pierre A; Micheli, Lyle J

2013-12-01

Irish dance is growing in popularity and competitiveness; however, very little research has focused specifically on this genre of dance. The purpose of this study was to analyze the types of dance injuries incurred by Irish dancers. A chart review was performed to identify all injuries associated with Irish dance seen in the sports medicine or orthopaedic clinics at the investigators' hospital over an 11-year period. "Injury" was defined as any dance-related pain or disorder that led to evaluation in the clinics. Survey data were also collected from study participants. Ultimately, 255 patients from over 30 different schools of dance were seen with injuries directly related (726 clinic visits) or partially related (199 visits) to Irish dance. Participants ranged in age from 4 to 47, with 95% (243/255) under the age of 19. These 255 patients received 437 diagnoses. Almost 80% of the injuries (348/437) were attributable to overuse, and 20.4% were acute and traumatic injuries (89/437). Ninety-five percent (95.9%) of injuries involved the hip or lower extremity. The most common sites were the foot (33.2%), ankle (22.7%), knee (19.7%), and hip (14.4%). Typical diagnoses were tendon injury (13.3%), apophysitis (11.4%), patellofemoral pain and instability (10.8%), stress injury (10.1%), and muscle injury (7.8%). The majority of traumatic injuries were seen in clinic within 3 weeks, but less than a quarter of overuse injuries were seen that quickly. The most common treatment, prescribed to 84.3% of patients, was physical therapy and home exercises, and the majority of dancers (64.3%) were able to return to full dance activity after injury.

Can social dancing prevent falls in older adults? a protocol of the Dance, Aging, Cognition, Economics (DAnCE) fall prevention randomised controlled trial.

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Merom, Dafna; Cumming, Robert; Mathieu, Erin; Anstey, Kaarin J; Rissel, Chris; Simpson, Judy M; Morton, Rachael L; Cerin, Ester; Sherrington, Catherine; Lord, Stephen R

2013-05-15

Falls are one of the most common health problems among older people and pose a major economic burden on health care systems. Exercise is an accepted stand-alone fall prevention strategy particularly if it is balance training or regular participation in Tai chi. Dance shares the 'holistic' approach of practices such as Tai chi. It is a complex sensorimotor rhythmic activity integrating multiple physical, cognitive and social elements. Small-scale randomised controlled trials have indicated that diverse dance styles can improve measures of balance and mobility in older people, but none of these studies has examined the effect of dance on falls or cognition. This study aims to determine whether participation in social dancing: i) reduces the number of falls; and ii) improves cognitive functions associated with fall risk in older people. A single-blind, cluster randomised controlled trial of 12 months duration will be conducted. Approximately 450 participants will be recruited from 24 self-care retirement villages that house at least 60 residents each in Sydney, Australia. Village residents without cognitive impairment and obtain medical clearance will be eligible. After comprehensive baseline measurements including physiological and cognitive tests and self-completed questionnaires, villages will be randomised to intervention sites (ballroom or folk dance) or to a wait-listed control using a computer randomisation method that minimises imbalances between villages based on two baseline fall risk measures. Main outcome measures are falls, prospectively measured, and the Trail Making cognitive function test. Cost-effectiveness and cost-utility analyses will be performed. This study offers a novel approach to balance training for older people. As a community-based approach to fall prevention, dance offers older people an opportunity for greater social engagement, thereby making a major contribution to healthy ageing. Providing diversity in exercise programs targeting

Biography of an Industrial Landscape

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Riesto, Svava

Biography of an Industrial Landscape tells the story of one of the most significant urban redevelopment projects in northern Europe at the turn of the century. Examining the reinvention of the Carlsberg brewery site in Copenhagen as a city district, Svava Riesto unpacks the deeper assumptions abo...

The evolution of dance.

Science.gov (United States)

Laland, Kevin; Wilkins, Clive; Clayton, Nicky

2016-01-11

Evidence from multiple sources reveals a surprising link between imitation and dance. As in the classical correspondence problem central to imitation research, dance requires mapping across sensory modalities and the integration of visual and auditory inputs with motor outputs. Recent research in comparative psychology supports this association, in that entrainment to a musical beat is almost exclusively observed in animals capable of vocal or motor imitation. Dance has representational properties that rely on the dancers' ability to imitate particular people, animals or events, as well as the audience's ability to recognize these correspondences. Imitation also plays a central role in learning to dance and the acquisition of the long sequences of choreographed movements are dependent on social learning. These and other lines of evidence suggest that dancing may only be possible for humans because its performance exploits existing neural circuitry employed in imitation. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

National Dance Education Organization: Building a Future for Dance Education in the Arts

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Bonbright, Jane; McGreevy-Nichols, Susan

2012-01-01

The field of dance arts education in the United States is in an entirely different place today than it was at the turn of the century. Much of this change is due to a convergence of events that involved: federal and state legislation, policy, and funding that supported dance in arts education; a forty-year transition of dance out of departments of…

Between the Dance Studio and the Social Dance Floor: On Solidarity and Practices of Mutuality in Swing Dance Communities

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Boštjan Kravanja

2014-07-01

Full Text Available This article discusses the dynamics of actualization of solidarity and hierarchical relations in contemporary swing dance communities. It shows how these communities are based on a specific solidarity ideology, at least it terms of dealing with processes of their institutionalization, commercialization and establishing of formal dance hierarchies. However, when we take into view the swing dancers themselves, diverse practices of mutuality become evident. In contrast to the formal solidarity discourses and practices, the latter are much more heterogeneous and as such more interesting for anthropological discussion, for they establish solidarity and hierarchical relations apart from wider mobilization movements of the swing dance industry, and many of them implicitly resist institutionalization. The thesis arising from this case study is that the practices of mutuality are not always in complementary relation with discourses of solidarity. On the contrary, they often bypass the major solidarity flows and, paradoxically, contribute most efficiently to the actual solidarity of vital parts of the swing communities. The author discusses the subject on the basis of six years of active participation in different Slovene swing dance scenes and occasional presence at international swing dance events in different European cities.

Artefact biography 2.0 : the information value of corroded archaeological bronzes

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Nienhuis, J.

2017-01-01

The different phases in the life of archaeological objects can be described by artefact biography. This dissertation defines an updated version: artefact biography 2.0, and the life phases of Early Iron Age bronze studs from Oss-Zevenbergen, the Netherlands, are elaborated. Throughout the thesis,

Dance and Special Education

Science.gov (United States)

Munsell, Sonya E.; Bryant Davis, Kimberly E.

2015-01-01

Arts activities have been included in the educational curriculum of public schools for a number of years. Most often, course offerings in the arts consist of visual art, vocal music, and instrumental music classes. Although not as common, dance has also been included in the educational curriculum. Research and anecdotal evidence suggest that…

Dances and Games.

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Hansen, Karen

1991-01-01

Presents guidelines for teaching students about African culture via dances and games and for developing related activities to expand student learning experiences. Student activity pages describe how to do the Ghana national dance and how to play Mankala, a popular African game. (SM)

Dance for Individuals With Dementia.

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Lapum, Jennifer L; Bar, Rachel J

2016-03-01

The movement and music associated with dance plays an important role in many individuals' lives and can become imprinted upon the body and mind. Dance is thus closely associated with memory because of these deep connections. Without conscious thought, dance has the potential to be initiated as individuals age. In the current article, the authors share narrative reflections about their experiences with, and the potential of, dance as an intervention for aging populations diagnosed with dementia-related diseases. They draw upon their experiences in working with the aging population and a dance program currently being developed by Canada's National Ballet School and Baycrest Health Sciences for individuals with dementia-related diseases in long-term care. The current article is structured as dialogue between the authors because it mimics dance as a dialogical encounter between movement and music, and/or between individuals. Copyright 2016, SLACK Incorporated.

Encores for Dance. Selected Articles on Dance III, 1968-77.

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Fallon, Dennis J., Ed.

The nature, role, and scope of the dance in the United States is the subject of this collection of articles. The philosophical, historical, socio-cultural, and educational perspectives of dance are considered in the first four chapters. The following five chapters focus primarily on considerations that should improve teaching techniques and…

[Dancing with Pointe Shoes: Characteristics and Assessment Criteria for Pointe Readiness].

Science.gov (United States)

Wanke, Eileen M; Exner-Grave, Elisabeth

2017-12-01

Training with pointe shoes is an integral part of professional dance education and ambitious hobby dancing. Pointe shoes - developed more than hundred years ago and almost unaltered since then - are highly specific and strike a balance between aesthetics, function, protection, and health care. Therefore, pointe readiness should be tested prior to all dance training or career training. Medical specialists are often confronted with this issue. Specific anatomical dance technique-orientated general conditional and coordinative preconditions as well as dance-technical prerequisites must be met by pointe readiness tests in order to keep traumatic injuries or long-term damage at a minimum. In addition to a (training) history, medical counselling sessions have come to include various tests that enable a reliable decision for or against pointe work. This article suggests adequate testing procedures (STT TEST), taking account of professional dancing as well as hobby dancing. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Effects of dance on anxiety.

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Lesté, A; Rust, J

1984-06-01

The study investigated the effects of modern dance on anxiety. State anxiety was assessed before and after a 3-mo. education programme, using the Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory. The target group followed a class in modern dance. Control groups were (1) a physical education group to control for the effects of exercise, (2) a music group to control for aesthetic sensitivity training, and (3) a mathematics group. Several concomitant variables were measured: age, sex, attitude towards dance, and previous experience in sport, dance, and relaxation. Dance training significantly reduced anxiety, but no control activities did so. Examination of the concomitant variables showed that the result could not be accounted for by any obvious artifacts.

Determining a young dancer's readiness for dancing on pointe.

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Shah, Selina

2009-01-01

Ballet is one of the most popular youth activities in the United States. Many ballet students eventually train to dance "en pointe," the French words for "on pointe," or "on the tips of their toes." No research exists to define criteria for determining when a young dancer can transition from dancing in ballet slippers to dancing in pointe shoes. However, dancers can be evaluated for this progression based on a number of factors, including adequate foot and ankle plantarflexion, technique, training, proprioception, alignment, and strength.

The Philippine "Hip Hop Stick Dance"

Science.gov (United States)

Lewis, Lisa

2012-01-01

This article introduces a dance that blends the traditional cultural heritage of the Philippines with modern music and moves. "Hip Hop Stick Dance" incorporates Tinikling (the Philippine national dance) and Arnis (a Filipino style of martial arts) to create a contemporary combination of rhythm, dance, and fitness. It was designed to introduce…

Inclusion of the personal biography in daily care – a qualitative study / Einbezug der Biographie in den Pflegealltag – eine qualitative Studie

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kipfer Stephanie

2016-12-01

Full Text Available In Switzerland, 39% of nursing home residents have a dementia related disease. Behavioral symptoms are increasingly observed as dementia progresses. These symptoms impair patients’ quality of life and are distressing to family caregivers and nurses. A person-centered approach, which includes the resident’s individual biography, reduces such symptoms. The most current literature describes how therapists include biographical information in designated therapies. However person-centered care takes place not only in specific activities. Nurses are responsible for their patients’ care 24 hours a day.

The caring dance.

Science.gov (United States)

Johns, C

2001-02-01

As nursing and health care practice enter the new Millennium, practitioners are increasingly urged to pay attention to evidenced based practice to justify what they do. Yet the truth is, that within the caring dance, practitioners need to connect with more ancient sources of wisdom. Failure to do so leads to a life out of balance and a failure to dance well and fulfil the fundamental role of being a nurse. The paper draws exclusively on the work of Blackwolf and Gina Jones, as an example of such ancient wisdom to inform and inspire the caring dance.

French Society Abroad: The Popularization of French Dance throughout Europe, 1600-1750

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Adam Paul Rinehart

2017-09-01

Full Text Available This paper explores the dissemination of French dance, dance notation, and dance music throughout Europe, and it explains the reasons why French culture had such an influence on other European societies from 1600-1750. First, the paper seeks to prove that King Louis XIV played a significant role in the outpour of French dance and the arts. Next, the paper discusses prominent French writers of dance notation who influenced the spread of French dance literature and training throughout Europe. Finally, the paper delineates European composers and their involvement in the development and production of French dance music. Using academic, peer-reviewed journal articles, books, and other scholarly sources, this paper seeks to accurately present the information in an orderly fashion. The paper contains visual evidence of dance and music notation to assist the reader in understanding the subject matter. Additionally, theories of contemporary authors as well as authors from the time period are discussed to present concrete evidence. The two main types of dance discussed in the paper are ballroom and court dances, which were prominent within the French royal court. One major finding of the research is the fact that French court and ballroom dances were specifically designed to communicate the power and prestige of King Louis XIV; consequently, other European countries were influenced to strive for similar prestige. Another finding is that many forms of French dance notation were translated and published in other countries, which increased the use of French dance throughout Europe. Musically, European composers such as Handel and Mozart included elements of French dance music in their compositions, and thus played a significant role in prevalence of French dance music throughout Europe. Overall, this paper proves that French dance received wide recognition due to political influence, availability of dance notation, and the involvement of prominent composers.

Bulgarian folk dances at CERN

CERN Multimedia

Roberto Cantoni

2010-01-01

On Sunday 29 August, the Bulgarian folklore dance group Rhythm visited CERN. After their visit to the ATLAS visitor centre and the SM18 hall, they performed a show in the Pump Room, introducing CERN people to the musical traditions of their country.   The visit of the Bulgarian dance group was organized by Zornitsa Zaharieva, a member of the Beams Department, and Svejina Dimitrova, Director of the Varna Astronomical Observatory. “The students were enthusiastic about the opportunity to visit CERN”, says Zornitsa. “The idea of the performance came from the dance group itself, who wanted to express their gratitude for being given this chance”. The group, comprising around 25 children aged between 11 and 16 from the city of Varna, was hosted by the CERN Dancing Club. For their show, the young dancers, choreographed by Tashka Pavlova, performed traditional dances and songs from different Bulgarian regions. “As a member of the CERN Dancing Club com...

Dance on cortex: enhanced theta synchrony in experts when watching a dance piece.

Science.gov (United States)

Poikonen, Hanna; Toiviainen, Petri; Tervaniemi, Mari

2018-03-01

When watching performing arts, a wide and complex network of brain processes emerge. These processes can be shaped by professional expertise. When compared to laymen, dancers have enhanced processes in observation of short dance movement and listening to music. But how do the cortical processes differ in musicians and dancers when watching an audio-visual dance performance? In our study, we presented the participants long excerpts from the contemporary dance choreography of Carmen. During multimodal movement of a dancer, theta phase synchrony over the fronto-central electrodes was stronger in dancers when compared to musicians and laymen. In addition, alpha synchrony was decreased in all groups during large rapid movement when compared to nearly motionless parts of the choreography. Our results suggest an enhanced cortical communication in dancers when watching dance and, further, that this enhancement is rather related to multimodal, cognitive and emotional processes than to simple observation of dance movement. © 2018 Federation of European Neuroscience Societies and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Dance Lessons.

Science.gov (United States)

Hahn, Emily

2015-01-01

Nursing has been described as an art and a science. The scientific aspect of nursing can be learned in nursing school and in years of practice. However, the art of nursing is enriched by each nurse's connection with life experiences. The purpose of this article is to highlight my particular life experience with dance and to show how studying dance has helped me become the strong nursing leader I am today.

African Dance Aesthetics in a K-12 Dance Setting: From History to Social Justice

Science.gov (United States)

Ward, Sheila A.

2013-01-01

This article invites the reader to gain a deeper understanding of the aesthetics of African-based dance through the elements of tradition, transformation, and social justice. A discussion of the aesthetics of African dances within Africa and throughout the African diaspora opens the doors to present these dances in a K-12 setting, to explore a…

Completed Research in Health, Physical Education, Recreation & Dance; Including International Sources. Volume 27. 1985 Edition.

Science.gov (United States)

Freedson, Patty S., Ed.

This compilation lists research completed in the areas of health, physical education, recreation, dance, and allied areas during 1984. The document is arranged in two parts. In the index, references are arranged under the subject headings in alphabetical order. Abstracts of master's and doctor's theses from institutions offering graduate programs…

[Dance/Movement Therapy.

Science.gov (United States)

Fenichel, Emily, Ed.

1994-01-01

This newsletter theme issue focuses on dance, play, and movement therapy for infants and toddlers with disabilities. Individual articles are: "Join My Dance: The Unique Movement Style of Each Infant and Toddler Can Invite Communication, Expression and Intervention" (Suzi Tortora); "Dynamic Play Therapy: An Integrated Expressive Arts Approach to…

Afro-American Music and Dance.

Science.gov (United States)

Floyd, Samuel A., Jr.

1989-01-01

Outlines the concurrent development of Black music and Black dance in the United States, and describes the interaction of the two genres throughout their mutually dependent evolutions. Traces the histories of the dances of African American culture, known collectively as "jazz dance," in relation to ragtime, jazz, and the blues. (AF)

Dancing Aikido

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ravn, Susanne

to defend them-selves effectively. The incorporation of aikido-movement requires them to train to being able to adjust their sense of energy in their movement according to the energy sensed in the interaction with their actual partner attacking them. At the same time, aikido is practiced in a setting which......The martial art form of aikido can be related to the development of the dance genre of contact improvisation as well as to different kinds of dance training. Having this relation to dance practices in mind, the aim of this paper is to explore how an embodied sense of energy is developed...... in the interactional settings of aikido training. Methodologically, the exploration of aikido practices draws on auto-ethnographical methodologies and recent phenomenological discussions and explorations of interaction. In the training of aikido, practitioners focus on developing an embodied competence of how...

Virtual Dance and Motion-Capture

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marc Boucher

2011-01-01

Full Text Available A general view of various ways in which virtual dance can be understood is presented in the first part of this article. It then appraises the uses of the term “virtual” in previous studies of digital dance. A more in-depth view of virtual dance as it relates to motion-capture is offered, and key issues are discussed regarding computer animation, digital imaging, motion signature, virtual reality and interactivity. The paper proposes that some forms of virtual dance be defined in relation to both digital technologies and contemporary theories of virtuality.

British Dance: Black Routes

OpenAIRE

Adair, C.; Burt, Ramsay, 1953-

2016-01-01

British Dance: Black Routes re-examines the distinctive contributions made to British dance by dancers who are Black. Covering the period 1946 to the present, it presents a radical re-reading of dancers and their companies, placing their achievements within a broader historical, cultural and artistic context. The result of a two year research project, British Dance and the African Diaspora, led by editors Christy Adair and Ramsay Burt, the collection looks at artists working with contempor...

Remixing the Dance Education Classroom

Science.gov (United States)

Koff, Susan R.

2017-01-01

Dance Education and Music Education are not the same, but are often considered together as Arts Education along with Theatre Education and Art Education. The history of Dance Education as a discipline is much shorter than Music Education, so Dance Education often looks to music education for leadership as well as scholarship. Remixing the…

Critical Postcolonial Dance Pedagogy: The Relevance of West African Dance Education in the United States

Science.gov (United States)

Cruz Banks, Ojeya

2010-01-01

This dance ethnography examines work conducted by the Dambe Project--a nonprofit organization that specializes in African performing arts education and mentorship. The study focuses on the implications of the organization's dance pedagogy in light of its postcolonial context and the importance of West African dance education in the United States.…

More than just dancing: experiences of people with Parkinson's disease in a therapeutic dance program.

Science.gov (United States)

Bognar, Stephanie; DeFaria, Anne Marie; O'Dwyer, Casey; Pankiw, Elana; Simic Bogler, Jennifer; Teixeira, Suzanne; Nyhof-Young, Joyce; Evans, Cathy

2017-06-01

To understand why individuals with Parkinson's disease (PD) participate in a community-based therapeutic dance program and to explore its influence on perceived physical, social and emotional well-being of participants. A qualitative descriptive design was employed using one-on-one semi-structured interviews. Individuals with PD who participated in the Dancing with Parkinson's program were recruited from two locations. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed, de-identified and then placed into NVivo 10 software for analysis. A content analysis approach was used with an inductive analysis method to generate a coding scheme. Group discussion facilitated development of overarching themes. Ten participants' responses revealed that the dance program allows for self-improvement and regaining identity through disease self-management. Positive influences of socialization arose through the class, decreasing isolation and improving quality of life. Participants communicate through music and dance to enhance connection with others. Dancing with Parkinson's classes allow for re-development of the social self, which can increase sense of enjoyment in life. Dance programs provide opportunities for social interaction, non-verbal communication and self-improvement, reestablishing self-identity and a sense of usefulness. This study provides unique insight into the experience of participating in a dance program from the perspective of individuals with PD. Implications for rehabilitation Dance is emerging as a strategy to address the physical and psychosocial effects of Parkinson's disease (PD), but little is known regarding participants' perceptions of community-based therapeutic dance programs for PD. This study found that Dancing with Parkinson's (DWP) facilitated an improvement in social participation, resulting in decreased isolation and improved quality of life. Participation in the DWP program can facilitate a positive change in perspective and attitude toward a PD

AHP 40: Review: The Social Life of Tibetan Biography

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Barbara Gerke

2016-02-01

Full Text Available The book under review is a part of Lexington Books' series "Studies in Modern Tibetan Culture." The author, Amy Holmes-Tagchungdarpa, has a background in Religious Studies and researched the interrelationships between textual biography and social community networks of the Tibetan Buddhist lineage holder and Mahāmudrā and Dzogchen master, Tokden Shakya Shri (1853–1919 from Latokh, which at the time was a kingdom and one of five polities in Kham, Eastern Tibet, and today is in Chamdo County in the Tibet Autonomous Region. She interviewed contemporary students and family of Shakya Shri as well as translated excerpts from the master's biography, the Garland of Flowers. The Tibetan text is not appended, but interested readers can refer to the complete translation of the Garland of Flowers by Elio Guarisco (2009. An old black and white photo of the master, as well as photos of his community in Nepal and the stupas his followers helped to renovate, are included in the book. A map showing the regions of Shakya Shri's residences and spiritual influence would have been useful. ...

From Square Dance to Mathematics

Science.gov (United States)

Bremer, Zoe

2010-01-01

In this article, the author suggests a cross-curricular idea that can link with PE, dance, music and history. Teacher David Schmitz, a maths teacher in Illinois who was also a square dance caller, had developed a maths course that used the standard square dance syllabus to teach mathematical principles. He presents an intensive, two-week course…

Dance-the-Music: an educational platform for the modeling, recognition and audiovisual monitoring of dance steps using spatiotemporal motion templates

Science.gov (United States)

Maes, Pieter-Jan; Amelynck, Denis; Leman, Marc

2012-12-01

In this article, a computational platform is presented, entitled "Dance-the-Music", that can be used in a dance educational context to explore and learn the basics of dance steps. By introducing a method based on spatiotemporal motion templates, the platform facilitates to train basic step models from sequentially repeated dance figures performed by a dance teacher. Movements are captured with an optical motion capture system. The teachers' models can be visualized from a first-person perspective to instruct students how to perform the specific dance steps in the correct manner. Moreover, recognition algorithms-based on a template matching method-can determine the quality of a student's performance in real time by means of multimodal monitoring techniques. The results of an evaluation study suggest that the Dance-the-Music is effective in helping dance students to master the basics of dance figures.

Dancetime! 500 Years of Social Dance. Volume II: 20th Century. [Videotape].

Science.gov (United States)

Teten, Carol

This 50-minute VHS videotape is the second in a 2-volume series that presents 500 years of social dance, music, and fashion. It features dance and music of the 20th century, including; 1910s: animal dances, castle walk, apache, and tango; 1920s: black bottom and charleston; 1930s: marathon, movie musicals, big apple, and jitterbug; 1940s: rumba;…

Kazakh Traditional Dance Gesture Recognition

Science.gov (United States)

Nussipbekov, A. K.; Amirgaliyev, E. N.; Hahn, Minsoo

2014-04-01

Full body gesture recognition is an important and interdisciplinary research field which is widely used in many application spheres including dance gesture recognition. The rapid growth of technology in recent years brought a lot of contribution in this domain. However it is still challenging task. In this paper we implement Kazakh traditional dance gesture recognition. We use Microsoft Kinect camera to obtain human skeleton and depth information. Then we apply tree-structured Bayesian network and Expectation Maximization algorithm with K-means clustering to calculate conditional linear Gaussians for classifying poses. And finally we use Hidden Markov Model to detect dance gestures. Our main contribution is that we extend Kinect skeleton by adding headwear as a new skeleton joint which is calculated from depth image. This novelty allows us to significantly improve the accuracy of head gesture recognition of a dancer which in turn plays considerable role in whole body gesture recognition. Experimental results show the efficiency of the proposed method and that its performance is comparable to the state-of-the-art system performances.

The Dancing Manias: Psychogenic Illness as a Social Phenomenon.

Science.gov (United States)

Lanska, Douglas J

2018-01-01

The dancing mania erupted in the 14th century in the wake of the Black Death, and recurred for centuries in central Europe - particularly Germany, the Netherlands, and Belgium - finally abating in the early 17th century. The term "dancing mania" was derived from "choreomania," a concatenation of choros (dance) and mania (madness). A variant, tarantism, was prevalent in southern Italy from the 15th to the 17th centuries, and was attributed at the time to bites from the tarantula spider. Affected individuals participated in continuous, prolonged, erratic, often frenzied and sometimes erotic, dancing. In the 14th century, the dancing mania was linked to a corruption of the festival of St. John's Day by ancient pagan customs, but by the 16th century it was commonly considered an ordeal sent by a saint, or a punishment from God for people's sins. Consequently, during outbreaks in the 14th and 15th centuries, the dancing mania was considered an issue for magistrates and priests, not physicians, even though the disorder proved intractable to decrees and exorcisms. However, in the 16th century Paracelsus discounted the idea that the saints caused or interceded in the cure of the dancing mania; he instead suggested a psychogenic or malingered etiology, and this reformulation brought the dancing mania within the purview of physicians. Paracelsus advocated various mystical, psychological, and pharmacological approaches, depending on the presumptive etiologic factors with individual patients. Only music provided any relief for tarantism. Later authors suggested that the dancing mania was a mass stress-induced psychosis, a mass psychogenic illness, a culturally determined form of ritualized behavior, a manifestation of religious ecstasy, or even the result of food poisoning caused by the toxic and psychoactive chemical products of ergot fungi. In reality, dancing manias did not have a single cause, but component causes likely included psychogenic illness, malingering, and

How To Dance through Time. Volume VI: A 19th Century Ball--The Charm of Group Dances. [Videotape].

Science.gov (United States)

Teten, Carol

This 48-minute VHS videotape is the sixth in a series of "How To Dance Through Time" videos. It shows the festivity of the 19th century group dances, enabling the viewer to plan and participate in the elegant opening to the ball, a refined square dance, and flirtatious Cotillion dancing games. Professional dancers demonstrate the…

The socio-cultural implications of African music and dance ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

This paper sets out to discuss the socio-cultural implications of African music and dance. To this end, the paper looks at African music, African dance and human culture, kinds of dance, dance and the human body, dance and the society, the interrelationship between African music and dance, the importance of dance to the ...

Differences in Itself: Redefining Disability through Dance

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Carolien Hermans

2016-11-01

Full Text Available This paper brings together two different terms: dance and disability. This encounter between dance and disability might be seen as an unusual, even conflicting, one since dance is traditionally dominated by aesthetic virtuosity and perfect, idealized bodies which are under optimized bodily control. However, recently there has been a growing desire within dance communities and professional dance companies to challenge binary thinking (beautiful-ugly, perfect-imperfect, valid-invalid, success-failure by incorporating an aesthetic of difference. The traditional focus of dance on appearance (shape, technique, virtuosity is replaced by a focus on how movement is connected to a sense of self. This notion of the subjective body not only applies to the dancer's body but also to disabled bodies. Instead of thinking of a body as a thing, an object (Körper that is defined by its physical appearance, dance is more and more seduced by the body as we sense it, feel it and live it (Leib. This conceptual shift in dance is illustrated by a theoretical analysis of The Cost of Living, a dance film produced by DV8.

Dance Specialists around the World--A Living History

Science.gov (United States)

Musmon, Margaret; Welsh, Kariamu; Heath, Freddie-Lee; Minton, Sandra; Laverty, Mary Ann; Maeshiba, Naoko; Weeks, Sandy; Cardinal, Marita K.; Howton, Amy; Tavacioglu, Leyla

2008-01-01

Dance embraces the entire globe. Universities offer world dance classes to expose students to various styles and educators travel to different countries to experience how dance is viewed, performed, and taught in different cultures. In this article nine dance educators share their experiences of teaching and observing dance abroad. These accounts…

Dancing Intercorporeality: A Health Humanities Perspective on Dance as a Healing Art.

Science.gov (United States)

Purser, Aimie

2017-12-20

As a contribution to the burgeoning field of health humanities, this paper seeks to explore the power of dance to mitigate human suffering and reacquaint us with what it means to be human through bringing the embodied practice of dance into dialogue with the work of the French philosopher Maurice Merleau-Ponty. Merleau-Ponty's conceptualisation of subjectivity as embodied and of intersubjectivity as intercorporeality frees us from many of the constraints of Cartesian thinking and opens up a new way of thinking about how dance functions as a healing art through its ability to ground and reconnect us with self, world, and others--with our humanity. It is argued that through a Merleau-Pontian framework, we can come to appreciate the true potential of dance as a positive and deeply humanising experience, demonstrating how expressive arts practice understood through the lens of philosophical theory can open up new dimensions of understanding and experience in relation to well-being and self- (and other-) care.

Speaking without words: Zorba's dance

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hnaraki Maria

2009-01-01

Full Text Available Anthony Quinn 'teaching dance' on the island of Crete to the music of Mikis Theodorakis is a popular image that portrays Greeks as extremely emotional passionate and spontaneous. This paper shows the importance of dancing in Greek culture and how Greeks talk through their body by examining Kazantzakis character, Zorba, who 'has many things to say but would rather dance them'.

Dancing for Parkinson Disease: A Randomized Trial of Irish Set Dancing Compared With Usual Care.

Science.gov (United States)

Shanahan, Joanne; Morris, Meg E; Bhriain, Orfhlaith Ni; Volpe, Daniele; Lynch, Tim; Clifford, Amanda M

2017-09-01

To examine the feasibility of a randomized controlled study design and to explore the benefits of a set dancing intervention compared with usual care. Randomized controlled design, with participants randomized to Irish set dance classes or a usual care group. Community based. Individuals with idiopathic Parkinson disease (PD) (N=90). The dance group attended a 1.5-hour dancing class each week for 10 weeks and undertook a home dance program for 20 minutes, 3 times per week. The usual care group continued with their usual care and daily activities. The primary outcome was feasibility, determined by recruitment rates, success of randomization and allocation procedures, attrition, adherence, safety, willingness of participants to be randomized, resource availability, and cost. Secondary outcomes were motor function (motor section of the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale), quality of life (Parkinson's Disease Questionnaire-39), functional endurance (6-min walk test), and balance (mini-BESTest). Ninety participants were randomized (45 per group). There were no adverse effects or resource constraints. Although adherence to the dancing program was 93.5%, there was >40% attrition in each group. Postintervention, the dance group had greater nonsignificant gains in quality of life than the usual care group. There was a meaningful deterioration in endurance in the usual care group. There were no meaningful changes in other outcomes. The exit questionnaire showed participants enjoyed the classes and would like to continue participation. For people with mild to moderately severe PD, set dancing is feasible and enjoyable and may improve quality of life. Copyright © 2016 American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Dance/Movement Therapy: A Unique Career Opportunity.

Science.gov (United States)

Armeniox, Leslie Flint

Dance and movement therapy is a form of psychotherapy that uses the body, dance, and movement as the primary mediums for the therapeutic process. Dance is a fundamental art form that involves the body as an instrument of self-expression; movement is a universal means of learning and communicating. Dance and movement therapy is the…

Legal Protection Against The Dance Creator In Indonesia

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Juwita

2015-08-01

Full Text Available This research aimed to find out and to analyze the ideal legal protection so it can encourage the creator of dance in developing a creation in the field of dance and to find out and to analyze and to get the concept of legal protection of copyright in the field of dance after the enactment of Act No. 28 of 2014 concerns Copyright. This research is empirical juridical. The technique of collecting legal material is conducted through interviews questionnaires to respondents and literature study i.e by collecting various documents in the form of primary secondary and tertiary legal materials. The results of research showed that 1. Dance is a part of copyright associated with diverse art and culture owned by the Indonesian certainly dance produced by consume energy thoughts time and cost by Dance Creator with regard to the creation the state has given protection of dance creator for art as stipulated in Article 40 letter e of Act No. 28 of 2014 as an expression of respect and appreciation to the Dance Creator 2 In association with the regulation on the protection of creative works of art dance regulated in Act No. 28 of 2014 the creator of dance argues is very important to give the protection of dance creator for their copyrighted works particularly their rights as a creator of dance i.e moral and economic rights. Giving moral and economic rights cannot be felt fully by the creator of dance this is due to the creator of dance does not have an institutions that will accommodate the creativity of creators that useful for their welfare.

Navigating a Precarious Balance: The Noel Garovillo Dance Center's Contemporary Dance as a Commitment to the Community

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ruth Jordana Luna Pison

2011-12-01

Full Text Available If it is difficult to picture a ballet school located in Koronadal, South Cotabato, then perhaps it will even take more than a stretch of the imagination to conceive of how contemporary dance survives in Southern Philippines. The story behind the KAHAYAG Community Dance and Theater Company, later reorganized and renamed as the Noel Garrovillo Dance Center, is a narrative of how, notwithstanding the obstacles faced by dance in the regions, sheer conviction and commitment could keep the art form alive. It is also a story of how a dance director and his company had to resolve their contradictions as Christian artist settlers in Mindanao. This paper discusses how contemporary dance as a flexible and dynamic dance form has allowed them to create pieces that they could consider their “own.” From their initial works that borrowed movements from the T’bolis and B’laans, to their current choreographies based on their realities as settlers in Koronadal, Garrovillo’s company has continuously worked to make dance part of the local government’s agenda on cultural and the arts. As cultural brokers, they are faced with both choreographic and intellectual imperatives. Garrovillo believes that there is a need to strengthen the country’s creative industry so that choreographers will have opportunities to create works which are crucial to the life of the nation.

It takes two: the influence of dance partners on the perceived enjoyment and benefits during participation in partnered ballroom dance classes for people with Parkinson's.

Science.gov (United States)

Kunkel, Dorit; Robison, Judy; Fitton, Carolyn; Hulbert, Sophia; Roberts, Lisa; Wiles, Rose; Pickering, Ruth; Roberts, Helen; Ashburn, Ann

2018-08-01

To explore the views of people with Parkinson's and their dance partners on the influence and issues surrounding dancing with an able-bodied dance partner during partnered ball room dance classes. In depth, semi-structured interviews explored purposively selected participants' experiences and views about dance classes. Fourteen people with Parkinson's and their dance partners (six spouses, two friends/relatives, five volunteers) were interviewed within a month of completing the 10-week dance class program. Data were analyzed thematically. Generally, those partnered with a spouse or an experienced dancer, or when dance couples were able to develop good rapport, gained greater enjoyment and sense of achievement from dance classes in comparison to couples who did not enjoy dancing together or had clashing approaches to dance. Managing and negotiating who would "lead" in a dance was challenging for dance couples particularly among male people with Parkinson's. People with Parkinson's experience of the dance classes were influenced by the relationship and compatibility with their dance partner. Dance partnerships may impact on recruitment, enjoyment, outcome and continued participation in dance classes. Potential effects of partnerships should be analyzed and reported in studies evaluating the outcomes of dance classes. Implications for rehabilitation We recommend that health professionals consider involving spouses in Parkinson's dance classes as this may improve recruitment, adherence, enjoyment and overall outcome of the dance classes. If volunteers are needed, aim to recruit those who already have good dancing ability, convey a love of dancing and have the sensitivity and social skills to interact positively with the person with Parkinson's. Consider dance partnership issues when advertising and promoting dance classes. Address partnership issues through open communication and by changing partners if the dance partnership is not working well.

Shaping future directions for dance education

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Brown, Ann Kipling; Koff, Susan R.; Meiners, Jeff

2017-01-01

for the maintenance and implementation of dance curricula in our schools. In this paper, ideas and successes may provide a platform from which to support and guide dance experiences for young people. Firstly, an outline of the results of a survey questionnaire that was sent to dance educators in selected countries...

The Origins of the "Fanga" Dance

Science.gov (United States)

Damm, Robert J.

2015-01-01

The "fanga" is a dance taught throughout the United States to children in elementary music classes, students in African dance classes, teachers in multicultural workshops, and professional dancers in touring ensembles. Although the history of the fanga is a path overgrown with myth, this article offers information about the dance's…

[Dance/movement therapy in oncological rehabilitation].

Science.gov (United States)

Mannheim, Elana G; Helmes, Almut; Weis, Joachim

2013-01-01

Dance/movement therapy may be defined as a psychosocial and body-oriented art therapy, which uses dance for the expression of emotional and cognitive issues. Dance/movement therapy is an important intervention for cancer patients to enhance coping strategies. There are only few studies investigating dance therapy with cancer patients. The present study investigates effects of dance/movement therapy (n = 115) in the setting of inpatient rehabilitation based on a pre-post design with a control group as well as a follow-up 3 months later. Standardized questionnaires measuring quality of life, anxiety and depression, and self-concept (EORTC QLQ-C30, HADS, FSKN) were used. In addition, at the end of the inpatient rehabilitation program subjective expectations of the dance/movement therapy and the patients' subjective evaluation of the benefits of the intervention were measured by a new developed questionnaire. As process factors of dance/movement therapy, expression of emotions, enhancement of self-esteem, development of the personality, vitality, getting inner balance, and getting in touch with the body have been identified. In terms of quality of life and psychological well-being, the results showed significant improvements with medium to large effect sizes. Even though those effects may not be attributed to the intervention alone, the analysis of the data and the patients' subjective statements help to reveal therapeutic factors and process characteristics of dance/movement therapy within inpatient rehabilitation. Copyright © 2013 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Dance therapy for individuals with Parkinson's disease: improving quality of life

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hackney ME

2014-02-01

Full Text Available Madeleine E Hackney,1–3 Crystal G Bennett4,5 1Veterans Affairs Rehabilitation R&D Center of Excellence, Atlanta, GA, USA; 2Birmingham-Atlanta VA Geriatric Research, Education and Clinical Center, Decatur, GA, USA; 3Division of General Medicine and Geriatrics, Department of Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA; 4Department of Nursing, University of West Florida, Pensacola, FL, USA; 5Department of Adult and Elderly Nursing, College of Nursing, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA Abstract: Parkinson's disease (PD affects mobility and health-related quality of life (HRQOL, through a neurodegenerative disease process. Drugs and pharmacology do not fully address motor, cognitive, and psychosocial symptoms; therefore, adjunctive therapies have been researched for their efficacy at addressing these issues. One form of exercise, dance, has received attention because recent studies have demonstrated dance's ability to improve mobility and HRQOL in people with PD. The purpose of this integrative review was to present evidence supporting or refuting improved HRQOL in individuals with PD after participation in a dance- or music-based movement intervention. Potential mechanisms of HRQOL improvement are offered. Search terms including "Parkinson's disease", "dance", "quality of life", "exercise", "dance/movement therapy", and "music" were entered in groupings into PubMed, CINAHL®, EMBASE™, PsycINFO®, Web of Science™, and the Cochrane Library databases. Papers were included if they were randomized controlled trials, pilot studies, or case reports that were related to HRQOL and dance/movement and/or specifically related to determining the mechanisms potentially underlying dance effects. To date, the available research has been inconclusive in demonstrating that dance has a positive impact on HRQOL; however, further research is required. This review suggests that, at the very least, dance has the potential to impact the

Athletes confessions: the sports biography as an interaction ritual.

Science.gov (United States)

Thing, L F; Ronglan, L T

2015-04-01

Commercialization of emotions is not a new phenomenon but in Denmark there is a new general trend to tell and sell personal stories in the media. Personal deprivation and crises are also major topics in sports media. This paper focuses on sports biographies as a book genre that is reviving in popularity. The paper approaches the topic through the biographies of one Danish athlete: the former professional cyclist, Jesper Skibby, who writes about his doping disclosure and shares his personal dilemmas as a former elite sportsman. The thematic text analysis orientates around social interactions, emotions, and personality constructions. Inspired by microsociology with a Durkheimian flavor of Goffman and Hochschild, themes including "face work," "interaction rituals," and "emotions management" are discussed. The analysis claims that sharing personal information in the media is not only a means of confession and reclaiming status but is also business and management - on an intimate level. Telling the story of the corrosion of a sporting character has become a hot issue, an entertainment, and not least a commercial commitment. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Dancing attraction: followers of honey bee tremble and waggle dances exhibit similar behaviors

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Calvin Lam

2017-06-01

Full Text Available The function of the honey bee tremble dance and how it attracts signal receivers is poorly understood. We tested the hypothesis that tremble followers and waggle followers exhibit the same dance-following behavior. If correct, this could unify our understanding of dance following, provide insight into dance information transfer, and offer a way to identify the signal receivers of tremble dance information. Followers showed similar initial attraction to and tracking of dancers. However, waggle dancers were faster than tremble dancers, and follower-forward, -sideways, and -angular velocities were generally similar to the velocities of their respective dancers. Waggle dancers attracted followers from 1.3-fold greater distances away than tremble dancers. Both follower types were attracted to the lateral sides of dancers, but tremble followers were more attracted to the dancer's head, and waggle followers were more attracted to the dancer's abdomen. Tremble dancers engaged in 4-fold more brief food exchanges with their followers than waggle dancers. The behaviors of both follower types are therefore relatively conserved. Researchers can now take the next steps, observing tremble followers to determine their subsequent behaviors and testing the broader question of whether follower attraction and tracking is conserved in a wide range of social insects.

Dancing Thoughts: An Examination of Children's Cognition and Creative Process in Dance

Science.gov (United States)

Giguere, Miriam

2011-01-01

The purpose of this study is to examine children's cognition within the creative process in dance and to examine how dance making affects cognitive development in children. Data on children's thinking were gathered from fifth graders participating in an artist-in-residence program in a public school in Pennsylvania. Both the inquiry and the data…

Injury incidence in hip hop dance.

Science.gov (United States)

Ojofeitimi, S; Bronner, S; Woo, H

2012-06-01

Hip hop dance has rapidly become a popular international art form. There is limited information on injury patterns in this population. The purpose of this study was to determine injury incidence and patterns among three groups of hip hop dancers. Three hundred and twelve intermediate, advanced, and expert hip hop dancers were recruited at battles, dance conferences, clubs, and on dance related web sites within the United States and internationally. A Web-based survey was conducted over a 6-month period. Inclusion criteria included intermediate and advanced level dancers over the age of 13. Dancers were divided into three main categories: Breakers, Popper/Lockers, and New Schoolers. Separate analysis of variances were used to compare injury pattern differences between groups. Two hundred and thirty-two dancers reported a total of 738 injuries. Five hundred and six of these (sustained by 205 dancers) were time-loss (TL) injuries. Annual injury incidence was 237% (162% involving TL). Lower extremity injuries were 52% and upper extremity injuries 32% of total injuries. Breakers had a higher injury incidence compared with Popper/Lockers, and New Schoolers. Hip hop dancers report injury rates that are higher than other dance forms but similar to gymnastics. These dancers should be educated concerning injury prevention, biomechanics, and use of protective equipment. © 2010 John Wiley & Sons A/S.

Lawet dance and ebleg dance: the term analysis towards its movement qualities

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Djarot Heru Santosa

2017-08-01

Full Text Available This study offers an insight of a research activity which focuses on art analysis, but lies its concern from the perspective of linguistics. This study is aiming at analyzing linguistic data that are related to traditional art activity to obtain further understanding beyond the existence of the art itself. Example of the activity is the linguistic analysis of terms used to label the kinds or qualities of dance movement from Central Java province, in this case are Lawet dance and Ebleg dance. Kebumen, as one of regency in Central Java, is chosen as the research location since it owns rich of typical traditional arts (local, both from the perspective of the art forms as well as the linguistic aspects. This research is analyzed by employing linguistic theory, especially the analysis of morphology and semantic. Implication of linguistic analysis done to the terms is a deep understanding towards the traditional dances being analyzed. It is further resulted in the form of identity affirmation to the traditional arts exist in the society’s environment.

Dance Dance Revolution: Usapin ng Laro at Sayaw sa Panahon ng Globalisasyon

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Jema M. Pamintuan

2001-06-01

Full Text Available The Dance Dance Revolution (DDR Machine is becoming a favorite game among the youth and even the not-so-young. While much has been written on the mechanics and popularity of the game, this essay aims to probe into the DDR phenomenon as a parallel tool and response to the changes brought about by technology and the age of globalization. The individual's relationship with the machine, with his audience, and with the larger society will be documented and juxtaposed with the activities of a global village. The cultural implications of the DDR will also be discussed, especially how the game itself revolutionized our traditional concept of game and dance.

[Dance, art and top performance sport with specific injuries].

Science.gov (United States)

Rietveld, Boni; van de Wiel, Albert

2011-01-01

Professional theatre dance has high and specific physical demands, comparable to top sport. Dance injuries are often caused by faulty technique due to compensation for physical limitations. Knowledge of these limitations and professional teaching can prevent many problems. Dance injuries mostly involve the lower limbs, especially the ankles and knees. Dance injuries require that the medical professional has knowledge of dance technique and respects the passion of the dancer. The advice to stop dancing has hardly ever to be given. Scientific, prospective dance medical research is recommended.

Dance/Movement Therapy. A Healing Art.

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Levy, Fran J.

This book examines the field of dance therapy from its inception in the 1940's to the present. A detailed analysis is conducted of the theory and practice of the major pioneers. The book covers biographical reports and the influence of many dance therapy leaders. Laban Movement Analysis (LMA) is discussed as well as dance therapy in specific…

Dance for Older Adults.

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Pruett, Diane Milhan, Ed.; And Others

1983-01-01

Dance programs for older adults that encourage exercise and socializing are described in six articles. Program guidelines of the American Alliance Committee on Aging are explained, and other articles emphasize a movement education approach that may involve intergenerational contact. A dance program held in a worship setting is also discussed. (PP)

Dance your way to fitness

Science.gov (United States)

... ency/patientinstructions/000809.htm Dance your way to fitness To use the sharing features on this page, ... to rhythm and music. Many health clubs and fitness centers offer dance workout classes, such as Zumba. ...

The Correlates of Dance Education among Adolescent Girls.

Science.gov (United States)

Vicario, Terra; Henninger, Erica; Chambliss, Catherine

This investigation extends previous research on the benefits of dance education, by further exploring the correlates of participation in dance classes for adolescent girls. The survey evaluated self-esteem, body image, dance ability, and perceived quality of peer and parent relationships. Students with greater dance experience were expected to…

DANCE FOR CHILDREN: A FUNCTIONAL EDUCATION FOR ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

children, to that neglected pillar of growth, the traditional dance, using dance for children ... Children are not left out of these emotional actions. They .... Teaching dance form among children (ages 6-12 years) will require the following steps or ...

DANCE FOR CHILDREN: A FUNCTIONAL EDUCATION FOR ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

the society and, to maintain growth and development of the child. Dance was ... expression in space through body movements and other dance elements to ... enjoy music and dancing just like their parents or the adults in the society. Children ...

Ramogi Dance and Luo Cultural Values | Odwar | Humanities ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Specifically the study describes the dance performance with a view to analyze the dance vocabulary so as to provide an interpretation of how the dance movements enact the Luo cultural values. This study is based on personal interview with two Ramogi performers and my observation of the dance performance during ...

Marital Biography, Social Security Receipt, and Poverty.

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Lin, I-Fen; Brown, Susan L; Hammersmith, Anna M

2017-01-01

Increasingly, older adults are unmarried, which could mean a larger share is at risk of economic disadvantage. Using data from the 2010 Health and Retirement Study, we chart the diverse range of marital biographies, capturing marital sequences and timing, of adults who are age eligible for Social Security and examine three indicators of economic well-being: Social Security receipt, Social Security benefit levels, and poverty status. Partnereds are disproportionately likely to receive Social Security and they enjoy relatively high Social Security benefits and very low poverty levels. Among singles, economic well-being varies by marital biography and gender. Gray divorced and never-married women face considerable economic insecurity. Their Social Security benefits are relatively low, and their poverty rates are quite high (over 25%), indicating Social Security alone is not sufficient to prevent these women from falling into poverty. By comparison, gray widoweds are the most advantaged singles.

Sylvia Plath and the Dangers of Biography

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Selma Asotić

2015-09-01

Full Text Available 2013 marked the 50th anniversary of the death of Sylvia Plath and was commemorated by a flurry of new publications on the life and work of the late poet. The renewed interest in Sylvia Plath also revitalized the decades-old debate on the interdependence of her poems and her biography. This paper investigates and problematizes the way in which poetry in general and the work of Sylvia Plath in particular are read and interpreted. It tries to shed some light on the “biographical fallacy” which has for so long plagued critical approaches to her work and shows ways in which S. Plath’s own poetic method differs from the method of confessional writers such as Robert Lowell, in the hope of revealing why S. Plath’s work cannot and should not be approached through the prism of her biography.

Augmenting a Ballet Dance Show Using the Dancer's Emotion: Conducting Joint Research in Dance and Computer Science

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Clay, Alexis; Delord, Elric; Couture, Nadine; Domenger, Gaël

We describe the joint research that we conduct in gesture-based emotion recognition and virtual augmentation of a stage, bridging together the fields of computer science and dance. After establishing a common ground for dialogue, we could conduct a research process that equally benefits both fields. As computer scientists, dance is a perfect application case. Dancer's artistic creativity orient our research choices. As dancers, computer science provides new tools for creativity, and more importantly a new point of view that forces us to reconsider dance from its fundamentals. In this paper we hence describe our scientific work and its implications on dance. We provide an overview of our system to augment a ballet stage, taking a dancer's emotion into account. To illustrate our work in both fields, we describe three events that mixed dance, emotion recognition and augmented reality.

Meaning of dancing therapy in therapy of clients with psychological diseases

OpenAIRE

NĚMCOVÁ, Barbora

2010-01-01

Bachelor thesis deals with meaning and effects of Dance therapy in frame of medical therapy of clients with psychical disease. Theoretical part defines words like dance, movement and Dance therapy. This part also describes history of dance, meaning and aims of Dance therapy, its school, aims and divisions. Mensioned are person of dance therapist, personalities connected with dance and Dance therapy, target groups of clients suitable for Dance therapy, importance of Dance therapy for clients w...

Visions and Vanities: John Andrew Rice of Black Mountain College. Southern Biography Series.

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Reynolds, Katherine Chaddock

This biography presents the life of John Andrew Rice, who founded Black Mountain College (North Carolina) in 1933 to implement his philosophy of education, including the centrality of artistic experience and emotional development to learning in all disciplines and the need for democratic governance shared between faculty and students. Born in…

The "filarial dance" is not characteristic of filariasis: observations of "dancing megasperm" on high-resolution sonography in patients from nonendemic areas mimicking the filarial dance and a proposed mechanism for this phenomenon.

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Adejolu, Margaret; Sidhu, Paul S

2011-08-01

The objective of this series was to show that the sonographic appearance described as the "filarial dance" is not characteristic of filariasis but occurs in nonendemic areas as a manifestation of epididymal obstruction. An experienced observer documented cases after initial observation of the filarial dance in routine clinical practice using high-frequency linear array transducers. The filarial dance was described as excessive to-and-fro movement of echogenic particles within a prominent epididymis and graded 1 to 4 according to the extent and distribution of the abnormality. The country of birth, exposure to filarial infection or travel to a filarial-endemic area, previous scrotal surgery including vasectomy, any previous or current scrotal inflammatory disease, and any congenital testicular abnormalities were recorded. Over a 10-year period, sonographic appearances consistent with the filarial dance were observed in 18 patients (bilateral in 6). The mean patient age was 47.7 (range, 28-91) years. The abnormality was graded in the 24 affected testes as follows: grade 1, n = 3; grade 2, n = 8; grade 3, n = 8; and grade 4, n = 5. No patient had a history of filariasis or travel to an endemic area. Six of 18 patients (33.3%) had bilateral vasectomies; 5 (27.8%) had a history of epididymo-orchitis in the ipsilateral testis; 3 (16.7%) had previous scrotal surgery; and 4 (22.2%) had no relevant urologic history. We have described a sonographic appearance identical to the filarial dance in men with no history of filarial infection. Most had previous scrotal surgery or infection, suggesting that the filarial dance may not always be due to movement of filarial worms. The unifying condition in patients with filariasis and our patients is lymphatic obstruction, likely the underlying cause of the appearance in both groups.

Occupational therapy's dance with diversity.

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Black, Roxie M

2002-01-01

As the demographics of the United States continue to change and we become a more pluralistic society, the increased diversity of the occupational therapy workforce and our consumers calls for an examination of the profession's stance on multiculturalism and diversity. Using the metaphor of dance, this article identifies the dance partners as the organization's leaders and its members. A historical review of the profession from the 1940s to the present traces the partners' steps to determine which led the dance of diversity during the profession's development. In this review, I discovered that the period when the profession most effectively and productively explored issues of diversity was during the early- to mid-1990s--a time when the organization and its members worked in harmony. At that time, occupational therapy's dance with diversity flowed with rhythm and synchronicity.

Dancing as a psychosocial intervention in care homes: a systematic review of the literature.

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Guzmán-García, A; Hughes, J C; James, I A; Rochester, L

2013-09-01

There is a need to find meaningful and engaging interventions to improve mood and behaviour for residents of care homes. The demand on care staff might diminish opportunities for them to encourage these activities. Staff anecdotal information attests that dancing as an activity improves mood in residents and staff. Hence, the importance of investigating what dancing brings to the care home social environment. To provide a systematic review of the evidence from studies related to dancing interventions for older people with dementia living in care homes. Electronic databases were searched. Previous reviews were also included, and recognised experts were consulted up to January 2012. Inclusion criteria considered study methodology and evidence that the impact of the dance intervention had been measured. Ten studies were identified that satisfied the inclusion criteria: seven qualitative and three quantitative. Studies used different approaches such as therapeutic dance, dance movement therapy, dance therapy, social dancing and psychomotor dance-based exercise. There was evidence that problematic behaviours decreased; social interaction and enjoyment in both residents and care staff improved. A few adverse effects were also acknowledged. The evidence on the efficacy of dancing in care homes is limited in part owing to the methodological challenges facing such research. This review aims to raise awareness of the possibility of implementing dance work as an engaging activity in care homes. We shall also consider options for future dance work research as a means to encourage relationships and sensory stimulation for both residents and staff. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

[History of thought tendencies in biography - a cultural historical synopsis].

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Dieckhöfer, K

1980-01-01

Biography, presumably, the oldest form of historiography, is rudimentally already found in the Attic comedy. Reference is made to Xenophon and his representation of leading personalities and predominance problems as well as to Aristotle through whose school the empiric exploration of the individual personality in philosophy was firmly established. To Theophrast's pictures of human weakness are added new psychological aspects under Aristoxenos. In the biographical work of Nepos the picture of the habits of famous men was shown on a subhistorical level. While Plutarch's character descriptions are fully rationalistic there can be no doubt that a moral value judgement is passed. The Concepts "experience" and "inner development" were therefore unknown in the antique biography. Herder, as the onset of the writing of scientific biographies, is considered the promotor of an objectivating biographical and autobiographical method. Reference is made to Dilthey's theory of knowledge and his theory of cognition, particularly to his cultural-historical approach, whereby a close relationship to Gruhle ("understanding psychology"), Jaspers ("The art of sympathising understanding") as well as Birnbaum ("pathographic methodology") becomes evident.

Extreme Kinematics in Selected Hip Hop Dance Sequences.

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Bronner, Shaw; Ojofeitimi, Sheyi; Woo, Helen

2015-09-01

Hip hop dance has many styles including breakdance (breaking), house, popping and locking, funk, streetdance, krumping, Memphis jookin', and voguing. These movements combine the complexity of dance choreography with the challenges of gymnastics and acrobatic movements. Despite high injury rates in hip hop dance, particularly in breakdance, to date there are no published biomechanical studies in this population. The purpose of this study was to compare representative hip hop steps found in breakdance (toprock and breaking) and house and provide descriptive statistics of the angular displacements that occurred in these sequences. Six expert female hip hop dancers performed three choreographed dance sequences, top rock, breaking, and house, to standardized music-based tempos. Hip, knee, and ankle kinematics were collected during sequences that were 18 to 30 sec long. Hip, knee, and ankle three-dimensional peak joint angles were compared in repeated measures ANOVAs with post hoc tests where appropriate (pHip hop maximal joint angles exceeded reported activities of daily living and high injury sports such as gymnastics. Hip hop dancers work at weight-bearing joint end ranges where muscles are at a functional disadvantage. These results may explain why lower extremity injury rates are high in this population.

Dancing and Parkinson’s disease: updates on this creative approach to therapy

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Shanahan J

2017-09-01

Full Text Available Joanne Shanahan,1 Meg E Morris,2 Orfhlaith Ní Bhriain,3 Daniele Volpe,4 Amanda M Clifford1 1Department of Clinical Therapies, Faculty of Education and Health Sciences, University of Limerick, Co. Limerick, Ireland; 2Department of Physiotherapy, School of Allied Health, La Trobe University, Bundoora, Australia; 3Irish World Academy of Music and Dance, Department of Arts Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Limerick, Co. Limerick, Ireland; 4Department of Neurorehabilitation, Casa di Cura Villa Margherita, Vicenza, Italy Introduction: Parkinson’s disease (PD is associated with slowness of movement and balance disturbance. Anxiety and social isolation are common and quality of life (QoL can be compromised. Dancing enables people with PD to participate in an enjoyable form of exercise within a group. This review provides an updated synthesis of the literature comparing dance to other interventions in people with PD. Methods: Six databases were electronically searched. Relevant articles were identified using inclusion criteria. Data on participants, the dance intervention, and outcomes were extracted from suitable articles. Results: Methodological limitations were evident in 13 included articles. The evidence reviewed suggests that dancing is enjoyable and can improve balance, motor function, and QoL. Further research is needed to determine the effect of dancing on cognition and depression in this population. Longer term dance interventions may be needed to achieve more meaningful benefits in mobility. Conclusion: Dancing can be a feasible and beneficial physical activity and improve the wellness of individuals with PD. Keywords: Parkinson’s disease, dance, physical activity

Engaging narratives: using language biographies to facilitate ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Firstly, we analyse the design of this sociolinguistics unit within the framework of theories of narrative and multicultural education. Secondly, we analyse three language biographies produced by students in this course in terms of student learning, identity issues and sociolinguistic themes. The narratives provided an ...

J.B. McLachlan: a biography

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Frank, D.

1999-07-01

This social history and biography of James Bryson McLaughlin (1869-1916) describes McLaughlin's leadership as an educator and instigator in organizing Nova Scotia's coal miners during the labour wars in the 1920s. McLaughlin's background and childhood, education, reputation, religion, family life, health, and death are described. Included are descriptions of the life of coal miners in Cape Breton, radical left politics in Canada and the organizers involved, the political economy of the coal industry, child labour, churches, coal markets and prices, company towns and housing, mining disasters and fatalities, elections, First World War efforts, the depression, immigrants, and strikes. The labour organizations, companies, churches, and politicians involved in the struggles for union acceptance are discussed. 872 refs., 7 figs., 24 photos.

Effects of dance therapy on the selected hematological and rheological indicators in older women.

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Filar-Mierzwa, Katarzyna; Marchewka, Anna; Bac, Aneta; Kulis, Aleksandra; Dąbrowski, Zbigniew; Teległów, Aneta

2017-01-01

The aim of this study was to analyze the effects of dance therapy on selected hematological and rheological indicators in older women. The study included 30 women (aged 71.8±7.4), and the control group comprised of 10 women of corresponding age. Women from the experimental group were subjected to a five-month dance therapy program (three 45-minute sessions per week); women from the control group were not involved in any regular physical activity. Blood samples from all the women were examined for hematological, rheological, and biochemical parameters prior to the study and five months thereafter. The dance therapy program was reflected by a significant improvement of erythrocyte count and hematocrit. Furthermore, the dance therapy resulted in a significant increase in the plasma viscosity, while no significant changes in glucose and fibrinogen levels were noted. Dance therapy modulates selected hematological parameters of older women; it leads to increase in erythrocyte count and hematocrit level. Dance therapy is reflected by higher plasma viscosity. Concentrations of fibrinogen and glucose are not affected by the dance therapy in older women, suggesting maintenance of homeostasis. Those findings advocate implementation of dance therapy programs in older women.

Hegemony or Concordance? The Rhetoric of Tokenism in "Oprah" Winfrey's Rags-to-Riches Biography.

Science.gov (United States)

Cloud, Dana L.

1996-01-01

Examines biographies of talk show host and producer Oprah Winfrey in which conventional narratives construct a token "Oprah" persona whose story reinforces the ideology of the American Dream, implying its accessibility to black Americans despite barriers inherent in a racist society. Develops theories of tokenism, biography,…

Tango or Waltz?: Putting Ballroom Dance Style into Tempo Detection

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Gerhard Rigoll

2008-05-01

Full Text Available Rhythmic information plays an important role in Music Information Retrieval. Example applications include automatically annotating large databases by genre, meter, ballroom dance style or tempo, fully automated D.J.-ing, and audio segmentation for further retrieval tasks such as automatic chord labeling. In this article, we therefore provide an introductory overview over basic and current principles of tempo detection. Subsequently, we show how to improve on these by inclusion of ballroom dance style recognition. We introduce a feature set of 82 rhythmic features for rhythm analysis on real audio. With this set, data-driven identification of the meter and ballroom dance style, employing support vector machines, is carried out in a first step. Next, this information is used to more robustly detect tempo. We evaluate the suggested method on a large public database containing 1.8 k titles of standard and Latin ballroom dance music. Following extensive test runs, a clear boost in performance can be reported.

SSRI Facilitated Crack Dancing

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Ravi Doobay

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Choreoathetoid movement secondary to cocaine use is a well-documented phenomenon better known as “crack dancing.” It consists of uncontrolled writhing movements secondary to excess dopamine from cocaine use. We present a 32-year-old male who had been using cocaine for many years and was recently started on paroxetine, a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI for worsening depression four weeks before presentation. He had been doing cocaine every 2 weeks for the last three years and had never “crack danced” before this episode. The authors have conducted a thorough literature review and cited studies that suggest “crack dancing” is associated with excess dopamine. There has never been a documented case report of an SSRI being linked with “crack dancing.” The authors propose that the excess dopaminergic effect of the SSRI lowered the dopamine threshold for “crack dancing.” There is a communication with the Raphe Nucleus and the Substantia Nigra, which explains how the SSRI increases dopamine levels. This is the first documented case of an SSRI facilitating the “crack dance.”

DANCE MUSIC: GENDER ISSUES AND EMBODIMENT OF NATIONAL IDENTITY

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Natalia Viktorovna Sokovikova

2018-02-01

Full Text Available Drawing on research of contemporary dance music this study analyzes how practices of, and discourse about, contemporary dance music contribute to the performance and embodiment of gender, and national identities. This article examines the articulation of gender and national identity in performance in the specific context of Russian contemporary male national dance. Dance in particular is a very interesting research setting for a subject as identity. Dance is located mostly outside of the daily life setting, therefore it enables another social framework with different social norms and rules than the ones applicable in daily life. Especially the identity axes of gender and national identity are provoked by national dances. To create insight and to understand the background and discourse of her research, the author presents the theoretical framework at first. Next her argument will be elucidated by the empirical chapters, which represent her findings in the field. At the end the author answers her research questions, as well as evaluating some existing theories on the topic, in her conclusion. The conclusion is that the bodies of dancers are cultural bodies and dance movements can be seen as scripts, which are culturally encoded and part of daily life. The body is the materialization of cultural definitions of femininity and masculinity, maleness and femaleness, and also materializes the dancer’s interpretation of them, as was stated by Aalten (1997. Namely, dancers create and recreate their gender and national identity inter-subjectively while dancing. Dance allow people to reclaim their humanity and is inscribed within the realm of feeling and emotion, The dancing body is a symbolic expression that may embody many notions of desire, hate, romance, anger, sexual climax. Dance, dance music and culture are intrinsically connected. Dancers and their dance practices reflect what exist in a society and culture, like how sexuality and gender are

The Familiar and the Foreign: Dance on the Historically Black College Campus

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Ebright, Wanda K. W.

2017-01-01

The purpose of this dissertation is to illuminate the missing voices of historically black college and university dance programs in the national discussion on the history and development of dance in American higher education. The methodology included the selection of five subject schools that are historically black colleges and universities…

Dance movement therapy in the concept of expressive arts-therapy

OpenAIRE

Martinec, Renata

2013-01-01

Dance Movement Therapy is a complementary method which includes using and analyzing of different aspects of body-experience and body-expression such us movement, mimics, pantomime, touch… In Dance Movement Therapy body is dominant media of therapeutic process. So this kind of therapy may have positive influence on physiological awareness, body expression of emotions, inducing unconscious impulses, and improving new strategies of behaviour through exploring new patterns and qualities of mov...

The universe a biography

CERN Document Server

Gribbin, John

2008-01-01

The Universe: A Biography makes cosmology accessible to everyone. John Gribbin navigates the latest frontiers of scientific discovery to tell us what we really know about the history of the universe. Along the way, he describes how the universe began; what the early universe looked like; how its structure developed; and what emerged to hold it all together. He describes where the elements came from; how stars and galaxies formed; and the story of how life emerged. He even looks to the future: is the history of the universe going to end with a Big Crunch or a Big Rip.

The aesthetic interpretation on Wooden Drum Dancing of Wa people

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Youfeng Wang

2017-02-01

Full Text Available The Wa nationality, a typical ethnic group in Yunnan province, is an ancient one lives across Yunnan. The main residences of it are border area beside northern Yunnan and the Wa States in Burma. Among all the Wa dances, Wooden Drum Dancing leads a vital position, and it is also a symbolic dancing in the culture of Wa people. The feature of Wooden Drum Dancing is that every action expending by the beats of wooden drum, namely, first the wooden drum, then the Wooden Drum Dancing. Dancing is an important content in the life of Wa people, and the aesthetics of life comes from dancing, so they present their value on worship by the form of dancing. This article is going to interpret the aesthetic standard on Wa people’s Wooden Drum Dancing by the view of aesthetics, and come into a conclude that the inspiration of such dancing came from practice and their worship to nature and ancestor. The Wooden Drum Dancing displays totally the tough air and solidarity of Wa people, which also presents the fair society of them. The Wooden Drum Dancing is an enriched art that Wa People took from particle life, so dancing of Wa is often classified into the aesthetic area of plain. The information of people’s living situation displayed by Wa dancing also conveys their rich emotions. The sense of beauty within Wooden Drum Dancing will give others a solemn feeling. The formal beauty is displayed by the rhythm of upper part of body, and the power beauty is displayed by the rhythm of the lower part of body.

Analysis of the dance of native Isan artists for conservation

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Pakawat Petatano

2015-11-01

Full Text Available This is a qualitative investigation to analyse native dance in North-eastern Thailand. There were three objectives for this investigation, which were to study the history of Isan folk dance, current dance postures and ways to conserve the current dance postures of Isan folk artists. Research tools were interview, observation, participation, focus group discussion and workshop. The purposively selected research sample was composed of 3 groups of national artists. The findings show that Isan folk dancer shave their own unique dancing styles. Each artist has his or her own identity, which is constructed based on personal experience of dancing and singing. Mor lam is a dance used to accompany traditional Isansung poetry. Modern dance postures have been adapted from the traditional forms. Dance postures have been adapted from three primary sources: traditional literature, the ethnic and Lanchang dancing in the Lao People’s Democratic Republic and rhythmic Khon Kaen compositions. The conclusions of this investigation suggest that preservation of the dancing arts and postures should centre on the incorporation of new knowledge, as well as the continuation of traditional dance postures. Further research is required for people interested in performing arts conservation in other provinces and other traditional performing arts.

Embodied Subjectivities: Nine Young Women Talking Dance

Science.gov (United States)

O'Flynn, Gabrielle; Pryor, Zoe; Gray, Tonia

2013-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to examine nine Australian young women's embodied experiences of dance. The young women were all amateur dancers involved in weekly jazz, tap, and ballet dance classes at the same dance studio. In this paper, embodiment is defined as multidimensional (Burkitt 1999). The authors explore the ways the corporeal and the…

Sports Biographies of African American Football Players: The Racism of Colorblindness in Children's Literature

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Winograd, Ken

2011-01-01

This is an exploratory study of racism in a genre of children's literature that has been largely overlooked by research and teaching in multicultural children's literature: sports biographies and, in particular, the biographies of African American professional football players. By examining the race bias of this genre of children's literature, the…

Sharing the dance -

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

He, Jing; Ravn, Susanne

2018-01-01

In his recent works on daily face-to-face encounters, Zahavi claims that the phenomenon of sharing involves reciprocity. Following Zahavi’s line of thought, we wonder what exactly reciprocity amounts to and how the shared experience emerges from the dynamic process of interaction. By turning...... to the highly specialized field of elite sports dance, we aim at exploring the way in which reciprocity unfolds in intensive deliberate practices of movement. In our analysis, we specifically argue that the ongoing dynamics of two separate flows of movement constitute a shared experience of dancing together...

Historical "Bad Guys": Biography as a Teaching Tool.

Science.gov (United States)

Dietrich, Donald J.

1987-01-01

Describes a history course on the college level that uses biographies to help students connect important political leaders, such as Hitler and Machiavelli, to the time and place that shaped their actions. Reports on the effectiveness of the class. (RKM)

The Evolution of Modern Dance Therapy.

Science.gov (United States)

Levy, Fran

1988-01-01

The article traces the impact of the modern dance movement from the early 1900s and its emphasis on creativity and self-expression on the professional and institutional development of dance therapy. (CB)

History Through Biography? A Conceptual Research Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Johns, Robert W.

Social studies classroom teachers can enliven high school history courses and motivate students to learn about history by using dramatic or heroic biographies in teaching history. The biographical approach centers on study of the lives, beliefs, and surroundings of historical actors. This approach differs from the "great man" theory of history in…

Peer Group, Educational Distinction and Educational Biographies

Science.gov (United States)

Kruger, Heinz-Hermann; Kohler, Sina-Mareen; Pfaff, Nicolle; Zschach, Maren

2011-01-01

The article presents selected results of a reconstructive study on the significance of the peer group for children's educational biography. Based on the analysis of qualitative interviews and group discussions with c. 11-year-old children from different educational milieus in Germany it is first shown how, in general, groups of friends in…

The Analysis of Topeng Sinok Dance in Brebes Regency

OpenAIRE

Sintho Rukmi, Dinar Ayu; -, Indriyanto

2015-01-01

Topeng Sinok dance is the characteristic art of Brebes regency. This dance tells about the typical women in Brebes who are hard-working. Beauty, flexibility, and elegance do not reduce their love for nature and farming. This dance is a combination of Cirebon, Banyumas, and Surakarta style. The dance is basically aiming at showing that women from the border areas of Central and West Java are not spoiled, whiny, and lazy. Topeng Sinok dance is performed beautifully, elegant, and swift. This pap...

Using Dance To Integrate Exceptionalities.

Science.gov (United States)

Wolf, Geraldine A.; Launi, Barbara A.

This conference presentation handout describes a program which uses dance therapy to integrate special education students with various disabilities. The 6-week program at a middle school involved having a professional dancer teach students traditional and modern dance methods as a means of expressing emotions, followed by teams of students…

The Jerusarema Dance of Zimbabwe.

Science.gov (United States)

Asante, Kariamu Welsh

1985-01-01

Traces the historical development of the Jerusarema, a traditional dance of the Shona of Zimbabwe, from its origins as a form of military defense to its present role in recreation and ceremony. Describes the Jerusarema, classifies it in relation to other African dance forms, and discusses how it is learned. (KH)

Authorships of habitual bodies dancing

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ravn, Susanne

Dance is a mandatory part of physical education in Denmark and in this context imitation and improvisation are often used as if they are to be understood as dichotomies. In this paper I focus on analyzing how the students’ experience of the authorships of their dance-movements – whether improvise...

Example-Based Automatic Music-Driven Conventional Dance Motion Synthesis

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Xu, Songhua [ORNL; Fan, Rukun [University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill; Geng, Weidong [Zhejiang University

2011-04-21

We introduce a novel method for synthesizing dance motions that follow the emotions and contents of a piece of music. Our method employs a learning-based approach to model the music to motion mapping relationship embodied in example dance motions along with those motions' accompanying background music. A key step in our method is to train a music to motion matching quality rating function through learning the music to motion mapping relationship exhibited in synchronized music and dance motion data, which were captured from professional human dance performance. To generate an optimal sequence of dance motion segments to match with a piece of music, we introduce a constraint-based dynamic programming procedure. This procedure considers both music to motion matching quality and visual smoothness of a resultant dance motion sequence. We also introduce a two-way evaluation strategy, coupled with a GPU-based implementation, through which we can execute the dynamic programming process in parallel, resulting in significant speedup. To evaluate the effectiveness of our method, we quantitatively compare the dance motions synthesized by our method with motion synthesis results by several peer methods using the motions captured from professional human dancers' performance as the gold standard. We also conducted several medium-scale user studies to explore how perceptually our dance motion synthesis method can outperform existing methods in synthesizing dance motions to match with a piece of music. These user studies produced very positive results on our music-driven dance motion synthesis experiments for several Asian dance genres, confirming the advantages of our method.

Example-based automatic music-driven conventional dance motion synthesis.

Science.gov (United States)

Fan, Rukun; Xu, Songhua; Geng, Weidong

2012-03-01

We introduce a novel method for synthesizing dance motions that follow the emotions and contents of a piece of music. Our method employs a learning-based approach to model the music to motion mapping relationship embodied in example dance motions along with those motions' accompanying background music. A key step in our method is to train a music to motion matching quality rating function through learning the music to motion mapping relationship exhibited in synchronized music and dance motion data, which were captured from professional human dance performance. To generate an optimal sequence of dance motion segments to match with a piece of music, we introduce a constraint-based dynamic programming procedure. This procedure considers both music to motion matching quality and visual smoothness of a resultant dance motion sequence. We also introduce a two-way evaluation strategy, coupled with a GPU-based implementation, through which we can execute the dynamic programming process in parallel, resulting in significant speedup. To evaluate the effectiveness of our method, we quantitatively compare the dance motions synthesized by our method with motion synthesis results by several peer methods using the motions captured from professional human dancers' performance as the gold standard. We also conducted several medium-scale user studies to explore how perceptually our dance motion synthesis method can outperform existing methods in synthesizing dance motions to match with a piece of music. These user studies produced very positive results on our music-driven dance motion synthesis experiments for several Asian dance genres, confirming the advantages of our method.

Dance for Physically Disabled Persons: A Manual for Teaching Ballroom, Square, and Folk Dances to Users of Wheelchairs and Crutches.

Science.gov (United States)

Hill, Kathleen

The final booklet in a series on physical education and sports for the handicapped presents ideas for teaching dance to the physically disabled. Introductory sections consider the rehabilitation role of dance, physiological and psychological benefits, and facilities for dance instruction. Step-by-step suggestions are given for teaching ballroom…

Genic control of honey bee dance language dialect.

Science.gov (United States)

Rinderer, T E; Beaman, L D

1995-10-01

Behavioural genetic analysis of honey bee dance language shows simple Mendelian genic control over certain dance dialect differences. Worker honey bees of one parent colony (yellow) changed from round to transition dances for foraging distances of 20 m and from transition to waggle dances at 40 m. Worker bees of the other parent colony (black) made these shifts at 30 m and 90 m, respectively. F1 colonies behaved identically to their yellow parent, suggesting dominance. Progeny of backcrossing between the F1 generation and the putative recessive black parent assorted to four classes, indicating that the dialect differences studied are regulated by genes at two unlinked loci, each having two alleles. Honey bee dance communication is complex and highly integrated behaviour. Nonetheless, analysis of a small element of this behaviour, variation in response to distance, suggests that dance communication is regulated by subsets consisting of simple genic systems.

Pole Dancing Auto-ethnography – Practice, Pedagogy, Performance

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Amy Patricia Cadwallader

2017-02-01

Full Text Available In this research paper, the author addresses the following four questions: 1 What are the implications of bringing pole dancing into concert dance, not as a caricature or theatrical version of what is performed in strip clubs, but as its own, free-standing art form? 2 In what ways will years of ballet and modern dance training influence the type of dancing that emerges from dancers when poles and other apparatuses are introduced? 3 How can the author create an original pole dancing style and pedagogical methods for teaching it? 4 Who participates in pole fitness classes and how does the demographic change based on location? What about when pole fitness classes are offered in an academic setting? The author shares first-hand experiences of investigating pole dancing in fitness classes, attending performances, engaging in a rehearsal process with highly trained dancers, and teaching pole dancing to movers with a wide range of abilities. The author addresses how research plans changed as she encountered limitations of budget and time constraints. The author also elaborates on the creative process that she engaged in with her thesis cast, collaborators, and supporting designers in the making of Super-beneath, a theatrical dance work that uses five, free-standing poles. She outline the vignettes, overall structure, and narrative of the work. The author then discusses where this research fits into the larger field of pole dancing, and the even larger field of dance. In the final sections of this paper, the author describes her pedagogical practices relating to pole classes, what “practice as research” means to her, and how she would like to continue on this research trajectory in the future.

Dancing on Thin Ice: The Journey of Two Male Teacher Candidates Emerging as Professionals within a Teacher Education Dance Program

Science.gov (United States)

Kalyn, Brenda; Campbell, Eric; McAvoy, Alekcei; Weimer, Michelle

2015-01-01

Teacher candidates entering the world of curricula face the realities of teaching a variety of subjects, some more conceptually foreign than others. One challenging area for teacher candidates, particularly males, is in dance education (Gard, 2008; Kiley, 2010). A teacher's former dance experience, beliefs about who dances and why, personal…

Transforming Dance History: The Lost History of Rehearsals.

Science.gov (United States)

Hodes, Stuart

1989-01-01

Explains that an important aspect of dance history is lost by not recording dance rehearsals. Argues that recording rehearsals can reveal the creative process and illuminate the environment that engendered this art form. Concludes that a transformed dance history will influence curriculum development. (GG)

Restaurant 1: dance theatre for a day

CERN Document Server

Caroline Duc

2012-01-01

On Tuesday 31 July, CERN’s Restaurant 1 transformed into a dance studio for the duration of a public rehearsal. The performers from the dance troupe of Geneva choreographer Gilles Jobin, CERN’s current artist in residence, presented their 2011 creation, Spider Galaxies. The result: a voyage of bodies suspended between art and science.   Just two months after the choreographer’s “Strangels” invaded the library, the same bodies returned to take over another iconic CERN space: Restaurant 1. While a black floor covering was spread over the dance floor, bordered on three sides by the glass partitions overlooking the terrace, the four dancers warmed up. Gilles Jobin, the first prize winner of the “Collide@CERN” competition held last March in the dance/performance category, briefly introduced the dance that would follow, called Spider Galaxies. The piece, created in 2011, features four dancers moving to music...

[Kapoera--popular dance or martial art?].

Science.gov (United States)

Kluger, Y; Ravid, A; Ben Avraham, R; Soffer, D; Aladgem, D

1997-01-15

Kapoera, a combination of acrobatics and coordinated athletic movement, is believed to have been introduced to South America during the 19th century by transported African slaves. The dance does not involve intentional physical contact, but during 6 months, 3 patients were admitted here for injuries induced by the forceful movements of this dance. 2 underwent exploratory laparotomy that revealed bowel perforations and 1 suffered a comminuted nasal bone fracture. Medical personnel should be familiar with the potential hazards of this dance and martial art.

Dance and music share gray matter structural correlates.

Science.gov (United States)

Karpati, Falisha J; Giacosa, Chiara; Foster, Nicholas E V; Penhune, Virginia B; Hyde, Krista L

2017-02-15

Intensive practise of sensorimotor skills, such as music and dance, is associated with brain structural plasticity. While the neural correlates of music have been well-investigated, less is known about the neural correlates of dance. Additionally, the gray matter structural correlates of dance versus music training have not yet been directly compared. The objectives of the present study were to compare gray matter structure as measured by surface- and voxel-based morphometry between expert dancers, expert musicians and untrained controls, as well as to correlate gray matter structure with performance on dance- and music-related tasks. Dancers and musicians were found to have increased cortical thickness compared to controls in superior temporal regions. Gray matter structure in the superior temporal gyrus was also correlated with performance on dance imitation, rhythm synchronization and melody discrimination tasks. These results suggest that superior temporal regions are important in both dance- and music-related skills and may be affected similarly by both types of long-term intensive training. This work advances knowledge of the neural correlates of dance and music, as well as training-associated brain plasticity in general. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Prosthetics Making Sense: Dancing the Technogenetic Body

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Erin Manning

2006-01-01

Full Text Available Explorations of new technologies and dance often focus on the difficulty of locating gesture-as-such. For the practitioners of dance and technology the exploration of movement is intrinsically related to how to locate where a movement begins and ends in order to map its coordinates within a sensitive system. Yet, the question "What is a gesture? (and how can the computer recognize one?" may direct the techno-dance process toward establishing a kind of grammar of movement that would — paradoxically — be more likely to tie the body to some pre-established understanding of how it actualizes. "Mapping" gesture risks breaking movement into bits of assimilable data, of replicating the very conformity the computer software is seeking to get beyond. Instead of mapping gesture-as-such, this paper therefore begins somewhere else. It seeks to explore the technogenetic potential of the wholeness of movement, including its "unmappable" virtuality. The unmappable — within a computer software program — is the aspect of movement I call pre-acceleration, a virtual becoming — a tendency toward movement — through which a displacement takes form. If a vocabulary of gesture is to be reclaimed as part of what can be stimulated in the encounter between dance and new technology, it must be done through the continuum of movement, through the body's technogenetic emergence in the realm of the virtual becoming of pre-acceleration.

SEMIOTICS IN INDIGENOUS DANCE PERFORMANCES: EKELEKE ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Dean SPGS NAU

dance performance presents Ekwe people; situated in Isu local government ... Indigenous dance is not a luxury… it is part of each .... symbols for certain brand products in adverts. ... music, costumes, make-up, set lights and any other effects.

Lower extremity kinetics in tap dance.

Science.gov (United States)

Mayers, Lester; Bronner, Shaw; Agraharasamakulam, Sujani; Ojofeitimi, Sheyi

2010-01-01

Tap dance is a unique performing art utilizing the lower extremities as percussion instruments. In a previous study these authors reported decreased injury prevalence among tap dancers compared to other dance and sports participants. No biomechanical analyses of tap dance exist to explain this finding. The purpose of the current pilot study was to provide a preliminary overview of normative peak kinetic and kinematic data, based on the hypothesis that tap dance generates relatively low ground reaction forces and joint forces and moments. Six professional tap dancers performed four common tap dance sequences that produced data captured by the use of a force platform and a five-camera motion analysis system. The mean vertical ground reaction force for all sequences was found to be 2.06+/-0.55 BW. Mean peak sagittal, frontal, and transverse plane joint moments (hip, knee, and ankle) ranged from 0.07 to 2.62 N.m/kg. These small ground reaction forces and joint forces and moments support our hypothesis, and may explain the relatively low injury incidence in tap dancers. Nevertheless, the analysis is highly complex, and other factors remain to be studied and clarified.

Dance Careers for the Next Decade.

Science.gov (United States)

Lappe, Mary Martha

1984-01-01

Dance educators need to be aware of current career trends and focus their programs on practical needs of their students. Teaching, dance journalism, therapy, and photography are career options for the dancer who is not a professional performer. (DF)

The Analysis of Topeng Sinok Dance in Brebes Regency

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dinar Ayu Sintho Rukmi

2015-06-01

Full Text Available Topeng Sinok dance is the characteristic art of Brebes regency. This dance tells about the typical women in Brebes who are hard-working. Beauty, flexibility, and elegance do not reduce their love for nature and farming. This dance is a combination of Cirebon, Banyumas, and Surakarta style. The dance is basically aiming at showing that women from the border areas of Central and West Java are not spoiled, whiny, and lazy. Topeng Sinok dance is performed beautifully, elegant, and swift. This paper purposes to uncover the meaning behind Topeng Sinok dance movement. This study implements qualitative method that uses qualitative descriptive approach. The data collection process was conducted by using observation, documentation, and interview techniques. Further, the data were analysed by using dance data analysis by following the steps of (1 identifying and describing components; (2 understanding; (3 interpreting; and (4 evaluating. The data were then validated by using triangulation.

Schools Integrate Dance into Lessons

Science.gov (United States)

Robelen, Erik W.

2010-01-01

Photosynthesis may be an unlikely topic to inspire an opera or ballet, but in a 2nd grade classroom in Pikesville, Maryland, the children were asked to use dance to help them learn about that process. Small groups of pupils in this class at Fort Garrison Elementary School brainstormed to come up with dance movements to convey elements of…

The many lives of Charles Darwin: early biographies and the definitive evolutionist.

Science.gov (United States)

Lightman, Bernard

2010-12-20

This article focuses on the early book-length biographies of Darwin published from his death in 1882 up to 1900. By making 1900 the cutoff point I can examine the biographies produced when the iconic figure was not yet set in stone, and before the rediscovery of Mendel's work in the early twentieth century and the anniversary celebrations of 1909 changed the way in which Darwin was regarded. Darwin's biographers dealt with three major themes. First, several biographers emphasized his scientific abilities, in particular his powers of observation and his prowess in conducting experiments. Second, many biographers discussed his character, a key issue in determining whether or not he could be trusted as a scientific guide. Finally, his scientific theories and religious beliefs, and how they related to the evolutionary controversy, formed a topic taken up by most biographers. By focusing on these three themes, the biographies published before 1900 were important in shaping the image of Darwin that was forming in American and British culture.

Why, when and where did honey bee dance communication evolve?

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Robbie eI'Anson Price

2015-11-01

Full Text Available Honey bees (Apis sp. are the only known bee genus that uses nest-based communication to provide nest-mates with information about the location of resources, the so-called dance language. Successful foragers perform waggle dances for high quality food sources and suitable nest-sites during swarming. However, since many species of social insects do not communicate the location of resources to their nest-mates, the question of why the dance language evolved is of ongoing interest. We review recent theoretical and empirical research into the ecological circumstances that make dance communication beneficial in present day environments. This research suggests that the dance language is most beneficial when food sources differ greatly in quality and are hard to find. The dances of extant honey bee species differ in important ways, and phylogenetic studies suggest an increase in dance complexity over time: species with the least complex dance were the first to appear and species with the most complex dance are the most derived. We review the fossil record of honey bees and speculate about the time and context (foraging vs. swarming in which spatially referential dance communication might have evolved. We conclude that there are few certainties about when the dance language first appeared; dance communication could be older than 40 million years and, thus, predate the genus Apis, or it could be as recent as 20 million years when extant honey bee species diverged during the early Miocene. The most parsimonious scenario assumes it evolved in a sub-tropical to temperate climate, with patchy vegetation somewhere in Eurasia.

Collective Biography and Memory Work: Girls Reading Fiction

Science.gov (United States)

Gannon, Susanne

2015-01-01

Collective biography draws on memory work methods developed initially by feminist sociologists (Haug et al., 1987) where people collaboratively examined the social and discursive resources through which they take themselves up as particular gendered subjects in the world. Their own memories become resources to investigate processes of…

Moving Social Justice: Challenges, Fears and Possibilities in Dance Education

Science.gov (United States)

Risner, Doug; Stinson, Susan W.

2010-01-01

This essay explores social justice commitments in dance pedagogy and dance education teacher preparation in the USA as developed through a series of conversations between two dance educators and former administrators in higher education. The authors examine the history of multiculturalism, multicultural practices in postsecondary dance, their…

Non-authorized biographies and the ilegitimacy of fiction

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Melina Girardi Fachin

2016-08-01

Full Text Available This article aims at reflecting about non-authorized biographies. The choice of exploring the topic not only through law but in a dialog with literature opens up new theoretical horizons. The limits of the social subject as well as the limits of the fictional character in a narrative are not always clear in order to define the borders between intimacy and public life. As for Law, a recent trial by the Brazilian Supreme Court, the Direct Action of Unconstitutionality (Ação Direta de Inconstitucionalidade – ADI 4815, shed more light on the subject, which, nonetheless, is still unconcluded, considering how generic the guarantees of freedom of expression and intimacy defense are in the Brazilian constitutional order. Keeping all that in mind and considering that previous authorization for the publication of biographies is a form of censorship, our intention is to debate the topic considering the density and the new ideas that literature can offer.

Artists in Schools: "Kick Starting" or "Kicking Out" Dance from New Zealand Classrooms

Science.gov (United States)

Snook, Barbara; Buck, Ralph

2014-01-01

New Zealand primary school teachers have access to a comprehensive arts curriculum that includes dance, drama, music, and visual arts. This research focused on several teachers' reality of implementing the dance curriculum in New Zealand primary schools, drawing on Snook's (2012) study in this field. Our research valued the voices of teachers,…

MAGA MAGAZINOVIC: THE MAIN CONCEPTS OF MODERN DANCE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Milos Marijan

2018-02-01

Full Text Available Marija Maga Magazinovic (Užice,1882- Belgrade, 1968, a choreographer, dancer, modern dance theorist, philosopher, feminist, librarian and journalist, was the founder of modern dance in Serbia. In her efforts to introduce modern dance, Magazinovic demanded emancipation of art, “pure” dance, a beauty of simple movements, which had no need for story, scenography, costume, even music, nothing but naked dancer’s body. Maga, who graduated philosophy at the Belgrade University in 1904, and was a journalist by vocation, working as the first woman journalist in the daily newspaper “Politica” as a columnist, also fought for women’s rights and emancipation. By bringing modern artistic view into the patriarchal Serbian society, she contributed to the social and cultural development, and to the understanding and adopting of the modern dance at the very time when it was developed and brought on stage in the West. Stemmed from the schools of Max Reinhardt and ballet school of Isadora Duncan, she brought their views and pedagogical methods to Serbia when she returned from Berlin and Munich to Belgrade, where she opened the first school of modern dance in 1910. She was the first to advocate for the necessity of female education, particularly of engaging girls in doing rhythmic gymnastics and dance as a form of bodily and spiritual education. Given that Marija Maga Magazinovic was the first who opened the door for the progress and changes in the fields of dance and women’s rights by bringing concepts of those movements, in which she directly participated, to Serbia, these concepts had to be explained. Therefore, the main goal of the paper is to examine these concepts, such as modern dance, rhythmic gymnastic, body culture, Ausdruckstanz, expressionism, and women emancipation, which is crucial if we want to understand early period of modern dance development, and to understand Magazinovic’s efforts and achievements and her place and historical

Reflections on Sven-Eric Liedman’s Marx-Biography “A World to Win: The Life and Works of Karl Marx”

OpenAIRE

Christian Fuchs

2018-01-01

The English translation of Sven-Eric Liedman’s Marx-biography A World to Win: The Life and Works of Karl Marx was published two weeks before Marx’s bicentenary. This article presents reflections on Liedman’s book and asks how one should best write biographically about Marx. The paper compares Liedman’s biography to the Marx-biographies written by Jonathan Sperber (Karl Marx: A Nineteenth-Century Life) and Gareth Stedman-Jones (Karl Marx: Greatness and Illusion). A biography is a way of repeat...

FORMING PROFESSIONAL SKILLS OF THE PROSPECTIVE HEADS OF CHILDREN'S DANCE GROUPS DURING THE CHOREOGRAPHIC ACTIVITIES IN THE COURSE "FOLK DANCE THEORY AND METHODOLOGY"

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Volodymyr Kotov

2016-11-01

Full Text Available The article highlights the urgent problem of contemporary art pedagogy – involvement to training future professional choreographic traditions of different nations. Addressing to this problem is caused by a number of socio-political events in Ukraine, mainstreaming of national and international education, integration of Ukrainian education with the European educational space, intensive development of domestic students’ intercultural communication with young people from different countries, which is the basis for updating national art education. Prospective choreographers, who are being training at pedagogical universities to manage children's dance groups, should actively be involved into creating their own productions of folk dance various genres. It promotes the formation of choreographers’ professional competence and pedagogical skills. The development of Georgian "Lezginka" is proposed – a joint creative work of the teacher and students who get higher education degree in SHEE “Donbass State Pedagogical University” (Bachelor's Degree. Development of the dance contains schematic drawings of dance figures, it is recommended for use in forming choreographers’ professional skills while studying the course "Folk Dance Theory and Methodology". The author admits that folklore material requires a cautious, respectful attitude. Therefore, modern folk stage dances are integrally to combine traditional choreographic manner with its new interpretations. The author believes the actual capture of different nations’ choreographic culture improves intercultural youth communication; involves future professionals into the traditions of different nations; form professional skills of managers of children’s dance groups. The author concluded that a dance always reflects consciousness of different nations; future choreographers should be aware of characteristic features of dances of different world nations so that on the basis of traditional

Scoping Review of Dance for Adults With Fibromyalgia: What Do We Know About It?

Science.gov (United States)

Bidonde, Julia; Boden, Catherine; Kim, Soo; Busch, Angela J; Goes, Suelen M; Knight, Emily

2018-05-10

Fibromyalgia is a chronic disorder characterized by widespread muscular tenderness, pain, fatigue, and cognitive difficulties. Nonpharmacological treatment options, such as physical activity, are important for people with fibromyalgia. There are strong recommendations to support engagement in physical activity for symptom management among adults with fibromyalgia. Dance is a mode of physical activity that may allow individuals with fibromyalgia to improve their physical function, health, and well-being. Dance has the potential to promote improved pain processing while simultaneously providing the health and social benefits of engaging in physical activity that contributes to symptom management and overall function rehabilitation. However, we are unaware of current evidence on dance as a nonpharmacological/physical activity intervention for adults with fibromyalgia. The aims of this study were to understand how dance is used therapeutically by individuals with fibromyalgia; to examine the extent, range and nature of research activity in the area; and to determine the value of undertaking a systematic review of interventions. We used and adapted the Arksey and O'Malley scoping framework. The search strategy involved a comprehensive search of main health and electronic social databases, trial registries and grey literature without language limits. Pairs of reviewers independently screened and extracted data and evaluated the methodological quality of randomized control trials. Twenty-one unique records for 13 studies met inclusion criteria; the studies included mostly middle-aged women. Types of dance included were aerobic dance, belly dance, dance movement therapy, biodanza and Zumba. Intervention parameters were different among studies. Frequency varied between one to three times a week; all were done in small group settings. Studies evaluated a variety of outcomes in the symptoms, wellness, psychosocial, physical functioning, balance and fitness categories; no

The effect of dance on depressive symptoms in nursing home residents.

Science.gov (United States)

Vankova, Hana; Holmerova, Iva; Machacova, Katerina; Volicer, Ladislav; Veleta, Petr; Celko, Alexander Martin

2014-08-01

To evaluate the effect of a dance-based therapy on depressive symptoms among institutionalized older adults. Randomized controlled trial. Nursing homes. Older adults (60 years or older) permanently living in a nursing home. Exercise Dance for Seniors (EXDASE) Program designed for the use in long-term care settings performed once a week for 60 minutes for 3 months. Baseline measures included sociodemographic characteristics, ability to perform basic as well as instrumental activities of daily living, basic mobility, self-rated health, and cognitive status. Outcome measures were collected before and after the intervention and included assessment of depressive symptoms using the geriatric depression scale (GDS). Comparison of participants with MMSE of 15 or higher showed that GDS scores in the intervention group significantly improved (P = .005), whereas the control group had a trend of further worsening of depressive symptoms (P = .081). GLM analysis documented highly statistically significant effect of dance therapy (P = .001) that was not influenced by controlling for intake of antidepressants and nursing home location. Dance therapy may have decreased depressive symptoms even in participants with MMSE lower than 15 and resulted in more discontinuations and fewer prescriptions of antidepressants in the intervention group than in the control group. This study provides evidence that dance-based exercise can reduce the amount of depressive symptoms in nursing home residents. In general, this form of exercise seems to be very suitable and beneficial for this population. Copyright © 2014 AMDA – The Society for Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Learning to Learn: A Hidden Dimension within Community Dance Practice

Science.gov (United States)

Barr, Sherrie

2013-01-01

This article explores ways of learning experienced by university dance students participating in a community dance project. The students were unfamiliar with community-based practices and found themselves needing to remediate held attitudes about dance. How the students came to approach their learning within the dance-making process drew on…

Biographies | Women in Science | Initiatives | Indian Academy of ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Biographies of Women Scientists that have appeared in Resonance. Amalie Emmy Noether · Beatrice Tinsley · Dorothy Crowfoot Hodgkin · Florence Jessie MacWilliams · Henrietta Swan Leavitt · Marie Skoldowska Curie · Rosalind Franklin · Maria Goeppert Mayer · Edavaleth Kakkat Janaki Ammal; Grace Murray Hopper ...

Dancing to "groovy" music enhances the experience of flow.

Science.gov (United States)

Bernardi, Nicolò F; Bellemare-Pepin, Antoine; Peretz, Isabelle

2018-05-06

We investigated whether dancing influences the emotional response to music, compared to when music is listened to in the absence of movement. Forty participants without previous dance training listened to "groovy" and "nongroovy" music excerpts while either dancing or refraining from movement. Participants were also tested while imitating their own dance movements, but in the absence of music as a control condition. Emotion ratings and ratings of flow were collected following each condition. Dance movements were recorded using motion capture. We found that the state of flow was increased specifically during spontaneous dance to groovy excerpts, compared with both still listening and motor imitation. Emotions in the realms of vitality (such as joy and power) and sublimity (such as wonder and nostalgia) were evoked by music in general, whether participants moved or not. Significant correlations were found between the emotional and flow responses to music and whole-body acceleration profiles. Thus, the results highlight a distinct state of flow when dancing, which may be of use to promote well-being and to address certain clinical conditions. © 2018 New York Academy of Sciences.

Portrayal of Life Form in Selected Biographies for Children Eight to Twelve Years of Age.

Science.gov (United States)

Koch, Shirley Lois

This study describes and analyzes, in a critical literary manner, selected biographies for children eight to twelve years of age. Biographies of Jane Addams, Cesar Chavez, Mohandas Gandhi, Toyohiko Kagawa, Martin Luther King, Jr., and Albert Schweitzer are viewed from the perspective of a literary criterion based on the principles of design to…

Sensation, Perception, and Choice in the Dance Classroom

Science.gov (United States)

Henley, Matthew

2014-01-01

There are many reasons to teach dance as part of the broader curriculum. This article focuses on using dance as a way to foster critical thinking. In this conceptual article, I draw from the National Standards goals that were in line with my own framework of dance as uniquely engaging the three different sensory systems of exteroception,…

Shake It Out! Belly Dance in Physical Education

Science.gov (United States)

Marquis, Jenée; Gurvitch, Rachel

2015-01-01

Belly dance is a folk dance with a history that can be traced back to the beginnings of civilization. It is a form of expression and movement that has been used for hundreds of years in religious ceremonies, birthing rituals, and social and familial gatherings in the Middle East. Students of belly dance can increase their muscular strength and…

Benefits of Implementing a Dance Unit in Physical Education

Science.gov (United States)

Bajek, Mary; Richards, K. Andrew R.; Ressler, James

2015-01-01

This article discusses the benefits of participating in a dance curriculum, as well as how dance relates to the National Standards. It also provides insight into how physical educators can overcome the barriers to teaching dance in their programs.

Self-Reported Injury and Management in a Liberal Arts College Dance Department.

Science.gov (United States)

DiPasquale, Sarah; Becker, Nicole; Green, Sarah; Sauers, Kim

2015-12-01

Dancers often view injuries as a necessary sacrifice for participating in their art form. The purpose of this research was to determine the frequency and patterns of injury in a non-conservatory, liberal arts dance environment. These data may enable dance departments to provide more effective health resources. Dancers registered in technique courses in a liberal arts dance department (including ballet, modern, tap, and jazz) completed an injury questionnaire immediately following the occurrence of any dance-related injury over the course of one semester. Out of 168 students registered in the department, 46 injuries were reported throughout the semester. The greatest rate of injury was in September and December with 0.95 and 0.65 injuries reported per day, respectively. 89.1% of participants indicated that they would use a direct-access, on-campus physical therapist or athletic trainer if available, though 45.7% of injured participants indicated that they would seek treatment off campus. Dancers in a liberal arts collegiate program may train at a higher intensity during the semester than summer break, which likely accounts for the high incidence of injury in September. Of those injured, most planned on self-treating, but none planned on missing class. Pre-semester screening and post-semester cross-training education should be implemented in liberal arts dance programs to help decrease the rate of injury seen when returning to dance following prolonged time off from dancing. Additionally, direct access to physical therapy or athletic training treatment would likely be utilized by these students if available.

The effect of dance therapy on the balance of women over 60 years of age: The influence of dance therapy for the elderly.

Science.gov (United States)

Filar-Mierzwa, Katarzyna; Długosz, Małgorzata; Marchewka, Anna; Dąbrowski, Zbigniew; Poznańska, Anna

2017-01-01

Dance therapy is a physical activity that can lead to balance improvement in older adults. The aim of the study was to evaluate the effects of dance therapy on balance and risk of falls in older women. Twenty-four older women (mean age 66.4 years old) attended dance sessions for three months. Pretest/posttests were completed using the Postural Stability Test, the Limits of Stability Test, and the Fall Risk Test M-CTSIB. Results showed the Limits of Stability Test was significantly higher (17.5%) after dance classes. Regular use of dance therapy shows promise in improving balance by increasing the limits of stability.

An experimental 'Life' for an experimental life: Richard Waller's biography of Robert Hooke (1705).

Science.gov (United States)

Moxham, Noah

2016-03-01

Richard Waller's 'Life of Dr Robert Hooke', prefixed to his edition of Hooke's Posthumous Works (1705), is an important source for the life of one of the most eminent members of the early Royal Society. It also has the distinction of being one of the earliest biographies of a man of science to be published in English. I argue that it is in fact the first biography to embrace the subject's natural-philosophical work as the centre of his life, and I investigate Waller's reasons for adopting this strategy and his struggle with the problem of how to represent an early experimental philosopher in print. I suggest that Waller eschews the 'Christian philosopher' tradition of contemporary biography - partly because of the unusually diverse and fragmentary nature of Hooke's intellectual output - and draws instead upon the structure of the Royal Society's archive as a means of organizing and understanding Hooke's life. The most quoted phrase from Waller's biography is that Hooke became 'to a crime close and reserved' in later life; this essay argues that Waller's biographical sketch was fashioned in order to undo the effects of that reserve. In modelling his approach very closely on the structure of the society's records he was principally concerned with making Hooke's work and biography accessible, intelligible and useful to the fellowship in a context familiar to them, a context which had provided the institutional framework for most of Hooke's adult life. I argue that Waller's 'Life' was also intended to make the largest claims for Hooke's intellectual standing that the author dared in the context of the enmity between Hooke and Isaac Newton once the latter became president of the Royal Society. However, I also adduce fresh manuscript evidence that Waller actually compiled, but did not publish, a defence of Hooke's claim to have discovered the inverse square law of gravity, allowing us to glimpse a much more assertive biography of Hooke than the published version.

Hip Hop Dance Experience Linked to Sociocognitive Ability.

Science.gov (United States)

Bonny, Justin W; Lindberg, Jenna C; Pacampara, Marc C

2017-01-01

Expertise within gaming (e.g., chess, video games) and kinesthetic (e.g., sports, classical dance) activities has been found to be linked with specific cognitive skills. Some of these skills, working memory, mental rotation, problem solving, are linked to higher performance in science, technology, math, and engineering (STEM) disciplines. In the present study, we examined whether experience in a different activity, hip hop dance, is also linked to cognitive abilities connected with STEM skills as well as social cognition ability. Dancers who varied in hip hop and other dance style experience were presented with a set of computerized tasks that assessed working memory capacity, mental rotation speed, problem solving efficiency, and theory of mind. We found that, when controlling for demographic factors and other dance style experience, those with greater hip hop dance experience were faster at mentally rotating images of hands at greater angle disparities and there was a trend for greater accuracy at identifying positive emotions displayed by cropped images of human faces. We suggest that hip hop dance, similar to other more technical activities such as video gameplay, tap some specific cognitive abilities that underlie STEM skills. Furthermore, we suggest that hip hop dance experience can be used to reach populations who may not otherwise be interested in other kinesthetic or gaming activities and potentially enhance select sociocognitive skills.

Hip Hop Dance Experience Linked to Sociocognitive Ability.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Justin W Bonny

Full Text Available Expertise within gaming (e.g., chess, video games and kinesthetic (e.g., sports, classical dance activities has been found to be linked with specific cognitive skills. Some of these skills, working memory, mental rotation, problem solving, are linked to higher performance in science, technology, math, and engineering (STEM disciplines. In the present study, we examined whether experience in a different activity, hip hop dance, is also linked to cognitive abilities connected with STEM skills as well as social cognition ability. Dancers who varied in hip hop and other dance style experience were presented with a set of computerized tasks that assessed working memory capacity, mental rotation speed, problem solving efficiency, and theory of mind. We found that, when controlling for demographic factors and other dance style experience, those with greater hip hop dance experience were faster at mentally rotating images of hands at greater angle disparities and there was a trend for greater accuracy at identifying positive emotions displayed by cropped images of human faces. We suggest that hip hop dance, similar to other more technical activities such as video gameplay, tap some specific cognitive abilities that underlie STEM skills. Furthermore, we suggest that hip hop dance experience can be used to reach populations who may not otherwise be interested in other kinesthetic or gaming activities and potentially enhance select sociocognitive skills.

Book Review: Nelson Mandela: A Jacana Pocket Biography ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Book Title: Nelson Mandela: A Jacana Pocket Biography. Author: Colin Bundy. Jacana: Auckland Park, 2015. 159 pp. Full Text: EMAIL FULL TEXT EMAIL FULL TEXT · DOWNLOAD FULL TEXT DOWNLOAD FULL TEXT · AJOL African Journals Online. HOW TO USE AJOL... for Researchers · for Librarians · for Authors ...

Musical meaning and social significance : techno triggers for dancing

OpenAIRE

Gadir, Tami Ester

2014-01-01

Electronically-produced dance music has only recently achieved as much visibility in the global pop music industry as ‘live’ or instrumental pop. Yet the fascination of cultural scholars and sociologists with dance music predates its rise as a product of mass culture. Much of this interest derives from early associations of dance music with marginalised groups and oppositional ideologies. It therefore follows that many explorations of dance music focus on the ways in which tech...

Choreographing lived experience: dance, feelings and the storytelling body.

Science.gov (United States)

Eli, Karin; Kay, Rosie

2015-06-01

Although narrative-based research has been central to studies of illness experience, the inarticulate, sensory experiences of illness often remain obscured by exclusively verbal or textual inquiry. To foreground the body in our investigation of subjective and intersubjective aspects of eating disorders, we-a medical anthropologist and a contemporary dance choreographer-designed a collaborative project, in which we studied the experiences of women who had eating disorders, through eight weeks of integrating dance practice-based, discussion-based and interview-based research. Grounded in the participants' own reflections on choreographing, dancing and watching others perform solos about their eating disordered experiences, our analysis examines the types of knowledge the participants used in choreographing their dance works, and the knowledge that they felt the dance enabled them to convey. We find that the participants consistently spoke of feeling as guiding their choreographic processes; they also said the experiences they conveyed through their dance works were centred in feelings, rather than in practices or events. Through dance, the participants said they could communicate experiences that would have remained unspoken otherwise. Yet, notably, dance practice also enabled participants to begin defining and describing their experiences verbally. We suggest, therefore, that through engaging participants in contemporary dance practice, we can begin to identify and address embodied experiences of illness and recovery that may be silenced in speech or writing alone. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

Excerpts from the Dances of Haiti: Function.

Science.gov (United States)

Dunham, Katherine

1985-01-01

Analyzes the sociological and psychological functions of the different forms of traditional Haitian dance. Describes uses of dances for recreation and play, social solidarity, externalization of emotions or sexuality, worship, and artistic expression. (KH)

Hunter College Dance Therapy Masters Program.

Science.gov (United States)

Schmais, Claire; White, Elissa Q.

Described is development of the Hunter College dance therapy 18-month 30-credit masters program involving 33 adult students, (in two classes beginning in 1971 and 1972), an educational model, internship in psychiatric institutions, and preparation of instructional materials. The dance therapist is said to incorporate the psychiatric patient's…

The scientometric biography of a leading scientist working on the field of bio-energy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Konur, Ozcan [Sirnak University Faculty of Engineering, Department of Mechanical Engineering (Turkey)], email: okonur@hotmail.com

2011-07-01

This paper presents a scientometric biography of a Turkish scientist, Prof. Dr. Ayhan Demirbas, who is a leading figure in the field of bio-energy. It describes the method and importance of doing such biographies and suggests that there are too few of them, this one being the first in this specific area. It provides insight into the individual, his work, his research and links in his field of studies and research. Prof. Dr. Demirbas has spent almost three decades in research, particularly in the field of bio-energy. He has researched and taught in the field of renewable energies including biodiesels, biofuels, biomass pyrolysis, liquefaction and gasification, biogas, bioalcohols, and biohydrogen. He has also studied a great variety of subjects, such as the development of pulp from plants, chemical and engineering thermodynamics, chemical and energy education, global climate change, drinking water and cereal analyses. He has published 454 articles as of 2011.

Is Irish set dancing feasible for people with Parkinson's disease in Ireland?

Science.gov (United States)

Shanahan, Joanne; Morris, Meg E; Bhriain, Orfhlaith Ni; Volpe, Daniele; Richardson, Margaret; Clifford, Amanda M

2015-02-01

To investigate if community-based Irish set dancing is feasible in Irish adults with Parkinson's disease. Over an eight week period, ten participants attended one set dancing class per week and completed a home programme in parallel. Feasibility was assessed by monitoring adverse effects, participants' verbal feedback, compliance rates and feedback from an exit questionnaire. Participants were assessed using the Berg balance scale, 6-min walk test, UPDRS-3 and PDQ-39, before and after the intervention. No adverse effects were detected. Attendance at classes was 86%. Compliance with the home programme was 67%. Findings from the exit questionnaire showed participants enjoyed participating and reported improvements in aspects of health including balance. Quality of life improved with the dance programme and there was a trend toward improvement on the UPDRS-3. These findings suggest community-based Irish set dancing is a feasible form of exercise that can positively influence quality of life. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Biography as an Art: Selected Criticism 1560-1960.

Science.gov (United States)

Clifford, James L., Ed.

Forty-seven essays from five centuries of writings on biography are contained in this book. Selections are arranged under the following headings: "Before 1700" (9 selections), "The Eighteenth Century" (5), "The Nineteenth Century" (11), "Early Twentieth Century" (14), and "Mid-Twentieth Century" (8). Authors range from Francis Bacon to Leon Edel.…

Festival Works to Save Pioneering Dances by Black Choreographers.

Science.gov (United States)

Biemiller, Lawrence

1988-01-01

The American Dance Festival has begun a three-year effort to encourage scholars to delve into the history and influences of black modern dance, and the Ford Foundation has promised $300,000 to the project. Some express concern about separating black choreography from other American dance. (MSE)

Creating Cultures of Teaching and Learning: Conveying Dance and Somatic Education Pedagogy

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Dragon, Donna A.

2015-01-01

Often in teaching dance, methods of teaching and learning are silently embedded into dance classroom experiences. Unidentified and undisclosed pedagogic information has impacted the content of dance history; the perpetuation of authoritarian teaching practices within dance technique classes and in some dance classes deemed "somatics";…

B.A.I.L.A. - A Latin dance randomized controlled trial for older Spanish-speaking Latinos: Rationale, design, and methods

Science.gov (United States)

Marquez, David X.; Wilbur, JoEllen; Hughes, Susan; Berbaum, Michael L.; Wilson, Robert; Buchner, David M.; McAuley, Edward

2014-01-01

Physical activity (PA) has documented health benefits, but older Latinos are less likely to engage in leisure time PA than older non-Latino whites. Dance holds promise as a culturally appropriate form of PA that challenges individuals physically and cognitively. This paper describes a randomized controlled trial that will test the efficacy of BAILAMOS©, a 4-month Latin dance program followed by a 4-month maintenance program, for improving lifestyle PA and health outcomes. Older adults (n = 332), aged 55+, Latino/Hispanic, Spanish speaking, with low PA levels, and at risk for disability will be randomized to one of two programs, a dance program or health education control group. BAILAMOS© is a 4-month program that meets two times per week for one hour per session. Dance sessions focus on instruction, including four styles of dance, and couples dancing. Bi-monthly “Fiestas de Baile” (dance parties) are also included, in which participants dance and practice what they have learned.. Monthly 1-hour discussion sessions utilize a Social Cognitive framework and focus on knowledge, social support, and self-efficacy to increase lifestyle PA. The health education control group will meet one time per week for two hours per session. Primary outcomes including PA changes and secondary outcomes including self-efficacy, physical function, cognitive function, and disability will be assessed at baseline, 4, and 8 months. It is hypothesized that PA, self-efficacy, physical function, cognitive function, and functional limitations and disability scores will be significantly better in the BAILAMOS© group at 4 and 8 months compared to the control group. PMID:24969395

Tangled roots: Kalenda and other neo-African dances in the circum-Caribbean

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Julian Gerstin

2004-01-01

Full Text Available Investigates descriptions of Afro-Caribbean dances in early chronicles and historical material. Author focuses on choreography, as well as on musical instruments and their use. He pays special attention to descriptions of the Martinican kalenda dance. He discusses descriptions from the 18th c. of black Caribbean dance in French and other colonies, by priests and others, of the kalenda as a couple dance within a ring, and descriptions of other widespread early dances in the Caribbean, such as chica. Author notes that in these early descriptions the authors focus obsessively on eroticism, thus simplifying and exaggerating the dances as sexual, and ignoring their variety. Further, he analyses early chronicles on other widespread dances in the circum-Caribbean, such as stick-fighting dances, bamboula, djouba, and belair, comparing with present-day Caribbean dances, and on "challenge dancing" involving a dance soloist "challenged" by a lead drummer, found, for instance, in kalenda and rumba. In addition, the author focuses on the dances' musical accompaniment by drums, and the drum types and methods, specifically transverse drumming and drumming with sticks on the side of the drum, found today in kalenda, and other Caribbean styles. He points at the inaccuracy of some chronicles, mixing up dance names, and recurring superficiality and stereotypes. He nonetheless concludes from them that slaves from the Congo/Angola region probably played a crucial role in forming these early dance styles, and that their spread was connected with French colonialism and slavery and migrations from (once French colonies. He describes probable Congolese/Angolan influences, such as pelvic isolation, challenge dances, couple dancing within a circle, and transverse drumming, but indicates that these are over time combined with other African and other influences.

An evaluative biography of cynical realism and political pop

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kharchenkova, S.; Velthuis, O.; Berthoin Antal, A.; Hutter, M.; Stark, D.

2015-01-01

This chapter illustrates different regimes of justification by tracing the evaluative biography of two Chinese contemporary art styles, in order to explain their artistic and commercial success. The movements developed in the aftermath of the Tiananmen massacre, when censorship of contemporary art

The contribution of dance to daily physical activity among adolescent girls

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Hooker Steven P

2011-08-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Structured physical activity (PA programs are well positioned to promote PA among youth, however, little is known about these programs, particularly dance classes. The aims of this study were to: 1 describe PA levels of girls enrolled in dance classes, 2 determine the contribution of dance classes to total moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA, and 3 compare PA between days with a dance class (program days and days without a dance class (non-program days. Methods Participants were 149 girls (11-18 years enrolled in dance classes in 11 dance studios. Overall PA was assessed with accelerometry for 8 consecutive days, and girls reported when they attended dance classes during those days. The percent contribution of dance classes to total MVPA was calculated, and data were reduced to compare PA on program days to non-program days. Data were analyzed using mixed models, adjusting for total monitoring time. Results Girls engaged in 25.0 ± 0.9 minutes/day of MVPA. Dance classes contributed 28.7% (95% CI: 25.9%-31.6% to girls' total MVPA. Girls accumulated more MVPA on program (28.7 ± 1.4 minutes/day than non-program days (16.4 ± 1.5 minutes/day (p Conclusions Dance classes contributed a substantial proportion (29% to girls' total MVPA, and girls accumulated 70% more MVPA and 8% less sedentary behavior on program days than on non-program days. Dance classes can make an important contribution to girls' total physical activity.

Exploring Dance Careers. A Student Guidebook.

Science.gov (United States)

Cornell, Richard; Hansen, Mary Lewis

One of six student guidebooks in a series of 11 arts and humanities career exploration guides for grade 7-12 teachers, counselors, and students, this student book on exploration of dance careers presents information on specific occupations in both performance careers and dance education. An introductory section describes the four different dance…

Alienation and Transformation: An International Education in Contemporary Dance

Science.gov (United States)

Martin, Rosemary

2013-01-01

This research investigates experiences of an international education in dance. Through the narratives of seven female dance practitioners from the southern Mediterranean region, who have trained in contemporary dance in Western cultural contexts, a multiplicity of encounters are illustrated. Two key findings emerged from the dancers' experiences.…

The practice of pole dance as a leisure activity in Denmark

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jensen, Andorra Lynn

2015-01-01

The aim of this study is to explore the how pole dance is practiced as a form of leisure activity in Denmark. The methodical approach is qualitative and inspired by ethnography. I have conducted a field study where I have observed and participated in the pole dance culture in Copenhagen from May ...... addresses the difference between a focus on dance and a focus on tricks in pole dancing as well as it examines the different opinions pole studio owners have concerning ‘sexiness’ in pole dance and how this affects the way pole dance is practiced....

A deep learning pipeline for Indian dance style classification

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Dewan, Swati; Agarwal, Shubham; Singh, Navjyoti

2018-04-01

In this paper, we address the problem of dance style classification to classify Indian dance or any dance in general. We propose a 3-step deep learning pipeline. First, we extract 14 essential joint locations of the dancer from each video frame, this helps us to derive any body region location within the frame, we use this in the second step which forms the main part of our pipeline. Here, we divide the dancer into regions of important motion in each video frame. We then extract patches centered at these regions. Main discriminative motion is captured in these patches. We stack the features from all such patches of a frame into a single vector and form our hierarchical dance pose descriptor. Finally, in the third step, we build a high level representation of the dance video using the hierarchical descriptors and train it using a Recurrent Neural Network (RNN) for classification. Our novelty also lies in the way we use multiple representations for a single video. This helps us to: (1) Overcome the RNN limitation of learning small sequences over big sequences such as dance; (2) Extract more data from the available dataset for effective deep learning by training multiple representations. Our contributions in this paper are three-folds: (1) We provide a deep learning pipeline for classification of any form of dance; (2) We prove that a segmented representation of a dance video works well with sequence learning techniques for recognition purposes; (3) We extend and refine the ICD dataset and provide a new dataset for evaluation of dance. Our model performs comparable or better in some cases than the state-of-the-art on action recognition benchmarks.

Reflections on Sven-Eric Liedman’s Marx-Biography “A World to Win: The Life and Works of Karl Marx”

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Christian Fuchs

2018-05-01

Full Text Available The English translation of Sven-Eric Liedman’s Marx-biography A World to Win: The Life and Works of Karl Marx was published two weeks before Marx’s bicentenary. This article presents reflections on Liedman’s book and asks how one should best write biographically about Marx. The paper compares Liedman’s biography to the Marx-biographies written by Jonathan Sperber (Karl Marx: A Nineteenth-Century Life and Gareth Stedman-Jones (Karl Marx: Greatness and Illusion. A biography is a way of repeating a person’s life, works and age in a process of reconstruction and retelling. The question that arises is how to write a biography as a dialectical text. Sven-Eric Liedman: A World to Win: The Life and Works of Karl Marx. London: Verso, London, 2018. 768 pages., £35.00 hbk. ISBN 9781786635044

Projecting Nigerian Image through the Globalization of Her Dances ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The historical methodology is employed. The findings of this paper is that Nigerian dances have not benefited from globalization because, many of our dances and dance patterns have been stolen and repackaged to us as Western Euro-America cultural products. The paper therefore posits that Nigerians should take their ...

Paradigms of Communication in Performance and Dance Studies

OpenAIRE

Popa Blanariu, Nicoleta

2015-01-01

In her article "Paradigms of Communication in Performance and Dance Studies" Nicoleta Popa Blanariu approaches from an interdisciplinary perspective the measure in which performing arts (theater, music, ballet, Indian classical dance, folk dance, etc.), as well as ritual performance constitute a corpus that may be analysed by means of theoretical and conceptual tools in communication studies and semiotics. Popa Blanariu analyses the relation between signification and communication in performi...

Screening Jane. When History, Biography and Fiction create a Cinematic Life.

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Roberta Grandi

2015-07-01

Full Text Available This paper analyzes the interesting technique of adaptation of the film Becoming Jane, a biopic on the life of Jane Austen, released in 2007. Loosely based on Jon Spence's biography Becoming Jane Austen, the film faces the problem of the scarcity of information on Jane Austen's life through a technique that, if not original nor always satisfying, is nevertheless worth being studied. By recurring to the character descriptions and the anecdotes narrated in the novels, the film (and Spence's book too "fills in the blanks" in Austen's life by adding touches of romance with questionable historical accuracy and fictionalizes the writer's biography in order to adapt it to the stereotype of modern romantic film heroines.

Dancing Literacy: Expanding Children's and Teachers' Literacy Repertoires through Embodied Knowing

Science.gov (United States)

Leonard, Alison E.; Hall, Anna H.; Herro, Danielle

2016-01-01

This paper explores dance as literacy. Specifically, it examines qualitative case study research findings and student examples from a dance artist-in-residence that explored curricular content using dance as its primary mode of enquiry and expression. Throughout the residency, students constructed meaning through their dance experiences in dynamic…

Alone, Asian and Female: The Unspoken Challenges of Conducting Fieldwork in Dance Settings

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Bina Bhardwa

2013-05-01

Full Text Available This article explores the methodological and emotional challenges of conducting a multi-sited and multi-method ethnography in three diverse dance settings: sweaty dance clubs in the northwest of England, the muddy grounds of a festival site and the sands of Playa den Bossa, Ibiza. Despite overlapping academic and personal interests in these dance spaces, my connection to the field did not equip me for the fieldwork task. In plotting the transition from dance consumer to field researcher, I reflexively analyse how my personal anxieties about entering the field as a novice, lone female researcher have come to shape the research process. In addition to gender, the impact of less prominent facets of my identity, including my ethnicity and social class, are also considered. The article concludes by evaluating some of the retrospective advantages of entering the field as a lone researcher.  

Part II. Drama / Choreography5. Theater Dance Atelier

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Enache Lorette

2017-03-01

Full Text Available The substance of the spiritual and cultural life is the syncretism of the arts from the performer-spectator division, that was made concurrently with the “dance” segmentation into work and pleasure. Words were held in formulas, gestures and dance in rhythm. Today, dance is mostly seen as the art of gesture. However, it is remarkable to reflect at to what extent the dance, as an organic necessity, it could further develop into hermetic structures that would still require analyses and studies from researchers in the field. In today‟s theatrical landscape, this formula of artistic expression which was called theatre dance evolved so much so that gesticulations and body exploration became its core components.

A norming study and library of 203 dance movements.

Science.gov (United States)

Christensen, Julia F; Nadal, Marcos; Cela-Conde, Camilo José

2014-01-01

Dance stimuli have been used in experimental studies of (i) how movement is processed in the brain; (ii) how affect is perceived from bodily movement; and (iii) how dance can be a source of aesthetic experience. However, stimulus materials across--and even within--these three domains of research have varied considerably. Thus, integrative conclusions remain elusive. Moreover, concerns have been raised that the movements selected for such stimuli are qualitatively too different from the actual art form dance, potentially introducing noise in the data. We propose a library of dance stimuli which responds to the stimuli requirements and design criteria of these three areas of research, while at the same time respecting a dance art-historical perspective, offering greater ecological validity as compared with previous dance stimulus sets. The stimuli are 5-6 s long video clips, selected from genuine ballet performances. Following a number of coding experiments, the resulting stimulus library comprises 203 ballet dance stimuli coded in (i) 25 qualitative and quantitative movement variables; (ii) affective valence and arousal; and (iii) the aesthetic qualities beauty, liking, and interest. An Excel spreadsheet with these data points accompanies this manuscript, and the stimuli can be obtained from the authors upon request.

Therapeutic Argentine tango dancing for people living with Parkinson’s disease: a feasibility study

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Laura M Blandy

2015-05-01

Full Text Available Background: Individuals living with Parkinson’s disease (PD can experience a range of movement disorders. Therapeutic dance is enjoyable and thought to improve mobility, balance and well being in some people with PD. The primary objective of this study was to evaluate the feasibility and safety of a 4 week Argentine tango dance program for people with PD. Methods: Six community dwelling individuals with mild-moderate PD were recruited from Parkinson’s support groups, movement disorder clinics and the Parkinson’s disease Association in Australia. To minimise falls risk, participants were required to be less than 75 years of age and physically independent (Hoehn and Yahr stages I-III. They were also required to speak English. Participants attended a 1 hour dance class at a dance studio twice per week for 4 weeks. A professional dance instructor led and choreographed the classes. Physiotherapists were present to assist participants during the class and served as dance partners as necessary. The primary outcome was feasibility which was determined by measures of recruitment, adherence, attrition, safety (falls, near misses and adverse events and resource requirements. Secondary measures included the Beck Depression Inventory and the Euroqol-5D, administered at baseline and post intervention. Therapy outcomes pre and post-intervention were analysed descriptively as medians and inter-quartile ranges and using Wilcoxon matched pair signed-rank tests.Results: The Argentine tango dance intervention was shown to be safe, with no adverse events. Adherence to the dance program was 89%. Depression scores improved after intervention (p=0.04. Some challenges were associated with the need to quickly recruitment participants and supplying physiotherapists to act as dance partners. Conclusion: The program was shown to be feasible and safe for people with mild to moderately severe PD.

Emotions and Feelings in a Collaborative Dance-Making Process

Science.gov (United States)

Rouhiainen, Leena; Hamalainen, Soili

2013-01-01

This paper looks into the significance emotions and feelings can have in a collaborative dance-making process. This is done by introducing a narrative based on a dance pedagogy student's writings. They contain observations of her experiences on being the facilitating choreographer in a dance-making process involving a cross-artistic group of…

Interfering with the Lived Field of Dance Pedagogy from Organizational and Leadership Studies Perspectives--An Explorative Intervention with Performing and Teaching Dance Artists

Science.gov (United States)

Østern, Tone Pernille; Irgens, Eirik J.

2018-01-01

One Saturday, in November in 2014, a researcher made an explorative intervention with 22 professional performing and teaching dance artists on the independent dance field in Norway. Through the three-hour-long intervention, the researcher and participants dived into questions about choreographic processes and dance pedagogy in contemporary times.…

Body Image in the Dance Class

Science.gov (United States)

Oliver, Wendy

2008-01-01

Although some research has shown that dance enhances body image and self-esteem, other research shows that it sometimes has the opposite effect and causes dancers to develop a negative body image and even eating disorders. In dance, body image is not only about maintaining a certain weight; it can also refer to specific perceived body flaws.…

Searching for Evidence: Continuing Issues in Dance Education Research

Science.gov (United States)

Stinson, Susan

2015-01-01

This paper reviews, analyzes, and reflects upon two important reports released in 2013, both discussing research evidence for the value of dance education or arts education more generally, among school-aged students. One report was created by a large dance education advocacy and support group in the USA, the National Dance Education Organization;…

An Examination of Critical Approaches to Interdisciplinary Dance Performance

Science.gov (United States)

Kennedy, Michelle

2009-01-01

As artists seek new ways to reflect an increasingly digital and global culture, theatrical dance in the UK and Europe has seen a growing collaboration and cross-fertilisation between forms of dance, theatre, visual art, film and technology. As the boundaries between artistic disciplines continue to blur, it seems clear that dance audiences need to…

KARL JASPERS’ INTELLECTUAL BIOGRAPHY OR EXPERIENCE OF HISTORICAL RESEARCH OF PHILISOPHER’S LIFE AND WORK

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Султана Гильмидиновна Кцоева

2014-12-01

Full Text Available The article is devoted to a such genre of historical research as intellectual biography. In it in practice (with reference to the person of outstanding German scientist Karl Jaspers are considered the basic methods, applied during the process of preparation of the intellectual biography, the circle of research problem is defined, typical for the given direction and their specific character is explained. Special attention is given to interdisciplinary as the basic condition of a successful scientific work on the given direction of intellectual history. A number of problems is listed in the article with which the historian, making the intellectual biography, anyway faces. The necessity of overcoming highly specialized scientific frames during the preparation of the intellectual biography becomes abundantly clear as it is impossible to understand the historical determinates of foldings of the whole system of scientific outlook of the intellectual without the reference to the system analysis of its scientific views, without immersing to the sphere of his professional interests which, as is known, can be far from history. The specified fact is the main reason for criticism of the direction of intellectual history from the adherents of “pure” history. The author defines a circle of research problems, among which are: definition of a circle of the research problems, objectively rising before the historian-intellectualist, realization of the selection of methods of research, relevant to the solution of objectives, demonstration of a bright example of practical application of methods of interdisciplinary research within writing of the intellectual biography of Jaspers.

Implementing a novel dance intervention in rehabilitation: perceived barriers and facilitators.

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Demers, Marika; Thomas, Aliki; Wittich, Walter; McKinley, Patricia

2015-01-01

To identify clinicians' perceptions regarding the facilitators and barriers to the use of dance in rehabilitation. This study used a qualitative descriptive design. Three focus groups were conducted with clinicians across three purposively selected rehabilitation centers. Data were analyzed using thematic content analysis. Fourteen allied health-care professionals (six occupational therapists, six physical therapists, and two social workers) with previous dance experience participated in this study. Four main themes emerged from the analysis representing the personal and organizational factors influencing on the implementation of dance interventions: (1) Clinician's dance experience and training, (2) Interest and personal beliefs towards using dance as a potential intervention, (3) Support from the organization of the institution, and (4) Available resources. Although each site was different, the main factors acting as barriers and facilitators were similar for all three sites. The identification of the barriers and facilitators to implementing dance in rehabilitation is the first step to support the translation of knowledge about dance. A tailored approach designed for clinicians and managers should address the main barriers to knowledge use about dance, as a potential rehabilitation modality for individuals with disabilities. Personal and organizational factors can act simultaneously as barriers and facilitators to the implementation of a dance intervention. Lack of time for professional development and lack of support from the organization are the main barriers to the uptake of knowledge about dance in rehabilitation. A knowledge translation strategy addressing the barriers to knowledge use is helpful for clinicians and managers facilitating the implementation of dance in rehabilitation settings.

Leadership Narratives in Postsecondary Dance Administration: Voices, Values and Gender Variations

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Risner, Doug; Musil, Pamela S.

2017-01-01

Dance in the U.S. university finds its beginnings in the visionary leadership of women. Since the mid-1910s, dance faculty and students in higher education have been predominantly female. Gender in postsecondary dance today remains much the same, with the exception of dance leadership, which is increasingly male. This narrative inquiry is drawn…

Dance as a therapy for cancer prevention.

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Aktas, Gurbuz; Ogce, Filiz

2005-01-01

Even though the field of medicine has developed tremendously, the wide variety of cancer is still among chronic and life threatening disease today. Therefore, the specialists constantly research and try every possible way to find cure or preventive ways to stop its further development. For this reason, studies concerning the chronic disease such as cancer have been spread to many different fields. In this regard, many other alternative ways besides medicine, are used in prevention of cancer. Nutritional therapy, herbal therapy, sportive activities, art therapy, music therapy, dance therapy, imagery, yoga and acupuncture can be given as examples. Among these, dance/movement therapy which deals with individuals physical, emotional, cognitive as well as social integration is widely used as a popular form of physical activity. The physical benefits of dance therapy as exercise are well documented. Studies have shown that physical activity is known to increase special neurotransmitter substances in the brain (endorphins), which create a state of well-being. And total body movement such as dance enhances the functions of other body systems, such as circulatory, respiratory, skeletal, and muscular systems. Regarding its unique connection to the field of medicine, many researches have been undertaken on the effects of dance/movement therapy in special settings with physical problems such as amputations, traumatic brain injury, and stroke, chronic illnesses such as anorexia, bulimia, cancer, Alzheimer's disease, cystic fibrosis, heart disease, diabetes, asthma, AIDS, and arthritis. Today dance/movement therapy is a well recognized form of complementary therapy used in hospitals as well as at the comprehensive clinical cancer centres.

Representacion E Identidad: Content Analysis of Latina Biographies for Primary and Preadolescent Children Published 1955-2010

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Lara, Margaret A.

2012-01-01

This study discusses the results of a content analysis of 75 Latina biographies for primary and pre-adolescent students that were published over a 16-year period, spanning from 1995 to 2010. Significant to this study was how Latinas were represented in the biographies and what changes can be seen over time. Using a rubric based on research by…

Telling different stories, making new realities: The ontological politics of 'addiction' biographies.

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Pienaar, Kiran; Dilkes-Frayne, Ella

2017-06-01

Personal narratives of alcohol and other drug addiction circulate widely in popular culture and they also have currency in professional therapeutic settings. Despite this, relatively little research has explored the conventions operating in these narratives and how they shape people's experiences and identities. While research in this area often proceeds on the premise that addiction biographies are straightforwardly 'true' accounts, in this paper we draw on the insights of critical alcohol and other drug scholarship, and the concept of 'ontological politics' to argue that biographies produce normative ideas about addiction and those said to be experiencing it. Our analysis compares traditional addiction narratives with the biographies we reconstructed from qualitative interviews with 60 people in Australia who describe themselves as having an 'addiction', 'dependence' or drug 'habit'. We track how addiction is variously enacted in these accounts and comment on the effects of particular enactments. By attending to the ways in which people cope, even thrive, with the kind of consumption that would attract a diagnosis of addiction or dependence, the biographies we produced disrupt the classic narrative of increasing drug use, decline and eventual collapse. Doing so allows for consideration of the benefits of consumption, as well as the ways that people carefully regulate it to minimise harms. It also constitutes individuals as active in managing consumption-an important move that challenges dominant understandings of addiction as a disorder of compulsivity. We conclude by considering the implications of our attempt to provide an alternative range of narratives, which resonate with people's diverse experiences. Crown Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

In a spin: the mysterious dancing epidemic of 1518.

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Waller, John C

2008-09-01

In 1518, one of the strangest epidemics in recorded history struck the city of Strasbourg. Hundreds of people were seized by an irresistible urge to dance, hop and leap into the air. In houses, halls and public spaces, as fear paralyzed the city and the members of the elite despaired, the dancing continued with mindless intensity. Seldom pausing to eat, drink or rest, many of them danced for days or even weeks. And before long, the chronicles agree, dozens were dying from exhaustion. What was it that could have impelled as many as 400 people to dance, in some cases to death?

Courage and Power: Dancing in Senegal

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Moss, Suzan

2002-01-01

This article explores continuing professional development. I teach in a community college where 93% of the students are black and Latino. I am a Caucasian teacher, and my background is primarily modern and jazz dance. In recent years I have been studying African and Latin dance forms, so that I can address the deep hunger my students have to learn…

Historical aspects of Belly Dance and its practice in Brazil

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Queiroz Kussunoki, Sandra Aparecida [UNESP; Aguiar, Carmen Maria [UNESP

2009-01-01

Dance is regarded as one of the oldest art forms, which is based on evidence from prehistoric paintings found in caves; man expressed himself through body language prior to the development of spoken and written forms of communication. Dance was then used during important events, common to their era and culture, and often in religious rituals, to ensure good harvests - their economic activity. Belly-dance appeared approximately eight thousand years B. C. E. as a sacred dance firstly practiced ...

THE DANCING SCULPTURES OF THE 19TH CENTURY EUROPEAN ART

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Sibel ALMELEK ISMAN

2015-04-01

Full Text Available Dance has been an indispensable element of human life for centuries. Painters and sculptors have created the dynamism of dance steps either on the canvas or stone with the same excitement. Charits, Nymphs, Bacchantes and Satyrs, the Greek and Roman mythological figures who attract attention with their dances have been a source of inspiration for artists. In this research, the dancing sculptures of the 19th century which is an interesting period in European art because of its witnessing of long term styles like Neoclassicism and Romanticism and short term movements such as Realism and Impressionism are examined. Examples of sculptures which brings dance to life before and after the 19th century have also been mentioned. The likenesses as well as dissimilarities in the way the arts of painting and sculpture approach to the theme of dance has been briefly evaluated.

Marital Biography, Social Security Receipt, and Poverty

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Lin, I-Fen; Brown, Susan L.; Hammersmith, Anna M.

2017-01-01

Increasingly, older adults are unmarried, which could mean a larger share is at risk of economic disadvantage. Using data from the 2010 Health and Retirement Study, we chart the diverse range of marital biographies, capturing marital sequences and timing, of adults who are age eligible for Social Security and examine three indicators of economic well-being: Social Security receipt, Social Security benefit levels, and poverty status. Partnereds are disproportionately likely to receive Social S...

The Value of Biomechanical Research in Dance.

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Ranney, D. A.

Simple observation of dance movement, while very useful, can lead to misconceptions, about the physical realities of dance movement, that make learning difficult. This gap between reality and understanding can be reduced by the application of biomechanical techniques such as cinematography, electromyography, and force-plate analysis. Biomechanical…

Exposure to classroom sound pressure level among dance teachers in Porto Alegre (RS

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Nehring, Cristiane

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Dance teachers are exposed to high sound intensities. Aim: To verify the sound intensity of music used by dance teachers during classes. Method: This was a transversal and prospective study. Dance teachers were evaluated with a sociodemographic questionnaire, and sound intensity level measurements were taken at the beginning, middle, and end of dance classes. Results: The sample comprised 35 teachers (average age, 31.8 years. The duration of their career as dance teachers was 1-37 years; they worked daily for approximately 1-10 h. Among the classes followed, there were 15 (42.85% classical ballet classes, 4 (11.42% tap dancing lessons, 5 (14.28% jazz dance classes, 2 (5.71 Arab dance lessons, 6 (17.14% street dance classes, and 3 (8.57% ballroom dancing lessons. The average values observed at the beginning, middle, and end of the classes were 80.91 dB (A, 83.22 dB (A, and 85.19 dB (A, respectively. The music played in the street dance classes exposed teachers to the highest sound intensity. Conclusion: The average level of sound intensity of the dance classes in this study was either below or equal to the limit considered harmful for hearing health. Analysis of different class types showed that the sound densities of street, ballroom, and tap dance classes were above the recommended limits.

Creativity Education Model through Dance Creation for Students of Junior High School

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Malarsih

2015-01-01

Full Text Available This study aims to realize dance as a real product of a dance education process. The product is packaged in a form of audio-visual as well as a scientific publication. As the benefit from this study, the product can be used by school and specifically by dance teacher as a guidance in conducting dance lesson at school. The study on the model of creativity education through the creation is being understood as a form of developmental research. As a developmental research, the research plan is initiated by analyzing the teaching material related to dance lesson, and relate it to the creativity education which has to be accomplished through dance lesson, specifically for Junior High School students. The study will be continued with theoretical/ conceptual analysis and observation which is related to creativity education through the dance creation. In the end of this study, model of creativity education through dance creation is produced, particularly for students of Junior High School level. Results of the study show that, in doing creativity activity through dance creation, the value of the dance as an art is not become the primary aim. Moreover, the main aim of this process is towards the creativity process itself. While producing and creating the dance, two major educational points are derived, which are: the creativity and product value in a form of dance. Based on background of the idea, through this pilot project, the creativity of creating dance for public schools students, especially Junior High School, is possible to be done and used as a dance creativity learning model in Junior High School. Two suggestions are formulated in this study: (1 it is suggested for dance teachers in public schools, in this context is Junior High School teachers, to set their teaching and learning process into the creativity education as it is implied in curriculum. (2 In order to achieve the creativity education itself, the dance creation as one of art subject

Dance Therapy.

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Leventhal, Marcia B.

1980-01-01

Dance therapy deals with personal growth via body-mind interaction. A change in movement expression is believed to result in a personality or behavior change. The therapist is trained to become sensitive to movement expression as it relates to the psychological, motor, and cognitive development of the child. (JN)

Biographies of Heroes. Grade 2 Model Lesson for Standard 5. California History-Social Science Course Models.

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Porter, Priscilla

Students focus on people who make a difference. The unit features men and women whose achievements have had a direct or indirect influence in the students' lives. These individuals include heroes from long ago and the recent past along with people who are currently active in the local community. The unit is crafted around biographies. It aims to…

A Forgotten Voice: A Biography of Leta Stetter Hollingworth.

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Klein, Ann G.

This biography examines the life of Leta Stetter Hollingworth who was born in rural Nebraska in 1886, rose above an abusive childhood and strong prejudice to become an influential psychologist, feminist, educator, author, and advocate for gifted children. Individual chapters have the following titles: (1) "A Child Called 'E'"; (2)…

Northern Ghana women in national politics: Biographies of Lydia ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Although material has been scarce, it is intended that the re/presentation here will create space for deeper and broader sharing on their and other life-stories. Keywords: Politics, Women Parliamentarians, Life-story, Biographies, Political Party Studies in Gender and Development in Africa Vol. 1 (1) 2007: pp. 132-139 ...

Older adults' acceptance of a robot for partner dance-based exercise.

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Chen, Tiffany L; Bhattacharjee, Tapomayukh; Beer, Jenay M; Ting, Lena H; Hackney, Madeleine E; Rogers, Wendy A; Kemp, Charles C

2017-01-01

Partner dance has been shown to be beneficial for the health of older adults. Robots could potentially facilitate healthy aging by engaging older adults in partner dance-based exercise. However, partner dance involves physical contact between the dancers, and older adults would need to be accepting of partner dancing with a robot. Using methods from the technology acceptance literature, we conducted a study with 16 healthy older adults to investigate their acceptance of robots for partner dance-based exercise. Participants successfully led a human-scale wheeled robot with arms (i.e., a mobile manipulator) in a simple, which we refer to as the Partnered Stepping Task (PST). Participants led the robot by maintaining physical contact and applying forces to the robot's end effectors. According to questionnaires, participants were generally accepting of the robot for partner dance-based exercise, tending to perceive it as useful, easy to use, and enjoyable. Participants tended to perceive the robot as easier to use after performing the PST with it. Through a qualitative data analysis of structured interview data, we also identified facilitators and barriers to acceptance of robots for partner dance-based exercise. Throughout the study, our robot used admittance control to successfully dance with older adults, demonstrating the feasibility of this method. Overall, our results suggest that robots could successfully engage older adults in partner dance-based exercise.

Older adults’ acceptance of a robot for partner dance-based exercise

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Tiffany L.; Beer, Jenay M.; Ting, Lena H.; Hackney, Madeleine E.; Rogers, Wendy A.; Kemp, Charles C.

2017-01-01

Partner dance has been shown to be beneficial for the health of older adults. Robots could potentially facilitate healthy aging by engaging older adults in partner dance-based exercise. However, partner dance involves physical contact between the dancers, and older adults would need to be accepting of partner dancing with a robot. Using methods from the technology acceptance literature, we conducted a study with 16 healthy older adults to investigate their acceptance of robots for partner dance-based exercise. Participants successfully led a human-scale wheeled robot with arms (i.e., a mobile manipulator) in a simple, which we refer to as the Partnered Stepping Task (PST). Participants led the robot by maintaining physical contact and applying forces to the robot’s end effectors. According to questionnaires, participants were generally accepting of the robot for partner dance-based exercise, tending to perceive it as useful, easy to use, and enjoyable. Participants tended to perceive the robot as easier to use after performing the PST with it. Through a qualitative data analysis of structured interview data, we also identified facilitators and barriers to acceptance of robots for partner dance-based exercise. Throughout the study, our robot used admittance control to successfully dance with older adults, demonstrating the feasibility of this method. Overall, our results suggest that robots could successfully engage older adults in partner dance-based exercise. PMID:29045408

Older adults' acceptance of a robot for partner dance-based exercise.

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Tiffany L Chen

Full Text Available Partner dance has been shown to be beneficial for the health of older adults. Robots could potentially facilitate healthy aging by engaging older adults in partner dance-based exercise. However, partner dance involves physical contact between the dancers, and older adults would need to be accepting of partner dancing with a robot. Using methods from the technology acceptance literature, we conducted a study with 16 healthy older adults to investigate their acceptance of robots for partner dance-based exercise. Participants successfully led a human-scale wheeled robot with arms (i.e., a mobile manipulator in a simple, which we refer to as the Partnered Stepping Task (PST. Participants led the robot by maintaining physical contact and applying forces to the robot's end effectors. According to questionnaires, participants were generally accepting of the robot for partner dance-based exercise, tending to perceive it as useful, easy to use, and enjoyable. Participants tended to perceive the robot as easier to use after performing the PST with it. Through a qualitative data analysis of structured interview data, we also identified facilitators and barriers to acceptance of robots for partner dance-based exercise. Throughout the study, our robot used admittance control to successfully dance with older adults, demonstrating the feasibility of this method. Overall, our results suggest that robots could successfully engage older adults in partner dance-based exercise.

Archives of the Dance (22): Pioneer Women – early British modern dancers (the National Resource Centre for Dance, University of Surrey).

OpenAIRE

Carter, Alexandra

2010-01-01

Pioneer Women was an AHRC-funded project based on archives held at the National Resource Centre for Dance, University of Surrey. Two of the largest collections, those on Madge Atkinson and Natural Movement, and Ruby Ginner’s Revived (later Classical) Greek Dance, are categorized and interrogated for not only what they reveal of the work of these two dance artists, but also for how they resonate with dominant cultural trends in the arts. The research privileges a much under-explored or theoriz...

Verbal Auditory Cueing of Improvisational Dance: A Proposed Method for Training Agency in Parkinson’s Disease

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Batson, Glenna; Hugenschmidt, Christina E.; Soriano, Christina T.

2016-01-01

Dance is a non-pharmacological intervention that helps maintain functional independence and quality of life in people with Parkinson’s disease (PPD). Results from controlled studies on group-delivered dance for people with mild-to-moderate stage Parkinson’s have shown statistically and clinically significant improvements in gait, balance, and psychosocial factors. Tested interventions include non-partnered dance forms (ballet and modern dance) and partnered (tango). In all of these dance forms, specific movement patterns initially are learned through repetition and performed in time-to-music. Once the basic steps are mastered, students may be encouraged to improvise on the learned steps as they perform them in rhythm with the music. Here, we summarize a method of teaching improvisational dance that advances previous reported benefits of dance for people with Parkinson’s disease (PD). The method relies primarily on improvisational verbal auditory cueing with less emphasis on directed movement instruction. This method builds on the idea that daily living requires flexible, adaptive responses to real-life challenges. In PD, movement disorders not only limit mobility but also impair spontaneity of thought and action. Dance improvisation demands open and immediate interpretation of verbally delivered movement cues, potentially fostering the formation of spontaneous movement strategies. Here, we present an introduction to a proposed method, detailing its methodological specifics, and pointing to future directions. The viewpoint advances an embodied cognitive approach that has eco-validity in helping PPD meet the changing demands of daily living. PMID:26925029

Dance Educator Enrichment Program (DEEP): A Model for Professional Development

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Sofras, Pamela Anderson; Emory-Maier, Ambre

2005-01-01

In 2001, North Carolina Dance Theatre, The University of North Carolina at Charlotte, and the Charlotte-Mecklenburg School system joined forces to create a multidimensional, professional development program for dance professionals (teachers and artists) in the public schools called, The Dance Educator Enrichment Program (DEEP). DEEP was designed…

Some Problems in the Aesthetics of Dance

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Best, David N.

1975-01-01

Author considered the two-horned dilemma the teacher of dance is faced with concerning the aesthetic quality of her art; in the first case is the insistence on the importance of individual emotional response and secondly is the problem of being rational in one's approach to teaching dance. (Author/RK)

Dance/Movement Therapy with Emotionally Disturbed Adolescents.

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Bannon, Veronica

This outline profiles two programs that use dance/movement therapy to help students with low self-esteem, poor body image, poor self-control, lack of trust in others, difficulty identifying and expressing feelings, and poor interpersonal relating skills. Students referred for dance/movement therapy services are assessed for appropriateness, and…

Enlivening Dance History Pedagogy through Archival Projects

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Randall, Tresa

2012-01-01

Dance archives can bring students into contact with historical subjects through artifacts of the past. This article advocates the use of archival projects in undergraduate dance history courses, arguing that such hands-on learning activities give students dynamic and interactive experiences of history. The author describes a creative project she…

Legal Protection Against The Dance Creator In Indonesia

OpenAIRE

Juwita; Juajir Sumardi; Oky Deviany Burhamzah; Hasbir Paserangi

2015-01-01

This research aimed to find out and to analyze the ideal legal protection so it can encourage the creator of dance in developing a creation in the field of dance and to find out and to analyze and to get the concept of legal protection of copyright in the field of dance after the enactment of Act No. 28 of 2014 concerns Copyright. This research is empirical juridical. The technique of collecting legal material is conducted through interviews questionnaires to respondents and literature study ...

Modus of Artistic Biographies by M. Slaboshpytskiy

OpenAIRE

Chernysh, Anna

2013-01-01

Artistic biography as special metagenre variety is examined in the article. In basis of biographic work is a hypothesis-model of life of hero-prototype. Writer-biographer, as a rule, in biographic works uses actively by diaries, memoirs, documents, protocols, newspaper and magazine publications, public appearances, that is instrumental in working out in detail of appearance of historical epoch and appearance of artist, and also tripping of with a plot canvas of works.On the example of novels-...

Tangled roots: Kalenda and other neo-African dances in the circum-Caribbean

OpenAIRE

Julian Gerstin

2004-01-01

Investigates descriptions of Afro-Caribbean dances in early chronicles and historical material. Author focuses on choreography, as well as on musical instruments and their use. He pays special attention to descriptions of the Martinican kalenda dance. He discusses descriptions from the 18th c. of black Caribbean dance in French and other colonies, by priests and others, of the kalenda as a couple dance within a ring, and descriptions of other widespread early dances in the Caribbean, such as ...

An Introduction to the Dance of India, China, Korea, Japan.

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Gordon, Beate; Gordon, Joseph

The general aim of this booklet is to assist those who desire to increase their knowledge and appreciation of Asian cultures and, more specifically, to provide an additional dimension to the Asia Society's Dance Demonstration Program. Dance history, philosophical ideas of religion, accompanying rituals, the relationship of dance to music, and…

Influence of dance therapy on the functional mobility of children with spastic hemiparetic cerebral palsy

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D.C. Garção

2011-01-01

Full Text Available The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of dance therapy on the functional mobility of children with spastic hemiparetic cerebral palsy. Ten female children (mean age 7.2 ± 1.2 years diagnosed with cerebral palsy were included. In order to evaluate their functional mobility, standing (D and walking, running and jumping (E dimensions from GMFM were applied, and measurements were carried out in two phases: 1 control, six weeks without any motor intervention, and 2 activity, 18 sessions of dancing. Children were assessed three times: first, before the control phase, second, after the control phase, and third, at the end of the dancing phase. Kruskal-Wallis (p < .05 and Dunn tests (p < .05 were used. There were no changes in performance between the two first phases of evaluation (p = 1.00, however, at the end of the dancing phase a significant increase was measured in relation to D (p < .01 and E dimensions (p < .01. Results showed that dance therapy influences children's functional mobility.

Influence of dance therapy on the functional mobility of children with spastic hemiparetic cerebral palsy

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Diogo Costa Garção

2011-09-01

Full Text Available The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of dance therapy on the functional mobility of children with spastic hemiparetic cerebral palsy. Ten female children (mean age 7.2 ± 1.2 years diagnosed with cerebral palsy were included. In order to evaluate their functional mobility, standing (D and walking, running and jumping (E dimensions from GMFM were applied, and measurements were carried out in two phases: 1 control, six weeks without any motor intervention, and 2 activity, 18 sessions of dancing. Children were assessed three times: first, before the control phase, second, after the control phase, and third, at the end of the dancing phase. Kruskal-Wallis (p < .05 and Dunn tests (p < .05 were used. There were no changes in performance between the two first phases of evaluation (p = 1.00, however, at the end of the dancing phase a significant increase was measured in relation to D (p < .01 and E dimensions (p < .01. Results showed that dance therapy influences children's functional mobility.

Assessment of Appetitive Behavior in Honey Bee Dance Followers

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Moauro, Mariel A.; Balbuena, M. Sol; Farina, Walter M.

2018-01-01

Honey bees transfer different informational components of the discovered feeding source to their nestmates during the waggle dance. To decode the multicomponent information of this complex behavior, dance followers have to attend to the most relevant signal elements while filtering out less relevant ones. To achieve that, dance followers should present improved abilities to acquire information compared with those bees not engaged in this behavior. Through proboscis extension response assays, sensory and cognitive abilities were tested in follower and non-follower bees. Individuals were captured within the hive, immediately after following waggle runs or a bit further from the dancer. Both behavioral categories present low and similar spontaneous odor responses (SORs). However, followers exhibit differences in responsiveness to sucrose and odor discrimination: followers showed increased gustatory responsiveness and, after olfactory differential conditioning, better memory retention than non-followers. Thus, the abilities of the dance followers related to appetitive behavior would allow them to improve the acquisition of the dance surrounding information. PMID:29755329

Assessment of Appetitive Behavior in Honey Bee Dance Followers

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Mariel A. Moauro

2018-04-01

Full Text Available Honey bees transfer different informational components of the discovered feeding source to their nestmates during the waggle dance. To decode the multicomponent information of this complex behavior, dance followers have to attend to the most relevant signal elements while filtering out less relevant ones. To achieve that, dance followers should present improved abilities to acquire information compared with those bees not engaged in this behavior. Through proboscis extension response assays, sensory and cognitive abilities were tested in follower and non-follower bees. Individuals were captured within the hive, immediately after following waggle runs or a bit further from the dancer. Both behavioral categories present low and similar spontaneous odor responses (SORs. However, followers exhibit differences in responsiveness to sucrose and odor discrimination: followers showed increased gustatory responsiveness and, after olfactory differential conditioning, better memory retention than non-followers. Thus, the abilities of the dance followers related to appetitive behavior would allow them to improve the acquisition of the dance surrounding information.

Physical performance in recently aged adults after 6 weeks traditional Thai dance: a randomized controlled trial

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Janyacharoen, Taweesak; Laophosri, Maneepun; Kanpittaya, Jaturat; Auvichayapat, Paradee; Sawanyawisuth, Kittisak

2013-01-01

Background Exercise has been shown to be effective in cardiovascular endurance in the elderly. We studied the effect of Thai dancing on physical performance of Thai elderly. Methods This was an open-labeled, randomized intervention study. The Thai dancing group exercised for 40 minutes three times a week for 6 weeks. Physical performance ability was the primary outcome, including a 6-minute walk test (6MWT), five-times sit-to-stand (FTSST), and a sit-and-reach test measured before and after 6 weeks of intervention. Results There were 42 subjects enrolled in the study, and 38 female subjects completed (20 in Thai dance group, 18 controls), with an average age of 65.8 ± 5.1 years. The Thai dance group had significantly better physical performance in all measurements at the end of the study. The 6MWT was longer (416.7 ± 58.7 versus 345.7 ± 55.1 m; P = 0.011), FTSST was quicker (10.2 ± 1.5 versus 14.4 ± 3.3 seconds; P dance group than the control group. Conclusion Thai dance can improve physical performance in recently aged (elderly) female adults. PMID:23950640

The Embodiment of Masculinity: From Techniques to Dance

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Zala Pezdir

2008-12-01

Full Text Available This article surveys a palette of various theories of the body – from biology to cultural determinism – and it anchors itself in the concepts of body agency and the gendered body. The gender theme reduces its focus to the male body and those practices that continuously confirm this body’s masculinity; special attention is dedicated to the embodiment of masculinities in sports and techniques. An examination of dance follows. To reveal why the masculinity of dancing men is so often questioned in Western culture, certain aspects of Western theater dance history are discussed and there is a brief commentary on the SNG Opera and Ballet. This article reveals where embodiment techniques of hegemonic masculinities restrain the dancing male body, and it points to their wider social consequences, which the author believes are worth changing.

Social Dancing for Successful Ageing: Models for Health, Happiness and Social Inclusion amongst Senior Citizens

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Jonathan Skinner

2013-03-01

Full Text Available Abstract: This article presents findings from a qualitative study of social dancing for successful ageing amongst senior citizens in three locales: in Blackpool (GB, around Belfast (NI, and in Sacramento (US. Findings also attest to the social, psychological and health benefits of social dancing amongst senior citizens. They also articulate three different social dancing models: social dance as tea dance (Sacramento, social dance as practice dance (Blackpool, social dance as motility (Belfast and environs.

Music and dance make me feel alive: from Mandela's prison songs and dances to public policy.

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Buis, Johann S

2013-01-01

How is it possible for song and dance to exist in political incarceration and manifest itself later as public policy responding to apartheid atrocities? Examining the body of songs, oral history accounts, and eye-witness reports provided by fellow-prisoners of Mandela on Robben Island prison, I uncover a psychological environment mediated through music and dance--within the confines of a political prison. This source of prison music-making by political prisoners in detention, provide us with the artistic expressions of revolutionary songs, parody songs, praise songs, laments, etc. These music genres reflect ontologies embedded in Mandela's juristic imagination. My framework for explaining these ontologies is a theoretical framework I call an aesthetic of function: internal ontologies that speak to the African cultural ground against which external ontologies are expressed in the jurisprudential redress to apartheid atrocities. Examining his external (jurisprudential) ontologies through song and dance, one realizes that the best way for him to have solved the unprecedented public redress of apartheid atrocities is evident in the songs he sang in Robben Island prison. Retribution could have been a logical solution for him. Instead, he turned to truth-telling and reconciliation as public policy. The Truth and Reconciliation Commission's unprecedented breaking of social and jurisprudential boundaries, the claim of agency for both victims and perpetrators, and public policy of South Africa's first democratically elected black president, lie deeply embedded in cultural practices he testified to in his autobiography, "The Long Walk to Freedom". These cultural practices in prison were singing and dancing. This paper complements the music-as-torture trope: here music in detention carries ontological agency. Musical evidence of stylistic features, text, and contextual analyses, and related literary criticism devices, expose Mandela's embedded internal and external

Pleasurable and Intersubjectively Embodied Experiences of Electronic Dance Music

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ragnhild Torvanger Solberg

2017-04-01

Full Text Available How do dancers engage with electronic dance music (EDM when dancing? This paper reports on an empirical study of dancers' pleasurable engagement with three structural properties of EDM: (1 breakdown, (2 build-up, and (3 drop. Sixteen participants danced to a DJ mix in a club-like environment, and the group’s bodily activity was recorded with an infrared, marker-based motion capture system. After they danced, the subjects filled out questionnaires about the pleasure they experienced and their relative desire to move while dancing. Subsequent analyses revealed associations between the group’s quantity of motion and self-reported experiences of pleasure. Associations were also found between certain sonic features and dynamic changes in the dancers' movements. Pronounced changes occurred in the group's quantity of motion during the breakdown, build-up, and drop sections, suggesting a high level of synchronization between the group and the structural properties of the music. The questionnaire confirmed this intersubjective agreement: participants perceived the musical passages consistently and marked the build-up and drop as particularly pleasurable and motivational in terms of dancing. Self-reports demonstrated that the presence and activity of other participants were also important in the shaping of one's own experience, thus supporting the idea of clubbing as an intersubjectively embodied experience.

We think you can dance! A pilot randomised controlled trial of dance for nursing home residents with moderate to severe dementia.

Science.gov (United States)

Low, L F; Carroll, S; Merom, D; Baker, J R; Kochan, N; Moran, F; Brodaty, H

2016-12-01

To evaluate the feasibility of a dance program for people with moderate to severe dementia living in nursing homeswith regards to recruitment and retention, assessment tools, intervention safety, attendance and engagement. Pilot randomised controlled trial with assessments at weeks 0, 16 and 32. A nursing home in Sydney, Australia. Experienced dance teachers conducted dance groups (intervention) or music appreciation and socialisation groups (control) for 45min, three times a week for 16 weeks. Descriptive statistics for recruitment and retention, adverse events and attendance and engagement. Recruitment was smooth, attrition was17% over 32 weeks. Engagement during the sessions was high, and no serious falls or behavioural incidents occurred. Average attendance was poorer than anticipated for dance groups (67%) in comparison to music groups (89%). A ceiling effect on the Severe Impairment Battery and the logistical challenges of the Clinical Global Impression of Change meant they may not be optimal tools. It is feasible to conduct a study of group dance for people with moderate to severe dementia in residential care. Choice of attention control condition should be reconsidered. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Identities and Dance Competition: Re/Discovering the Force from Within

Science.gov (United States)

Tai, JuanAnn

2014-01-01

The National Student Dance Competition is a significant annual event in the field of dance in Taiwan supervised by the Ministry of Education. Dance pupils who participate in this competition are under the influence of their instructors and thus tend to reproduce the same culture in their socialization process. By using the Bourdieuian concepts of…

Critical Postcolonial Dance Recovery and Pedagogy: An International Literature Review

Science.gov (United States)

Banks, Ojeya Cruz

2009-01-01

This paper examines how the historical punishment of the dancing body in (post)colonial contexts has been a measure for controlling the mind and undertaking effective cultural imperialism. I bring to focus the striking global dance movement to revitalise oppressed dance forms, in an effort to do what Tuhiwai Smith calls "the recovery of…

Motor Simulation without Motor Expertise: Enhanced Corticospinal Excitability in Visually Experienced Dance Spectators

Science.gov (United States)

Jola, Corinne; Abedian-Amiri, Ali; Kuppuswamy, Annapoorna; Pollick, Frank E.; Grosbras, Marie-Hélène

2012-01-01

The human “mirror-system” is suggested to play a crucial role in action observation and execution, and is characterized by activity in the premotor and parietal cortices during the passive observation of movements. The previous motor experience of the observer has been shown to enhance the activity in this network. Yet visual experience could also have a determinant influence when watching more complex actions, as in dance performances. Here we tested the impact visual experience has on motor simulation when watching dance, by measuring changes in corticospinal excitability. We also tested the effects of empathic abilities. To fully match the participants' long-term visual experience with the present experimental setting, we used three live solo dance performances: ballet, Indian dance, and non-dance. Participants were either frequent dance spectators of ballet or Indian dance, or “novices” who never watched dance. None of the spectators had been physically trained in these dance styles. Transcranial magnetic stimulation was used to measure corticospinal excitability by means of motor-evoked potentials (MEPs) in both the hand and the arm, because the hand is specifically used in Indian dance and the arm is frequently engaged in ballet dance movements. We observed that frequent ballet spectators showed larger MEP amplitudes in the arm muscles when watching ballet compared to when they watched other performances. We also found that the higher Indian dance spectators scored on the fantasy subscale of the Interpersonal Reactivity Index, the larger their MEPs were in the arms when watching Indian dance. Our results show that even without physical training, corticospinal excitability can be enhanced as a function of either visual experience or the tendency to imaginatively transpose oneself into fictional characters. We suggest that spectators covertly simulate the movements for which they have acquired visual experience, and that empathic abilities heighten

Pages of history of dance culture in Tuva

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Vladimir K. Biche-ool

2016-08-01

Full Text Available History of formation, development and a current state of the Tuva dance is considered in the article. The creative characteristic is given to the ballet masters, teachers, those actors who have devoted their lives to the Tuvan dance.

Dancing with the regulations - Part Deux

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nitschke, R.L.

1995-01-01

The disposal of low-level radioactive waste (LLW) in the United States has long been subjected to two very similar regulations depending upon the location. Disposal sites located on Department of Energy (DOE) Reservations are subject to DOE Order 5820.2A open-quotes Radioactive Waste Management,close quotes while disposal sites located elsewhere are subject to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission regulation 10 CFR 61 open-quotes Licensing Requirements for Land Disposal of Radioactive Waste.close quotes While life was not necessarily good, there was only one sheet of music to dance to. Recently a new player, named CERCLA (Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act), has ridden into those DOE towns, and for those whose disposal facilities lie within or adjacent to Superfund sites, she has brought along a different drum to dance to. This paper discusses the differences and similarities between the different dance partners and their associated musical scores (i.e., the performance assessment (PA) required by the DOE order and the baseline risk assessment (BRA) required by CERCLA). The paper then provides a brief discussion on the latest dancer to cut in: the Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board (DNFSB). This discussion should help to alleviate the confusion while dancing on the LLW disposal regulatory ballroom floor

Dancing with the regulations - Part Deux

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nitschke, R.L. [Lockheed Martin Idaho Technologies, Idaho Falls, ID (United States)

1995-12-31

The disposal of low-level radioactive waste (LLW) in the United States has long been subjected to two very similar regulations depending upon the location. Disposal sites located on Department of Energy (DOE) Reservations are subject to DOE Order 5820.2A {open_quotes}Radioactive Waste Management,{close_quotes} while disposal sites located elsewhere are subject to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission regulation 10 CFR 61 {open_quotes}Licensing Requirements for Land Disposal of Radioactive Waste.{close_quotes} While life was not necessarily good, there was only one sheet of music to dance to. Recently a new player, named CERCLA (Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act), has ridden into those DOE towns, and for those whose disposal facilities lie within or adjacent to Superfund sites, she has brought along a different drum to dance to. This paper discusses the differences and similarities between the different dance partners and their associated musical scores (i.e., the performance assessment (PA) required by the DOE order and the baseline risk assessment (BRA) required by CERCLA). The paper then provides a brief discussion on the latest dancer to cut in: the Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board (DNFSB). This discussion should help to alleviate the confusion while dancing on the LLW disposal regulatory ballroom floor.

Albert Einstein a biography

CERN Document Server

Fölsing, Albrecht

1997-01-01

Albert Einstein's achievements are not just milestones in the history of science; decades ago they became an integral part of the twentieth-century world in which we live. Like no other modern physicist he altered and expanded our understanding of nature. Like few other scholars, he stood fully in the public eye. In a world changing with dramatic rapidity, he embodied the role of the scientist by personal example. Albrecht Folsing, relying on previously unknown sources and letters, brings Einstein's "genius" into focus. Whereas former biographies, written in the tradition of the history of science, seem to describe a heroic Einstein who fell to earth from heaven, Folsing attempts to reconstruct Einstein's thought in the context of the state of research at the turn of the century. Thus, perhaps for the first time, Einstein's surroundings come to light.

探析土家族摆手舞的舞蹈形态及风格特征%Analysis on Dance Forms and Style Features of Tujia Waving Dance

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

汪茜

2015-01-01

Taking the fact that the name, form and content of Tujia Waving Dance were originated from religion, war and labor pro-ductivity as the breakthrough point, the author analyzes such two performance forms of Tujia Waving Dance as big-range waving and small-range waving, and then elaborates the style character-istics of Tujia Waving Dance, namely, originality, warfare, sacri-fice and aesthetics, and finally specifies the dance forms of Tujia Waving Dance, including bending knees, vibration, same side, vertical jump and waving, circular jump and waving. The aim of this paper is to promote the popularization of Tujia Waving Dance among more and more people.%笔者以土家族摆手舞的起名、形式、内容分别产生于宗教信仰、战争及劳动生产为切入点，解析了土家族摆手舞的大摆、小摆两种表演形式，进而对土家族摆手舞的原生性、战争性、祭祀性、审美性的风格特征进行了阐述，最后对土家族摆手舞的屈膝、颤动、顺拐、同边、直立跳摆及绕圈跳摆的舞蹈形态特征进行了剖析。以期推动土家族摆手舞被越来越多的人所认识。

Capture and fission with DANCE and NEUANCE

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jandel, M.; Baramsai, B.; Bond, E.; Rusev, G.; Walker, C.; Bredeweg, T.A.; Chadwick, M.B.; Couture, A.; Fowler, M.M.; Hayes, A.; Kawano, T.; Mosby, S.; Stetcu, I.; Taddeucci, T.N.; Talou, P.; Ullmann, J.L.; Vieira, D.J.; Wilhelmy, J.B. [Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico (United States)

2015-12-15

A summary of the current and future experimental program at DANCE is presented. Measurements of neutron capture cross sections are planned for many actinide isotopes with the goal to reduce the present uncertainties in nuclear data libraries. Detailed studies of capture gamma rays in the neutron resonance region will be performed in order to derive correlated data on the de-excitation of the compound nucleus. New approaches on how to remove the DANCE detector response from experimental data and retain the correlations between the cascade gamma rays are presented. Studies on {sup 235}U are focused on quantifying the population of short-lived isomeric states in {sup 236}U after neutron capture. For this purpose, a new neutron detector array NEUANCE is under construction. It will be installed in the central cavity of the DANCE array and enable the highly efficient tagging of fission and capture events. In addition, developments of fission fragment detectors are also underway to expand DANCE capabilities to measurements of fully correlated data on fission observables. (orig.)

Toward a Psychology of Responses to Dance Performance

Science.gov (United States)

Gervasio, Amy Herstein

2012-01-01

This paper applies contemporary principles in cognitive and social psychology to understand how Western ballet and modern dance is imbued with emotional and narrative meaning by an audience. These include nine Gestalt concepts of visual form perception as well as cognitive heuristics of representativeness and availability in concept formation and…

Students Awareness towards Traditional Cultural Dances in Sarawak, Malaysia

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Ahmad R. Albattat

2016-07-01

Full Text Available Malaysia has many ethnic groups, and each ethnic group has own custom and tradition that most Malaysians are not aware, especially traditional dances. Among the Malaysian states, Sabah and Sarawak, situated in the Borneo Island have the most diverse ethnic groups in Sarawak. It has more than 30 ethnic groups. Each of the ethnic groups has its own language, cultures and lifestyle. In this regards, this research focuses on the main ethnic groups of Sarawak which are Orang Ulu, Malays, Melanau, Bidayuh, Chinese and Ibans. The aim of this study is to investigate the level of awareness among the Management and Science University (MSU students regarding their level of awareness and knowledge about traditional dances of Sarawak. The data were gathered by distributing questionnaires among MSU students. The data were then analysed using SPSS system version 18.0. Results concluded that, most of MSU students have limited knowledge about Sarawak traditional dances. Interests, internet, performing arts clubs and family background are the independent variable factors to learn and gain knowledge about Sarawak traditional dances. The level of awareness among MSU students towards Sarawak traditional dances can be enhanced through events and special occasions to increase level of awareness towards Sarawak cultures. The government plays a major role in introducing Sarawak cultures to the whole of Malaysia. Future studies could focus on factors that influence the level of awareness towards Sarawak traditional dances, and the contribution of Sarawak’s traditional dances to Malaysia’s cultural and heritage tourism.

Depression, Social Isolation, and the Lived Experience of Dancing in Disadvantaged Adults.

Science.gov (United States)

Murrock, Carolyn J; Graor, Christine Heifner

2016-02-01

This qualitative study described the lived experience of dancing as it related to depression and social isolation in 16 disadvantaged adults who completed a 12-week dance intervention. It is the first qualitative study to explore the experience of dance as an adjunct therapy, depression, and social isolation. A descriptive phenomenological framework consisted of two focus groups using semi-structured interviews. A Giorgian approach guided thematic analysis. Four themes emerged: (1) dance for myself and health, (2) social acceptance, (3) connection with others: a group, and (4) not wanting to stop: unexpected benefits from dancing. As the participants continued to dance, they developed a sense of belonging and group identity, which may have maintained group involvement and contributed to reducing depression and social isolation. Thus, dancing is a complementary therapy that should be considered when working with adults with depression and social isolation. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Dance and History in Inner-City Oakland

Science.gov (United States)

Goodwin, Avilee

2010-01-01

In this article, the author shares how she was able to help young choreographers in East Oakland, California, to find their own creative voices, choose new movement styles and discover dance as a way to express something important and meaningful about their lives through their two-year dance history project. East Oakland School of the Arts (EOSA)…

Dance, Music, Meter and Groove: A Forgotten Partnership

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W Tecumseh eFitch

2016-03-01

Full Text Available I argue that core aspects of musical rhythm, especially groove and syncopation, can only be fully understood in the context of their origins in the participatory social experience of dance. Musical meter is first considered in the context of bodily movement. I then offer an interpretation of the pervasive but somewhat puzzling phenomenon of syncopation in terms of acoustic emphasis on certain offbeat components of the accompanying dance style. The reasons for the historical tendency of many musical styles to divorce themselves from their dance-based roots are also briefly considered. To the extent that musical rhythms only make sense in the context of bodily movement, researchers interested in ecologically valid approaches to music cognition should make a more concerted effort to extend their analyses to dance, particularly if we hope to understand the cognitive constraints underlying rhythmic aspects of music like meter and groove.

Dance, Music, Meter and Groove: A Forgotten Partnership.

Science.gov (United States)

Fitch, W Tecumseh

2016-01-01

I argue that core aspects of musical rhythm, especially "groove" and syncopation, can only be fully understood in the context of their origins in the participatory social experience of dance. Musical meter is first considered in the context of bodily movement. I then offer an interpretation of the pervasive but somewhat puzzling phenomenon of syncopation in terms of acoustic emphasis on certain offbeat components of the accompanying dance style. The reasons for the historical tendency of many musical styles to divorce themselves from their dance-based roots are also briefly considered. To the extent that musical rhythms only make sense in the context of bodily movement, researchers interested in ecologically valid approaches to music cognition should make a more concerted effort to extend their analyses to dance, particularly if we hope to understand the cognitive constraints underlying rhythmic aspects of music like meter and groove.

"I feel free": Experiences of a dance intervention for adolescent girls with internalizing problems.

Science.gov (United States)

Duberg, Anna; Möller, Margareta; Sunvisson, Helena

2016-01-01

Adolescent girls today suffer from internalizing problems such as somatic symptoms and mental health problems at higher rates compared to those of previous decades, and effective interventions are warranted. The aim of this study was to explore the experiences of participating in an 8-month dance intervention. This qualitative study was embedded in a randomized controlled trial of a dance intervention for adolescent girls with internalizing problems. A total of 112 girls aged 13-18 were included in the study. The dance intervention group comprised 59 girls, 24 of whom were strategically chosen to be interviewed. Data were analyzed using qualitative content analysis with an inductive approach. The experiences of the dance intervention resulted in five generic categories: (1) An Oasis from Stress, which represents the fundamental basis of the intervention; (2) Supportive Togetherness, the setting; (3) Enjoyment and Empowerment, the immediate effect; (4) Finding Acceptance and Trust in Own Ability, the outcome; and (5) Dance as Emotional Expression, the use of the intervention. One main category emerged, Finding Embodied Self-Trust That Opens New Doors, which emphasizes the increased trust in the self and the ability to approach life with a sense of freedom and openness. The central understanding of the adolescent girls' experiences was that the dance intervention enriched and gave access to personal resources. With the non-judgmental atmosphere and supportive togetherness as a safe platform, the enjoyment and empowerment in dancing gave rise to acceptance, trust in ability, and emotional expression. Taken together, this increased self-trust and they discovered a new ability to "claim space." Findings from this study may provide practical information on designing future interventions for adolescent girls with internalizing problems.

Differential effects of tango versus Dance for PD in Parkinson disease

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Marie E McNeely

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Over half of the general population does not achieve recommended daily levels of physical activity, and activity levels in people with Parkinson disease (PD are lower than in healthy older adults. Dance can serve as an adjunct to traditional treatments to improve gait, balance, and quality of life in people with PD. This study directly compares a tango dance intervention and a dance intervention based on the Dance for PD model which integrates multiple dance styles. Eleven people with PD participated in a community-based mixed styles dance intervention called Dance for Parkinson’s (D4PD. Participants in the D4PD group were matched to participants in an ongoing community-based exercise study who participated in tango dance. The groups received 12 weeks of intervention, attending one-hour group classes twice a week. Participants were evaluated off anti-PD medication before and after intervention. Measures of balance, repeated sit-to-stand performance and endurance (Mini-BESTest, four square step test, five times sit to stand, six minute walk time improved from pre to post similarly in both groups. Motor sign severity (MDS-UPDRS-III and functional mobility (TUG improved in the tango group and worsened in the D4PD group. Gait velocity was not affected by either intervention. Direct comparisons of different interventions are critical for developing optimal exercise interventions designed to specifically target motor impairments in PD. Tango dance interventions may preferentially improve mobility and motor signs in people with PD, compared to D4PD.

Dance in the British South Asian diaspora: redefining classicism

OpenAIRE

Lopez y Royo, Alessandra

2004-01-01

This paper discusses South Asian dance forms and genres in Britain, one of the major locations of the South Asian diaspora. It addresses issues of "classicism," "neoclassicism" and "contemporaneity" in South Asian dancing, particularly important as in the British context availability of public funding depends on the artists demonstrating an innovative engagement with their own practice. The author focuses, as a specific case study, on the work, Moham, choreographed and danced as a solo by bha...

Dance and Essence: Reflections on Morality and Education.

Science.gov (United States)

Hodes, Stuart

1995-01-01

Asserts that the self-actualizing and expressive nature of dance contributes to an intuitive sense of morality. Criticizes the body versus mind dualism and antibody bias implicit in the Western intellectual tradition. Contrasts the aggressive nature of sports with the expressive character of dance. (MJP)

The Sacred or the Profane: The Challenge of Modern Dance in Religious Educational Settings

Science.gov (United States)

Clement, Karen

2008-01-01

The article addresses the utilization of modern dance compositional approaches in the development of sacred dance works. A brief history of sacred dance in the Western Church is traced as a foundation for students' stereotypical approaches to dance and religion. Also examined is the 20th Century modern dance choreographers' practice of…

Social Dancing and Incidence of Falls in Older Adults: A Cluster Randomised Controlled Trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Merom, Dafna; Mathieu, Erin; Cerin, Ester; Morton, Rachael L; Simpson, Judy M; Rissel, Chris; Anstey, Kaarin J; Sherrington, Catherine; Lord, Stephen R; Cumming, Robert G

2016-08-01

participants (82%, p = 0.04). Mean attendance at dance classes was 51%. During the period, 444 falls were recorded; there was no significant difference in fall rates between the control group (0.80 per person-year) and the dance group (1.03 per person-year). Using negative binomial regression with robust standard errors the adjusted Incidence Rate Ratio (IRR) was 1.19 (95% CI: 95% CI = 0.83, 1.71). In exploratory post hoc subgroup analysis, the rate of falls was higher among dance participants with a history of multiple falls (IRR = 2.02, 95% CI: 1.15, 3.54, p = 0.23 for interaction) and with the folk dance intervention (IRR = 1.68, 95% CI: 1.03, 2.73). There were no significant between-group differences in executive function test (TMT-B = 2.8 s, 95% CI: -6.2, 11.8). Intention to treat (ITT) analysis revealed no between-group differences at 12-mo follow-up in the secondary outcome measures, with the exception of postural sway, favouring the control group. Exploratory post hoc analysis by study completers and style indicated that ballroom dancing participants apparently improved their gait speed by 0.07 m/s relative to control participants (95% CI: 0.00, 0.14, p = 0.05). Study limitations included allocation to style based on logistical considerations rather than at random; insufficient power to detect differential impacts of different dance styles and smaller overall effects; variation of measurement conditions across villages; and no assessment of more complex balance tasks, which may be more sensitive to changes brought about by dancing. Social dancing did not prevent falls or their associated risk factors among these retirement villages' residents. Modified dance programmes that contain "training elements" to better approximate structured exercise programs, targeted at low and high-risk participants, warrant investigation. The Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry ACTRN12612000889853.

Social Dancing and Incidence of Falls in Older Adults: A Cluster Randomised Controlled Trial.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dafna Merom

2016-08-01

participants (82%, p = 0.04. Mean attendance at dance classes was 51%. During the period, 444 falls were recorded; there was no significant difference in fall rates between the control group (0.80 per person-year and the dance group (1.03 per person-year. Using negative binomial regression with robust standard errors the adjusted Incidence Rate Ratio (IRR was 1.19 (95% CI: 95% CI = 0.83, 1.71. In exploratory post hoc subgroup analysis, the rate of falls was higher among dance participants with a history of multiple falls (IRR = 2.02, 95% CI: 1.15, 3.54, p = 0.23 for interaction and with the folk dance intervention (IRR = 1.68, 95% CI: 1.03, 2.73. There were no significant between-group differences in executive function test (TMT-B = 2.8 s, 95% CI: -6.2, 11.8. Intention to treat (ITT analysis revealed no between-group differences at 12-mo follow-up in the secondary outcome measures, with the exception of postural sway, favouring the control group. Exploratory post hoc analysis by study completers and style indicated that ballroom dancing participants apparently improved their gait speed by 0.07 m/s relative to control participants (95% CI: 0.00, 0.14, p = 0.05. Study limitations included allocation to style based on logistical considerations rather than at random; insufficient power to detect differential impacts of different dance styles and smaller overall effects; variation of measurement conditions across villages; and no assessment of more complex balance tasks, which may be more sensitive to changes brought about by dancing.Social dancing did not prevent falls or their associated risk factors among these retirement villages' residents. Modified dance programmes that contain "training elements" to better approximate structured exercise programs, targeted at low and high-risk participants, warrant investigation.The Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry ACTRN12612000889853.

Michael Field’s “A Dance of Death”

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LeeAnne Richardson

2012-03-01

Full Text Available The 1912 poem "A Dance of Death" by Michael Field (pen name of Katherine Bradley and her niece Edith Cooper depicts Salome in an alternate version of the biblical story: this Salome dances on a frozen river, falls through the ice, and is decapitated on a jagged edge. Nonetheless, her beautiful head continues dancing over the frozen river. This poem is highly unusual, especially in the context of the other poems in the postconversion volume Poems of Adoration, because it questions, rather than submits to, authority. In re-writing a familiar Christian tale, as well as a familiar decadent theme, Field uses the poem to assert the supremacy of their artistic vision, which (despite their ardent Catholicism cannot be subject to any law outside themselves. Like the continually dancing head of Salome, which continues to create beauty even after nature (and perhaps God has struck it down, the poet is subjugate only to her own law and creates without boundaries or restrictions on her art. Bradley and Cooper were acutely aware of their authorial persona (actively taking not only a masculine but also a singular poetic identity, and their mode of reconciling the apparent contradictions of this identity are mirrored in their presentation of Salome in a "Dance of Death."

Correlations Between General Joint Hypermobility and Joint Hypermobility Syndrome and Injury in Contemporary Dance Students.

Science.gov (United States)

Ruemper, Alia; Watkins, Katherine

2012-12-01

The first objective of this study was to ascertain the prevalence of general joint hypermobility (GJH) and joint hypermobility syndrome (JHS) in BA Dance Theatre 1st and 3rd year students at a contemporary dance conservatory. The second objective was to determine the statistical correlation between GJH, JHS, and injury in this population. A total of 85 (female, N = 78; male, N = 7) contemporary dance students participated in the study. The Beighton score (with a forward flexion test modification) was used to determine GJH, and the Brighton criteria were used to verify JHS. Participants completed a self-reported injury questionnaire that included type of injury (physical complaint, medical diagnosis, or time-loss) and injury frequency. Statistical analysis (Pearson correlation) was used to correlate GJH, JHS, and frequency-of-injury scores. Overall, 69% of the students were found to have GJH, and 33% had JHS. A statistical correlation of r = + 0.331 (p dance students and suggests that screening programs should include the Brighton criteria to identify JHS in these dancers. Subsequent injury tracking and injury prevention programs would then provide data for further research in this area.

The Legacy of Dance as a Democratizing Force in Higher Education.

Science.gov (United States)

Nunn, Melissa

Many believe that dance is a democratizing force in academia. Modern dance history is replete with feminist, homosexual, and racial liberation ideologies transcribed through body language. Experiences in planning cross-discipline courses suggest that, without dance, important aesthetic and sociopolitical ideas most fully revealed in nonverbal and…

Perceptions of a Videogame-Based Dance Exercise Program Among Individuals with Parkinson's Disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Natbony, Lauren R; Zimmer, Audra; Ivanco, Larry S; Studenski, Stephanie A; Jain, Samay

2013-08-01

Physical therapy, including exercise, improves gait and quality of life in Parkinson's disease (PD). Many programs promoting physical activity have generated significant short-term gains, but adherence has been a problem. A recent evidence-based analysis of clinical trials using physical therapy in PD patients produced four key treatment recommendations: cognitive movement strategies, physical capacity, balance training, and cueing. We have attempted to incorporate all four of these features together through a dance exercise program using the dance videogame "Dance Dance Revolution" (DDR) (Konami Digital Entertainment, El Segundo, CA). Sixteen medically stable participants with mild to moderate PD were given the opportunity to try DDR with supervision by a research staff member. Feedback about the advantages and disadvantages of DDR as a form of physical activity was elicited through focus groups using the nominal group technique. Of 21 advantages and 17 disadvantages elicited, the most frequently cited advantages were "fun" and "easy to use," followed by "improves balance or coordination," "challenging," and "full body aerobic activity." Common concerns were the distracting or confusing interface, cost, and possible technical issues. Interactive dance exercise was appealing to participants with PD and may help promote adherence to physical activity. Concerns regarding familiarity with the technology may be addressed with simplification of the interface or additional training for participants. Results support a larger longitudinal study of DDR in PD.

Dance as Aggressiveness

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tina Hamrin

1996-01-01

Full Text Available The woman who founded Tenho-kötai-jingii-kyö, Kitamura Sayo (1900-1967, publicly announced in July 1945 that the world was coming to an end and that she had been chosen by the absolute deity Tensho Kotai Jingu to be the savior of the world. People began to gather to her banner, a religious organization was formed, and legal incorporation of the group as a religious juridical person took place in January 1947. Teaching that regret, desire, hatred, love and other emotional antipathies were the cause of all misfortune, the founder urged people to free themselves of such restraints by praying earnestly until they attained a state in which the self was completely forgotten. Since the members of the group perform a ritual dance and fall into an ecstatic condition at the group meetings, the movement is called the Dancing Religion.

Lev Seminovich Vygotski: Biography of a genius

OpenAIRE

Borovica, Tamara P.

2012-01-01

In this paper, from the point of interpretative paradigm, we are analysing the biography of a significant scientists of the 20th century Lev Semionovich Vygotsky. Vygotski’s life story is equally significant as his scientific research, so as in his cultural-historical theory denoting the most significant social and historical moments in the period he lived in. Apart from the crisis of psychology foundation, which in the end of the 19th century and at the beginning of the 20th century, shakes ...

User Experiences While Playing Dance-Based Exergames and the Influence of Different Body Motion Sensing Technologies

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Alasdair G. Thin

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Dance Dance Revolution is a pioneering exergame which has attracted considerable interest for its potential to promote regular exercise and its associated health benefits. The advent of a range of different consumer body motion tracking video game console peripherals raises the question whether their different technological affordances (i.e., variations in the type and number of body limbs that they can track influence the user experience while playing dance-based exergames both in terms of the level of physical exertion and the nature of the play experience. To investigate these issues a group of subjects performed a total of six comparable dance routines selected from commercial dance-based exergames (two routines from each game on three different consoles. The subjects’ level of physical exertion was assessed by measuring oxygen consumption and heart rate. They also reported their perceived level of exertion, difficulty, and enjoyment ratings after completing each dance routine. No differences were found in the physiological measures of exertion between the peripherals/consoles. However, there were significant variations in the difficulty and enjoyment ratings between peripherals. The design implications of these results are discussed including the tension between helping to guide and coordinate player movement versus offering greater movement flexibility.

Dance/movement therapy for improving psychological and physical outcomes in cancer patients.

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Bradt, Joke; Shim, Minjung; Goodill, Sherry W

2015-01-07

Current cancer care increasingly incorporates psychosocial interventions. Cancer patients use dance/movement therapy to learn to accept and reconnect with their bodies, build new self-confidence, enhance self-expression, address feelings of isolation, depression, anger and fear and to strengthen personal resources. To update the previously published review that examined the effects of dance/movement therapy and standard care versus standard care alone or standard care and other interventions on psychological and physical outcomes in patients with cancer. We searched the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) (The Cochrane Library 2014, Issue 6), MEDLINE (OvidSP, 1950 to June week 4, 2014), EMBASE (OvidSP, 1980 to 2014 week 26), CINAHL (EBSCOhost, 1982 to July 15 2014), PsycINFO (EBSCOhost, 1806 to July 15 2014), LILACS (Virual Health Library, 1982 to July 15 2014), Science Citation Index (ISI, 1974 to July 15 2014), CancerLit (1983 to 2003), International Bibliography of Theatre and Dance (1989 to July 15 2014), the National Research Register (2000 to September 2007), Proquest Digital Dissertations, ClinicalTrials.gov, and Current Controlled Trials (all to July 15 2014). We handsearched dance/movement therapy and related topics journals, reviewed reference lists and contacted experts. There was no language restriction. We included all randomized and quasi-randomized controlled trials of dance/movement therapy interventions for improving psychological and physical outcomes in patients with cancer. We considered studies only if dance/movement therapy was provided by a formally trained dance/movement therapist or by trainees in a formal dance/movement therapy program. Two review authors independently extracted the data and assessed the methodological quality, seeking additional information from the trial researchers when necessary. Results were presented using standardized mean differences. We identified one new trial for inclusion in this update. In

THE BIOGRAPHIES OF ROMAN EMPERORS BY KOŽIČIĆ. FAITHFULNESS TO THE SOURCE AND ORIGINALITY IN TRANSLATING

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Tomislav Mrkonjić

2012-01-01

Full Text Available The question relating to the dependence on the source, namely, the matter concerning the originality of the translation of Kožičić’s Biographies (Knjižice od žitija rimskih arhijerejov i cesarov, Rijeka, 1531 was resolved only partially by Günther Tutschke for the reason that he didn’t know the source of the Biographies of the Roman emperors. Since the author of this article has ascertained that the biographical source on the emperors was the work of Giovanni Battista Cipelli (Egnatius, De Caesaribus libri tres, in this article he wishes to present the context in which the translations were produced, compare the structure of the source with the translation, juxtapose the texts known as “Excursus” (De Parthorum et Persarum imperio, Romae captivitas, Maomethis ortus, De origine Turcarum as well as compare individual biographies. The conclusion is that Kožičić demonstrated a certain level of originality in his translations regarding the structure, the selection and elaboration of the “Excursus”, and in converting particular terminology. In many instances he integrated the biographies with the information regarding the local history, especially concerning Croats and southern Slavs.

Aesthetic Pleasure: a somaesthetic laboratory in a dance classroom

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Mônica Medeiros Ribeiro

2012-05-01

Full Text Available This text presents a reflection on the possibility of incorporating devices potentially able to evoke sensory experiences in dance education. Based on ethnoscenological studies, on literature review and on a careful observation of Thembi Rosa’s work, Verdades Inventadas, one could regard somaesthetics and affective proprioception as important notions to think about dance. Somaesthetics seem to promote the construction of identity in dance, due to its ability to evoke pleasure in movement, connecting the individual with action.

Dance for Parkinson's: a new framework for research on its physical, mental, emotional, and social benefits.

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McGill, Ashley; Houston, Sara; Lee, Raymond Y W

2014-06-01

Parkinson's is a neurodegenerative disease commonly associated with symptoms such as tremor, rigidity, bradykinesia, freezing during gait, motor control deficits and instability. These physical symptoms can cause a myriad of psychological problems including depression, feelings of loneliness, and low self-esteem. Current research suggests pharmacological interventions do not sufficiently address all symptoms and thus alternative therapies have been deemed an important part of treatment for people with Parkinson's. Dance has shown to be a beneficial activity for this population. Upon reviewing recent dance for Parkinson's studies it is clear that there are developing trends with respect to overall approach. The tendency to place more emphasis on changes to clinical signs is creating a gap whereby research neglects to look at how dance is influencing a particular individual in all aspects of their life. There is a need for a framework that allows for and encourages the analysis of the dancing experience for people with Parkinson's on a variety of levels including physically, mentally, emotionally, and socially. With such a framework it would be possible to triangulate the information gathered to draw stronger conclusions that are more meaningful to the people with Parkinson's. This paper would like to propose the use of the World Health Organization's International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health as a possible framework for dance for Parkinson's research. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Proposal of an Algorithm to Synthesize Music Suitable for Dance

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Morioka, Hirofumi; Nakatani, Mie; Nishida, Shogo

This paper proposes an algorithm for synthesizing music suitable for emotions in moving pictures. Our goal is to support multi-media content creation; web page design, animation films and so on. Here we adopt a human dance as a moving picture to examine the availability of our method. Because we think the dance image has high affinity with music. This algorithm is composed of three modules. The first is the module for computing emotions from an input dance image, the second is for computing emotions from music in the database and the last is for selecting music suitable for input dance via an interface of emotion.

Differential Effects of Tango Versus Dance for PD in Parkinson Disease

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McNeely, Marie E.; Mai, Marina M.; Duncan, Ryan P.; Earhart, Gammon M.

2015-01-01

Over half of the general population does not achieve recommended daily levels of physical activity, and activity levels in people with Parkinson disease (PD) are lower than in healthy older adults. Dance can serve as an adjunct to traditional treatments to improve gait, balance, and quality of life in people with PD. This study directly compares a tango dance intervention and a dance intervention based on the Dance for PD model, which integrates multiple dance styles. Eleven people with PD participated in a community-based mixed styles dance intervention called Dance for Parkinson’s (D4PD). Participants in the D4PD group were matched to participants in an ongoing community-based exercise study who participated in tango dance. The groups received 12 weeks of intervention, attending 1-h group classes twice a week. Participants were evaluated off anti-PD medication before and after intervention. Measures of balance, repeated sit-to-stand performance and endurance (mini-balance evaluation systems test, four square step test, five times sit to stand, 6-min walk time) improved from pre to post similarly in both groups. Motor sign severity (movement disorders society unified Parkinson disease rating scale motor subsection) and functional mobility (timed up and go) improved in the tango group and worsened in the D4PD group. Gait velocity was not affected by either intervention. Direct comparisons of different interventions are ­critical for developing optimal exercise interventions designed to specifically target motor impairments in PD. Tango dance interventions may preferentially improve mobility and motor signs in people with PD, compared to D4PD. PMID:26733865

Dance Theater of Harlem Arts Exposure Program. Cue Sheet for Students.

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John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Washington, DC.

This publication is a performance guide containing several brief articles for students to use before and after attending an Arts Exposure Program given by the Dance Theatre of Harlem (DTH). The first article, "Dancing," traces the origins and history of dance itself, and in particular, ballet. The second article, "Arthur Mitchell…

Always Being on Your Toes: Elementary School Dance Teachers' Perceptions of Inclusion and Their Roles in Creating Inclusive Dance Education Environments

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Zitomer, Michelle R.

2017-01-01

Teachers are key players in creating inclusive dance education environments. Guided by a conceptual framework of relational ethics, this qualitative study explored the perceptions and practices of four elementary school dance teachers teaching in public schools in two large school districts in Western Canada. Data collection involved interviews,…

Dance choreography is coordinated with song repertoire in a complex avian display.

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Dalziell, Anastasia H; Peters, Richard A; Cockburn, Andrew; Dorland, Alexandra D; Maisey, Alex C; Magrath, Robert D

2013-06-17

All human cultures have music and dance, and the two activities are so closely integrated that many languages use just one word to describe both. Recent research points to a deep cognitive connection between music and dance-like movements in humans, fueling speculation that music and dance have coevolved and prompting the need for studies of audiovisual displays in other animals. However, little is known about how nonhuman animals integrate acoustic and movement display components. One striking property of human displays is that performers coordinate dance with music by matching types of dance movements with types of music, as when dancers waltz to waltz music. Here, we show that a bird also temporally coordinates a repertoire of song types with a repertoire of dance-like movements. During displays, male superb lyrebirds (Menura novaehollandiae) sing four different song types, matching each with a unique set of movements and delivering song and dance types in a predictable sequence. Crucially, display movements are both unnecessary for the production of sound and voluntary, because males sometimes sing without dancing. Thus, the coordination of independently produced repertoires of acoustic and movement signals is not a uniquely human trait. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Quality Assurance in Dance as a Profession not Mediocre: Ukwu Nja ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

This misconception of dance is what trained dance scholars and practitioners are seriously advocating against through quality assurance by presenting the essence of dance before the ignorant eye of the audience as; a scholarly profession, a tool for social crusading, as a means for livelihood and a notable profession as it ...

Dancing with Down Syndrome: A Phenomenological Case Study

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Reinders, Nicole; Bryden, Pamela J.; Fletcher, Paula C.

2015-01-01

"Dance for individuals with Down syndrome has many benefits; however, there is little research on this topic." Down syndrome is the most common "genetic condition," resulting in psychological, physical, and social impairments. There is research to suggest that dance may be a beneficial activity for people with Down syndrome;…

Dancing the Numinous: Sacred and Spiritual Techniques of Contemporary American Belly Dancers

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Jeana Jorgensen

2013-01-01

Full Text Available In this paper, I explore how contemporary American practitioners of belly dance (as Middle Eastern dance and its many varieties are often called in the English-speaking world conceptualize not only the spiritual dimensions of their dance, but also how the very notion of performance affects sacred and spiritual dance practices. Drawing on interviews with this community, I describe the techniques of sacred and spiritual belly dancers, how these dancers theorize performance, and how the conflicts inherent to patriarchal mind-body dualism are resolved in these practices. My purpose here is twofold: to document an emergent dance tradition and to analyze its meanings in the relevant social context.

Dancing the Numinous: Sacred and Spiritual Techniques of Contemporary American Belly Dancers

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Jeana Jorgensen

2012-12-01

Full Text Available In this paper, I explore how contemporary American practitioners of belly dance (as Middle Eastern dance and its many varieties are often called in the English-speaking world conceptualize not only the spiritual dimensions of their dance, but also how the very notion of performance affects sacred and spiritual dance practices. Drawing on interviews with this community, I describe the techniques of sacred and spiritual belly dancers, how these dancers theorize performance, and how the conflicts inherent to patriarchal mind-body dualism are resolved in these practices. My purpose here is twofold: to document an emergent dance tradition and to analyze its meanings in the relevant social context.

Careers in Dance.

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Weeks, Sandra

Trends in the current job market in the field of dance are identified, and aspects, such as personal qualifications, training requirements, income potential, and employment possibilities, are discussed. Employment opportunities in the professional world, the field of education, and the corporate environment are explored. Career opportunities for…

Preferred Dance Tempo

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Dahl, Sofia; Huron, David; Brod, Garvin

2014-01-01

In two experiments participants tuned a drum machine to their preferred dance tempo. Measurements of height, shoulder width, leg length, and weight were taken for each participant, and their sex recorded. Using a multiple regression analysis, height and leg length combined was found to be the bes...

Didactics, Dance and Teacher Knowing in an Upper Secondary School Context

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Styrke, Britt-Marie

2015-01-01

This article deals with didactics, dance and teacher knowing in an upper secondary school context in Sweden. Dance is referred to as a western theatrical art form as well as to a subject mainly defined through its curriculum. A qualitative interview study with experienced dance teachers constitutes the base on which two overarching theoretical…

Posthumous Testimony for Dr. Leo Gross and his Family / Restoration of the 'Lost' Biography of a Physician Victim of the Holocaust

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Hildebrandt, Sabine; Von Villiez, Anna; Seidelman, William E

At a time when the last direct witnesses of the Holocaust are passing, new approaches to the restoration of 'lost' biographies of victims need to be considered. This investigation describes the potential of an international collaboration including surviving family members. Archival documents discovered in Jerusalem in 1983 concerned a discussion on the cancellation of a medical licence for a German Jewish physician, Dr. Leo Gross of Kolberg, who had been disenfranchised from medical practice under Nazi law. After applying for a medical licence during a 1935 visit to Palestine, Gross remigrated to Germany, where he was imprisoned in a concentration camp. No further information was found until 2014, when a group of scholars linked a variety of archival and internet-accessible sources and located a nephew of Gross. The nephew's testimony, cross-referenced against data from other sources, enabled the reconstruction of the 'lost' biography of his uncle and family, in fact a posthumous testimony. The resulting narrative places Dr. Leo Gross within his professional and social network, and serves his commemoration within this context of family and community. The restored biography of Dr. Leo Gross presents an exemplary case study for the future of Holocaust testimony.

An experimental ‘Life’ for an experimental life : Richard Waller's biography of Robert Hooke (1705)

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Moxham, Noah

2016-01-01

Richard Waller's ‘Life of Dr Robert Hooke’, prefixed to his edition of Hooke's Posthumous Works (1705), is an important source for the life of one of the most eminent members of the early Royal Society. It also has the distinction of being one of the earliest biographies of a man of science to be published in English. I argue that it is in fact the first biography to embrace the subject's natural-philosophical work as the centre of his life, and I investigate Waller's reasons for adopting thi...

Book Review: Chris Hani: A Jacana Pocket Biography | Smith | New ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Book Title: Chris Hani: A Jacana Pocket Biography. Author: Hugh Macmillan. Jacana: Auckland Park, 2014. 152 pp. Full Text: EMAIL FULL TEXT EMAIL FULL TEXT · DOWNLOAD FULL TEXT DOWNLOAD FULL TEXT · AJOL African Journals Online. HOW TO USE AJOL... for Researchers · for Librarians · for Authors · FAQ's ...

Effects of Facial Expressions on Recognizing Emotions in Dance Movements

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Nao Shikanai

2011-10-01

Full Text Available Effects of facial expressions on recognizing emotions expressed in dance movements were investigated. Dancers expressed three emotions: joy, sadness, and anger through dance movements. We used digital video cameras and a 3D motion capturing system to record and capture the movements. We then created full-video displays with an expressive face, full-video displays with an unexpressive face, stick figure displays (no face, or point-light displays (no face from these data using 3D animation software. To make point-light displays, 13 markers were attached to the body of each dancer. We examined how accurately observers were able to identify the expression that the dancers intended to create through their dance movements. Dance experienced and inexperienced observers participated in the experiment. They watched the movements and rated the compatibility of each emotion with each movement on a 5-point Likert scale. The results indicated that both experienced and inexperienced observers could identify all the emotions that dancers intended to express. Identification scores for dance movements with an expressive face were higher than for other expressions. This finding indicates that facial expressions affect the identification of emotions in dance movements, whereas only bodily expressions provide sufficient information to recognize emotions.

Tanko Bushi: Designing a Japanese-American Dance Experience

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Sweeting, Terry; Werner, Peter; Williams, Lori H.; Crump, Alyssa

2012-01-01

Many folk dances reflect the everyday activities of the people, celebrating the commonplace through physical forms of expression. The traditional Japanese folk dance, Tanko Bushi, is still performed in Japan and among Japanese-Americans today, and its theme of coal mining makes it relatable to many cultures around the world. With its traditional…

Toward Transformation: Digital Tools for Online Dance Pedagogy

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Parrish, Mila

2016-01-01

Media advances have changed the ways in which we interact, communicate, teach, and learn. The growth of telecommunication, video sharing sites, specifically YouTube, and social media, have exponentially increased the number of people interested in dance and dance education. Technology presents new ways for students to think about their learning,…

A novel Dance Dance Revolution (DDR) system for in-home training of stepping ability: basic parameters of system use by older adults.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Smith, S.T.; Sherrington, C.; Studenski, S.A.; Schoene, D.; Lord, S.R.

2011-01-01

OBJECTIVE: This series of studies was conducted to develop and establish characteristics of exercise videogame play in older adults. The videogame was a modified version of the popular Dance Dance Revolution (DDR; Konomi). METHODS: Participants aged >/=70 were asked to make simple step movements in

The Effectiveness of Dance Interventions to Improve Older Adults' Health: A Systematic Literature Review.

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Hwang, Phoebe Woei-Ni; Braun, Kathryn L

2015-01-01

Physical inactivity is commonly observed among individuals aged ≥ 60 y. Identified barriers to sedentary older adults beginning activity include low self-efficacy, pre-existing medical conditions, physical limitations, time constraints, and culture. Dancing has the potential to be an attractive physical activity that can be adjusted to fit a target population's age, physical limitations, and culture. This review examined the benefits to physical health of dance interventions among older adults. Following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines, a systematic search using the PubMed database was conducted. Eighteen studies met the inclusion and exclusion criteria and were analyzed for type of intervention, the study's design, participants' demographics, and outcomes, including attrition. The 18 articles reported on studies conducted in North America, South America, Europe, and Asia. Of the styles of dancing, 6 studies used ballroom, 5 used contemporary, 4 used cultural, 1 used pop, and 2 used jazz. Two studies targeted older adults with pre-existing medical conditions. The average age of participants ranged from 52-87 y. Researchers used a variety of measures to assess effectiveness: (1) 3 of 5 (60%) that used measures to assess flexibility showed significant positive results; (2) 23 of 28 (82%) that used measures of muscular strength and endurance showed significant positive changes; (3) 8 of 9 (89%) that used measures of balance showed significant positive changes; (4) 8 of 10 (80%) that used measures of cognitive ability showed significant positive changes; and (5) the one that measured cardiovascular endurance showed significant positive changes. Only 6 studies reported participation, and they found low attrition. The findings suggest that dance, regardless of its style, can significantly improve muscular strength and endurance, balance, and other aspects of functional fitness in older adults. Future

The Effectiveness of Dance Interventions to Improve Older Adults’ Health: A Systematic Literature Review

Science.gov (United States)

Hwang, Phoebe Woei-Ni; Braun, Kathryn L.

2017-01-01

Background Physical inactivity is commonly observed among individuals aged ≥60 y. Identified barriers to sedentary older adults beginning activity include low self-efficacy, pre-existing medical conditions, physical limitations, time constraints, and culture. Dancing has the potential to be an attractive physical activity that can be adjusted to fit a target populations age, physical limitations, and culture. Objectives This review examined the benefits to physical health of dance interventions among older adults. Methods Following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines, a systematic search using the PubMed database was conducted. Eighteen studies met the inclusion and exclusion criteria and were analyzed for type of intervention, the study’s design, participants’ demographics, and outcomes, including attrition. Results The 18 articles reported on studies conducted in North America, South America, Europe, and Asia. Of the styles of dancing, 6 studies used ballroom, 5 used contemporary, 4 used cultural, 1 used pop, and 2 used jazz. Two studies targeted older adults with pre-existing medical conditions. The average age of participants ranged from 52–87 y. Researchers used a variety of measures to assess effectiveness; (1) 3 of 5 (60%) that used measures to assess flexibility showed significant positive results; (2) 23 of 28 (82%) that used measures of muscular strength and endurance showed significant positive changes; (3) 8 of 9 (89%) that used measures of balance showed significant positive changes; (4) 8 of 10 (80%) that used measures of cognitive ability showed significant positive changes; and (5) the one that measured cardiovascular endurance showed significant positive changes. Only 6 studies reported participation, and they found low attrition. Conclusions The findings suggest that dance, regardless of its style, can significantly improve muscular strength and endurance, balance, and other aspects of

Dance Education in Singapore: Policy, Discourse, and Practice

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Chua, Joey

2018-01-01

This article provides an overview of dance education in schools in Singapore with regard to physical education, co-curricular activity, initiatives by the National Arts Council's Arts Education unit, and pre-tertiary and tertiary dance programs. In an effort to gain a better understanding of how well the official discourse and the reality of…

Collective identity and dance in modern urban Greece

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Filippos Filippou

2016-02-01

Full Text Available The aim of this study is to trace the way some cultural groups demonstrate their identity through dance in the contemporary urban society. The survey follows revelry with folk music, singing and dancing organized by a local cultural troupe on the occasion of a feast day. The collection of the ethnographic data relied on long standing observation and the video recording of the revelries between 2000 and 2005. Further information was gathered with the means of a closed questionnaire and open question interviews. In the process of the material two theories were mainly employed: the performance theory and the theory of collective identity in postmodern culture. To sum up, we would say that dance as presented on the feast day reflects the local “multicultural” society’s characteristics. It retains its dynamic with its entity, function and content to be composed of agricultural and urban features. Dance continues to exist since it has the potential to adjust to each time social, economic and historical circumstances.

Expediency of Study of the Scientists' Biographies in Physics Course

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Korsun, Igor

2017-01-01

The aim of this article is a justification of the expediency of study of the scientists' biographies in physics course. Study of the biographic materials is one of the ways of motivation of learning and development of morality, humanity, internationalism. The selection criteria of biographic material have been allocated and method of study of the…

Comorbid psychiatric diagnosis and psychological correlates of eating disorders in dance students

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Chao-Yu Liu

2016-02-01

Conclusion: Prevention and intervention programs for dance students should include recognition and management of emotional disorders and strategies promoting positive body image and reducing the incidence of negative weight-related comments.

Impacts of dance on non-motor symptoms, participation, and quality of life in Parkinson disease and healthy older adults

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McNeely, ME; Duncan, RP; Earhart, GM

2015-01-01

Evidence indicates exercise is beneficial for motor and non-motor function in older adults and people with chronic diseases including Parkinson disease (PD). Dance may be a relevant form of exercise in PD and older adults due to social factors and accessibility. People with PD experience motor and non-motor symptoms, but treatments, interventions, and assessments often focus more on motor symptoms. Similar non-motor symptoms also occur in older adults. While it is well-known that dance may improve motor outcomes, it is less clear how dance affects non-motor symptoms. This review aims to describe the effects of dance interventions on non-motor symptoms in older adults and PD, highlights limitations of the literature, and identifies opportunities for future research. Overall, intervention parameters, study designs, and outcome measures differ widely, limiting comparisons across studies. Results are mixed in both populations, but evidence supports the potential for dance to improve mood, cognition, and quality of life in PD and healthy older adults. Participation and non-motor symptoms like sleep disturbances, pain, and fatigue have not been measured in older adults. Additional well-designed studies comparing dance and exercise interventions are needed to clarify the effects of dance on non-motor function and establish recommendations for these populations. PMID:26318265

Self psychology and the modern dance choreographer.

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Press, Carol M

2009-04-01

Theory and research methodology of self psychology are integrated with the experiences of modern dance choreographers to investigate the importance of creativity, art making, and aesthetics in mental health and our everyday lives. Empathy, as aesthetically based, is explored to understand the capacity of the arts to unite us in our humanity. Connections between aesthetic development, creativity, and infant patterns of learning are drawn. The influence of sensual and exploration/assertion motivational systems upon the contemporary choreographer are highlighted, leading to an understanding of the selfobject function of sensation and movement for the dance artist. Through an examination of the moment to moment ritualized experiences of studio work, the creative process in making dances is discussed. Ultimately understanding creativity and aesthetically based empathy inform our delineation of mental health and the need for aesthetic experience in everyday life.

Dance Movement Therapy: A Healing Art. [Revised Edition.

Science.gov (United States)

Levy, Fran J.

The concern of this text is the need that many individuals have for nonverbal, primarily physical forms of expression, and how this need has fueled the development of a new psychomotor discipline. The book treats the theory and practice of dance therapy, and examines the entire field from its inception through the present. Dance therapy, the use…

Interdisciplinary Working Practices: Can Creative Dance Improve Math?

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Leandro, Cristina Rebelo; Monteiro, Elisabete; Melo, Filipe

2018-01-01

This study is integrated in the field of Dance in Education, focusing on the instrumentalist aspect of art. We focused on creative dance as a catalyst to learn Mathematics' contents. This interdisciplinary work can enhance the learning, as far as the understanding of Mathematics' concepts is achieved through the body and revealed by expressive and…

Process evaluation of the Bristol girls dance project

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S. J. Sebire

2016-04-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The Bristol Girls Dance Project was a cluster randomised controlled trial that aimed to increase objectively measured moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA levels of Year 7 (age 11–12 girls through a dance-based after-school intervention. The intervention was delivered in nine schools and consisted of up to forty after-school dance sessions. This paper reports on the main findings from the detailed process evaluation that was conducted. Methods Quantitative and qualitative data were collected from intervention schools. Dose and fidelity were reported by dance instructors at every session. Intervention dose was defined as attending two thirds of sessions and was measured by attendance registers. Fidelity to the intervention manual was reported by dance instructors. On four randomly-selected occasions, participants reported their perceived level of exertion and enjoyment. Reasons for non-attendance were self-reported at the end of the intervention. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with all dance instructors who delivered the intervention (n = 10 and school contacts (n = 9 in intervention schools. A focus group was conducted with girls who participated in each intervention school (n = 9. Results The study did not affect girls’ MVPA. An average of 31.7 girls participated in each school, with 9.1 per school receiving the intervention dose. Mean attendance and instructors’ fidelity to the intervention manual decreased over time. The decline in attendance was largely attributed to extraneous factors common to after-school activities. Qualitative data suggest that the training and intervention manual were helpful to most instructors. Participant ratings of session enjoyment were high but perceived exertion was low, however, girls found parts of the intervention challenging. Conclusions The intervention was enjoyed by participants. Attendance at the intervention sessions was low but typical of after

Effects of dancing on the risk of falling related factors of healthy older adults: a systematic review.

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Fernández-Argüelles, Esther López; Rodríguez-Mansilla, Juan; Antunez, Luis Espejo; Garrido-Ardila, Elisa María; Muñoz, Rafael Perez

2015-01-01

Deficits of balance or postural control in persons of advanced age are one of the factors that influence the risk of falling. The most appropriate treatment approaches and their benefits are still unknown. The aim of this article is to systematically review the scientific literature to identify the therapeutic effects of dancing as a physical exercise modality on balance, flexibility, gait, muscle strength and physical performance in older adults. A systematic search of Pubmed, Cochrane Library Plus, PEDro, Science Direct, Dialnet and Academic Search Complete using the search terms "dance", "older", "dance therapy", "elderly", "balance", "gait" and "motor skills". The eligibility criteria were: studies written in English and Spanish, published from January 2000 to January 2013, studies which analyzed the effects of dance (ballroom dance and/or dance based exercise) in older adults over 60 years of age with no disabling disease and included the following variables of study: balance, gait, risk of falls, strength, functionality, flexibility and quality of life. 123 articles were found in the literature. A final selection of seven articles was used for the present manuscript. Although the selected studies showed positive effects on the risk of falling related to factors (balance, gait and dynamic mobility, strength and physical performance), there were some aspects of the studies such as the methodological quality, the small sample size, the lack of homogeneity in relation to the variables and the measurement tools, and the existing diversity regarding the study design and the type of dance, that do not enable us to confirm that dance has significant benefits on these factors based on the scientific evidence. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Segmentation of dance movement: Effects of expertise, visual familiarity, motor experience and music

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Bettina E. Bläsing

2015-01-01

Full Text Available According to event segmentation theory, action perception depends on sensory cues and prior knowledge, and the segmentation of observed actions is crucial for understanding and memorizing these actions. While most activities in everyday life are characterized by external goals and interaction with objects or persons, this does not necessarily apply to dance-like actions. We investigated to what extent visual familiarity of the observed movement and accompanying music influence the segmentation of a dance phrase in dancers of different skill level and non-dancers. In Experiment 1, dancers and non-dancers repeatedly watched a video clip showing a dancer performing a choreographed dance phrase and indicated segment boundaries by key press. Dancers generally defined less segment boundaries than non-dancers, specifically in the first trials in which visual familiarity with the phrase was low. Music increased the number of segment boundaries in the non-dancers and decreased it in the dancers. The results suggest that dance expertise reduces the number of perceived segment boundaries in an observed dance phrase, and that the ways visual familiarity and music affect movement segmentation are modulated by dance expertise. In a second experiment, motor experience was added as factor, based on empirical evidence suggesting that action perception is modified by visual and motor expertise in different ways. In Experiment 2, the same task as in Experiment 1 was performed by dance amateurs, and was repeated by the same participants after they had learned to dance the presented dance phrase. Less segment boundaries were defined in the middle trials after participants had learned to dance the phrase, and music reduced the number of segment boundaries before learning. The results suggest that specific motor experience of the observed movement influences its perception and anticipation and makes segmentation broader, but not to the same degree as dance expertise

Smart Kinesthetic Measurement Model in Dance Composision

OpenAIRE

Triana, Dinny Devi

2017-01-01

This research aimed to discover a model of assessment that could measure kinesthetic intelligence in arranging a dance from several related variable, both direct variable and indirect variable. The research method used was a qualitative method using path analysis to determine the direct and indirect variable; therefore, the dominant variable that supported the measurement model of kinesthetic intelligence in arranging dance could be discovered. The population used was the students of the art ...

Street dance: form of expressing identity in adolescents and youth

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Simona Petracovschi

2011-06-01

Full Text Available The purpose of this paper is to foreground the counterculture phenomenon that is provides the basis for street dance and the reasons why young people practise it, as well as to analyse the styles of dance developed within this type of dance. The study was made between February and May 2010 in Timişoara on a number of 149 people practising street dance, 46 girls and 103 boys. The results of the research emphasise that the dancers mainly come from an inferior social background (49.66% or from a middle-class background (46.03% and have been regularly practising breakdance (83.89% for more than five years (32.88%. The effects of practising it can be observed on an overall basis as concerns physical condition, artistic sense, self knowledge, discipline but also culture and way of life. Conclusions show that people practise street dance due to its nonconformist and all alive style that continuously makes use of new moves, new trends but also due to it being a way of socialising within a group.

Re-working biographies: Women's narratives of pregnancy whilst living with epilepsy.

Science.gov (United States)

Weckesser, Annalise; Denny, Elaine

2017-07-01

This paper explores the multiple ways experiences of pregnancy and early motherhood come to 'rework' the biographies of women living with epilepsy. Pregnancy is explored as a temporarily concurrent status alongside the long-term condition of epilepsy. Narrative interviews were conducted with 32 women from across the UK. Analysis of these narratives suggests that biographical disruption and continuity are both useful in the conceptualisation of women's diverse experiences of pregnancy and epilepsy. Such findings challenge the notion that the presence of a condition over a long period of time leads to the normalisation of illness. Participants' narratives demonstrate that, for some, pregnancy and early motherhood may be disruptive and can raise concerns regarding an ever present condition that may previously have been taken for granted. Findings also indicate the need for a greater consideration of gender and care responsibilities, as well explorations of concomitant conditions, in the theorising of biographies and chronic illness. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Dancing your moves away: How memory retrieval shapes complex motor action.

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Tempel, Tobias; Loran, Igor; Frings, Christian

2015-09-01

Human memory is subject to continuous change. Besides the accumulation of contents as a consequence of encoding new information, the accessing of memory influences later accessibility. The authors investigated how retrieval-related memory-shaping processes affect intentionally acquired complex motion patterns. Dance figures served as the material to be learned. The authors found that selectively retrieving a subset of dance moves facilitated later recall of the retrieved dance figures, whereas figures that were related to these but that did not receive selective practice suffered from forgetting. These opposing effects were shown in experiments with different designs involving either the learning of only 1 set of body movements or 2 sets of movements categorized into 2 dances. A 3rd experiment showed that selective restudy also entailed a recall benefit for restudied dance figures but did not induce forgetting for related nonrestudied dance figures. The results suggest that motor programs representing the motion patterns in a format closely corresponding to parameters of movement execution were affected. The reported experiments demonstrate how retrieval determines motor memory plasticity and emphasize the importance of separating restudy and retrieval practice when teaching people new movements. (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved).

Indian Classical Dance Action Identification and Classification with Convolutional Neural Networks

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P. V. V. Kishore

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Extracting and recognizing complex human movements from unconstrained online/offline video sequence is a challenging task in computer vision. This paper proposes the classification of Indian classical dance actions using a powerful artificial intelligence tool: convolutional neural networks (CNN. In this work, human action recognition on Indian classical dance videos is performed on recordings from both offline (controlled recording and online (live performances, YouTube data. The offline data is created with ten different subjects performing 200 familiar dance mudras/poses from different Indian classical dance forms under various background environments. The online dance data is collected from YouTube for ten different subjects. Each dance pose is occupied for 60 frames or images in a video in both the cases. CNN training is performed with 8 different sample sizes, each consisting of multiple sets of subjects. The remaining 2 samples are used for testing the trained CNN. Different CNN architectures were designed and tested with our data to obtain a better accuracy in recognition. We achieved a 93.33% recognition rate compared to other classifier models reported on the same dataset.

“I feel free”: Experiences of a dance intervention for adolescent girls with internalizing problems

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Duberg, Anna; Möller, Margareta; Sunvisson, Helena

2016-01-01

Adolescent girls today suffer from internalizing problems such as somatic symptoms and mental health problems at higher rates compared to those of previous decades, and effective interventions are warranted. The aim of this study was to explore the experiences of participating in an 8-month dance intervention. This qualitative study was embedded in a randomized controlled trial of a dance intervention for adolescent girls with internalizing problems. A total of 112 girls aged 13–18 were included in the study. The dance intervention group comprised 59 girls, 24 of whom were strategically chosen to be interviewed. Data were analyzed using qualitative content analysis with an inductive approach. The experiences of the dance intervention resulted in five generic categories: (1) An Oasis from Stress, which represents the fundamental basis of the intervention; (2) Supportive Togetherness, the setting; (3) Enjoyment and Empowerment, the immediate effect; (4) Finding Acceptance and Trust in Own Ability, the outcome; and (5) Dance as Emotional Expression, the use of the intervention. One main category emerged, Finding Embodied Self-Trust That Opens New Doors, which emphasizes the increased trust in the self and the ability to approach life with a sense of freedom and openness. The central understanding of the adolescent girls’ experiences was that the dance intervention enriched and gave access to personal resources. With the non-judgmental atmosphere and supportive togetherness as a safe platform, the enjoyment and empowerment in dancing gave rise to acceptance, trust in ability, and emotional expression. Taken together, this increased self-trust and they discovered a new ability to “claim space.” Findings from this study may provide practical information on designing future interventions for adolescent girls with internalizing problems. PMID:27416014

Doctors Can Dance

Science.gov (United States)

Newell, Anna; Kleiman, Paul

2012-01-01

Between 2008-2010 the School of Medicine at Queen's University Belfast funded and supported two unique and intensive three week interdisciplinary performance projects in which medical and drama students worked together to create an experimental dance theatre piece. One of the unique aspects of this collaboration was that the medical students who…

Doing a Dialogic Dance

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Frølunde, Lisbeth

2013-01-01

experience is that the use of visual and narrative methods is a dance with participants, which I conceptualize as a mutual meaning-making process that emerges in a specific context. In the discussion, I consider how I try to develop a dialogic dance inspired by a dialogic understanding of empowerment......In this panel presentation and paper, I draw on personal experience regarding the challenges of facilitating visually-oriented workshops for students and professionals. I critically examine and reflect on my core beliefs and values as a researcher and my roots in dialogic communication theory......, and phenomenological approaches to arts therapy. A general characteristic of using visual methods is that they promote emergence and transformation of meanings. Typically, many associations and metaphors emerge and alter rapidly as people work collaboratively with images and stories in a workshop setting. My...

The development of dance art within the nation's pop culture: a study ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

This emerging dance trends have come to stay and have also contributed immensely to the development of dance in Nigeria. This paper will examine the growth and development of dance art within Nigeria's Pop Culture using participant observation method and will also draw from extant literature such as books, journals, ...

Heart Rates of Elementary Physical Education Students during the Dancing Classrooms Program

Science.gov (United States)

Nelson, Larry; Evans, Melissa; Guess, Wendy; Morris, Mary; Olson, Terry; Buckwalter, John

2011-01-01

We examined how different types of dance activities, along with their duration, influenced heart rate responses among fifth-grade physical education students (N = 96) who participated in the Dancing Classrooms program. Results indicated that the overall Dancing Classrooms program elicits a moderate cardiovascular heart rate response (M = 124.4…

Dancer Perceptions of the Cognitive, Social, Emotional, and Physical Benefits of Modern Styles of Partnered Dancing

Science.gov (United States)

Lakes, Kimberley D.; Marvin, Shesha; Rowley, Jessica; Nicolas, Malia San; Arastoo, Sara; Viray, Leo; Orozco, Amanda; Jurnak, Fran

2016-01-01

Objective To study dancers’ perceptions of the physical, cognitive, affective, and social benefits of partnered dancing. Method 225 dancers (71% female) were recruited through a community ballroom dance center and completed an online survey designed to measure their perceptions of the physical, cognitive, affective, and social benefits of modern, partnered dance styles (swing, Lindy Hop, and ballroom dancing). Subgroups were formed for analyses. For one set of analyses, groups based on length of dance participation were formed: experienced (dancing for more than 2 years) or novice (dancing for less than a year) dancers. For another set of analyses, groups based on frequency of dance practice were formed: committed (dancing at least one or more times per week) or occasional (dancing two or fewer times per month). Results The majority of participants reported perceived benefits in physical fitness, cognition, affect, and social functioning. Experienced dancers reported significantly greater self-perceived physical, social, and cognitive benefits than novice dancers. Committed dancers were more likely than occasional dancers to report improvements in physical fitness, U = 6,942, z = 2.38, r = .16, p dance participation significantly predicted perceived physical benefits [X2 (1,6) = 35.463, p dance styles is associated with perceived improvements in physical fitness, cognitive functioning, social functioning, mood, and self-confidence, and that perceived benefits may increase as individuals dance more frequently and over longer periods of time. PMID:27261991

Dancing Earthquake Science Assists Recovery from the Christchurch Earthquakes

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Egan, Candice J.; Quigley, Mark C.

2015-01-01

The 2010-2012 Christchurch (Canterbury) earthquakes in New Zealand caused loss of life and psychological distress in residents throughout the region. In 2011, student dancers of the Hagley Dance Company and dance professionals choreographed the performance "Move: A Seismic Journey" for the Christchurch Body Festival that explored…

Lakota Sioux Indian Dance Theatre. Cuesheet for Students.

Science.gov (United States)

Carr, John C.; And Others

This performance guide provides students with an introduction to Lakota Sioux history and culture and to the dances performed by the Lakota Sioux Indian Dance Theatre. The Lakota Sioux believe that life is a sacred circle in which all things are connected, and that the circle was broken for them in 1890 by the massacre at Wounded Knee. Only in…

Selective neurophysiologic responses to music in instrumentalists with different listening biographies.

Science.gov (United States)

Margulis, Elizabeth Hellmuth; Mlsna, Lauren M; Uppunda, Ajith K; Parrish, Todd B; Wong, Patrick C M

2009-01-01

To appropriately adapt to constant sensory stimulation, neurons in the auditory system are tuned to various acoustic characteristics, such as center frequencies, frequency modulations, and their combinations, particularly those combinations that carry species-specific communicative functions. The present study asks whether such tunings extend beyond acoustic and communicative functions to auditory self-relevance and expertise. More specifically, we examined the role of the listening biography--an individual's long term experience with a particular type of auditory input--on perceptual-neural plasticity. Two groups of expert instrumentalists (violinists and flutists) listened to matched musical excerpts played on the two instruments (J.S. Bach Partitas for solo violin and flute) while their cerebral hemodynamic responses were measured using fMRI. Our experimental design allowed for a comprehensive investigation of the neurophysiology (cerebral hemodynamic responses as measured by fMRI) of auditory expertise (i.e., when violinists listened to violin music and when flutists listened to flute music) and nonexpertise (i.e., when subjects listened to music played on the other instrument). We found an extensive cerebral network of expertise, which implicates increased sensitivity to musical syntax (BA 44), timbre (auditory association cortex), and sound-motor interactions (precentral gyrus) when listening to music played on the instrument of expertise (the instrument for which subjects had a unique listening biography). These findings highlight auditory self-relevance and expertise as a mechanism of perceptual-neural plasticity, and implicate neural tuning that includes and extends beyond acoustic and communication-relevant structures. (c) 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

The Existence of Local Wisdom Value Through Minangkabau Dance Creation Representation in Present Time

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Indrayuda Indrayuda

2017-01-01

Full Text Available This paper is aiming at revealing the existence of local wisdom values in Minangkabau through the representation of Minangkabau dance creation at present time in West Sumatera. The existence of the dance itself gives impact to the continuation of the existence of local value in West Sumatera. The research method was qualitative which was used to analyze local wisdom values in the present time Minangkabu dance creation representation through the touch of reconstruction and acculturation as the local wisdom continuation. Besides, this study employs multidisciplinary study as the approach of the study by implementing the sociology anthropology of dance and the sociology and anthropology of culture. Object of the research was Minangkabau dance creation in present time, while the data was collected through interview and direct observation, as well as documentation. The data was analyzed by following the technique delivered by Miles and Huberman. Research results showed that Minangkabau dance creation was a reconstruction result of the older traditional dance, and through acculturation which contains local wisdom values. The existence of Mianngkabau dance creation can affect the continuation of local wisdom values in Minangkabau society in West Sumatera. The existence of dance creation has maintained the Minangkabau local wisdom values in present time.

Seigradi: dancing in a real-virtual environment. Affects and movement in Santasangre’s work

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Francesca Magnini

2014-12-01

Full Text Available This paper is inspired by a reflection on the work of the Italian artistic research project Santasangre and comes in particular from the analysis of Seigradi, one part of a trilogy of performances entitled Studi per un teatro apocalittico: a unique experiment in which light sources, holographic images, sounds and a dancing body fuse in real time. Calling into question the notions of tactile-kinesthetic body (M. Sheets-Johnstone and kinetic melody (A.R. Luria, from which emerges the idea of an intimate connection between affects and movement, the aim of this paper is to discuss some topics related to the relationship between choreographer and dancer (including the potential absence of it through an analysis of dance transmission’s mechanisms focused on various approaches concerning the use of digital technologies in contemporary dance.

Using Your Strengths to Teach a Dance History Course

Science.gov (United States)

Angier, D. Chase

2007-01-01

Letting the dance work itself educate the student and conducting related experiential classes is an important foundation on which to build readings, discussions, written assignments, and projects. Dance educators can design the educational investigations to be fueled directly from the art and support the investigation with contextual information.…

SCHOOL CONTEXT AND DANCE IN COLLECTIVE: CASE STUDY IN STATE COLLEGE MACHADO DE ASSIS

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Tainã Silva Oliveira

2015-12-01

Full Text Available This research of a case study in State College Machado de Assis - CEMA, in order to analyze the school context and the reality of this dance school. The research is linked to the Institutional Program Initiation Purse in Teaching - PIBID, performed by scholarship students of the Bachelor's Degree in Dance at the Federal Institute of Education, Science and Technology -IFG Goiás, Campus Aparecida de Goiânia - Goiás. From analysis of diagnostic, highlighted the need to investigate and analyze a project of this school, that it is the creation and actions of a dance group called Danç'art. The methodology of the research, theoretical and field, permeated by the study authors and researchers that supported and provoked reflections. Brings inherent notes related to the school context which helps to think about the dance by the bias of a critical overview. For greater understanding of the school context were made questionnaires for students, for dance teacher, teachers of other subjects besides the director and coordinators. These studies validate and enable greater understanding of the need for experience and expansion looks about the dance school. From the field research through observations and interviews applied by scholars, we can see a devaluation by managers and teachers from other areas, which unfolds into challenges and contradictions, so that actions aimed at dance to expand and efetivem critically and consistently. Another objective is to cause a provocation and investigate the reality of dance in this context, from the following questions: what prompted the dance teacher to create the group and what look professional regarding the teaching of dance? What is the perception and interest of students to participate and be part of the group? What is an interactive dance and what is its importance in the perspective of a group of dance? How to give the processes of teaching, creation and testing of the group? Understanding the design of this

Assessment method of digital Chinese dance movements based on virtual reality technology

Science.gov (United States)

Feng, Wei; Shao, Shuyuan; Wang, Shumin

2008-03-01

Virtual reality has played an increasing role in such areas as medicine, architecture, aviation, engineering science and advertising. However, in the art fields, virtual reality is still in its infancy in the representation of human movements. Based on the techniques of motion capture and reuse of motion capture data in virtual reality environment, this paper presents an assessment method in order to evaluate the quantification of dancers' basic Arm Position movements in Chinese traditional dance. In this paper, the data for quantifying traits of dance motions are defined and measured on dancing which performed by an expert and two beginners, with results indicating that they are beneficial for evaluating dance skills and distinctiveness, and the assessment method of digital Chinese dance movements based on virtual reality technology is validity and feasibility.

Musicality as Distributed Cognition in a Dance Studio

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Dafne Muntanyola-Saura

2016-05-01

Full Text Available Musicality in dance does not need music. ¿How is musicality apparent in the dance studio, and to what extent is a social construct? We define musicality as a social skill. We analize how dancers share their artistic judgement when narrating the choreographical tasks that take place when rehearsing a new piece. Our claim for this paper is that musicality is part of a vocabulary of motives as artistic justification. As a social skill, musicality relies on two other social skills, listening and fisicality. To capture the variability of the phenomenon, we have observed what happens when the choreographer gives instructions and directs a rehearsal within a cognitive ethnography of a British neoclasical dance company. We selected from the general corpus of data 11 interviews to the company members, which we analized with grounded theory principles. Our findings show how our unit of analysis must be the interaction among dancers in a self-regulated coupling. Thus, we show how musicality is a social hability that can only work in a network of social skills, together with fisicality and listening.  It is, in all, the local product of distributed cognition in the dance studio.

Dancing club

CERN Multimedia

Dancing club

2015-01-01

The CERN Dancing Club organizes a Tango workshop on Saturday 21 March and a West Coast and Boogie workshop on Saturday 18 April. These workshops are open to everyone in its B566 ballroom (See the poster). Furthermore, the club invites you to its Argentine Tango party on 20 March. These events are free and open to everyone. You bring something to eat and the club offers the drinks (non alcoholic).  

Dance-related injuries in children and adolescents treated in US emergency departments in 1991-2007.

Science.gov (United States)

Roberts, Kristin J; Nelson, Nicolas G; McKenzie, Lara

2013-02-01

Dancing is one of the most physically strenuous activities on the musculoskeletal system. As other literature has previously described, the types, sites, and rates of dance-related injuries are similar to those suffered by athletes in traditional sports. A retrospective analysis was conducted with data from the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System from 1991-2007. Sample weights were used to calculate national estimates of dance-related injuries. Trend significance of the numbers and age-adjusted rates of dance-related injuries over time was analyzed using linear regression. An estimated 113,084 children and adolescents 3-19 years of age were treated in US emergency departments for dance-related injuries. Classical dance (ballet, jazz, tap, modern) accounted for 55.0% of dance-related injuries. Adolescents 15-19 years of age constituted 40.4% of the dance-related injury cases. The majority of injuries (58.1%) occurred to the lower extremities. Sprains or strains were the most common injury (52.4%) and falls were the most common mechanism of injury (44.8%). Dance-related injuries have distinct injury patterns and mechanisms of injury. Injury patterns differ by types of dance and by age. Further research is needed to identify injury prevention strategies specific to these age groups.

Visual Timing of Structured Dance Movements Resembles Auditory Rhythm Perception

Science.gov (United States)

Su, Yi-Huang; Salazar-López, Elvira

2016-01-01

Temporal mechanisms for processing auditory musical rhythms are well established, in which a perceived beat is beneficial for timing purposes. It is yet unknown whether such beat-based timing would also underlie visual perception of temporally structured, ecological stimuli connected to music: dance. In this study, we investigated whether observers extracted a visual beat when watching dance movements to assist visual timing of these movements. Participants watched silent videos of dance sequences and reproduced the movement duration by mental recall. We found better visual timing for limb movements with regular patterns in the trajectories than without, similar to the beat advantage for auditory rhythms. When movements involved both the arms and the legs, the benefit of a visual beat relied only on the latter. The beat-based advantage persisted despite auditory interferences that were temporally incongruent with the visual beat, arguing for the visual nature of these mechanisms. Our results suggest that visual timing principles for dance parallel their auditory counterparts for music, which may be based on common sensorimotor coupling. These processes likely yield multimodal rhythm representations in the scenario of music and dance. PMID:27313900

Effects on interpersonal memory of dancing in time with others

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Matthew Harold Woolhouse

2016-02-01

Full Text Available We report an experiment investigating whether dancing to the same music enhances recall of person-related memory targets. The experiment used 40 dancers (all of whom were unaware of the experiment’s aim, 2-channel silent-disco radio headphones, a marked-up dance floor, two types of music, and memory targets (sash colours and symbols. In each trial, 10 dancers wore radio headphones and one of 4 different coloured sashes, half of which carried cat symbols. Using silent-disco technology, one type of music was surreptitiously transmitted to half the dancers, while music at a different tempo was transmitted to the remaining dancers. Pre-experiment, the dancers’ faces were photographed. Post-experiment, each dancer was presented with the photographs of the other dancers and asked to recall their memory targets. Results showed that same-music dancing significantly enhanced memory for sash colour and sash symbol. Our findings are discussed in light of recent eye-movement research that showed significantly increased gaze durations for people observing music-dance synchrony versus music-dance asynchrony, and in relation to current literature on interpersonal entrainment, group cohesion and social bonding.

Effect of Folk Dance Training on Blood Oxidative Stress Level, Lipids, and Lipoproteins

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Okdan Bora

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Introduction. Folk dance is a form of physical activity which helps develop the ability to use the whole body in a coordinated way with music, and folk dancers’ characteristics vary according to the particular type of dance practised in a given geographic region. The aims of the study were to evaluate the effects of 12-week folk dance training on blood oxidative stress level, lipids, lipoproteins, as well as muscle damage markers and to define some physical and physiological properties of folk dancers. Material and methods. Thirty-eight healthy male folk dancers aged 21-28 years having an average of 11 years of dance training experience voluntarily participated in the study. All of the physical and physiological measurements and the blood analysis were performed twice, before and after the training period which focused on different regional dances (Caucasus, Bar, Zeybek, Spoon Dance, Thracian dances, and Horon. The training was done 2 hours per day (a total of 10 hours a week, during a 12-week-long period. Results. All the blood parameters were found to be within the specified reference ranges. The training programme had no significant effect on the blood lipid profile, whereas it was found to have positive effects on body fat (p ≤ 0.012, peak oxygen consumption (VO2peak; p = 0.000, muscle damage markers (creatine kinase, Δ% = −19.6, and total antioxidant capacity (p ≤ 0.002. Conclusions. Regular folk dance training was found to have positive effects on body fat, VO2peak, blood total antioxidant capacity, and muscle damage markers. Based on these results, the community should be encouraged to perform folk dance as a recreational physical activity, and public awareness should be raised about the health benefits of practising folk dances.

Health-Improving Potential of Dancing Exercises in Physical Education of Students of Higher Educational Institutions

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Т. М. Кравчук

2015-06-01

Full Text Available Research objective: to determine the health-improving potential of dancing exercises used in physical education of female students of higher educational institutions.  Research methods: study and analysis of pedagogical, scientific and methodological literature on the subject matter of the research; observations, questionnaires, functional tests; statistical methods of data reduction. Conclusions. As part of the study, the use of dancing exercises in the physical education of female students of higher educational institutions proved contributing to a significant increase in the level of their physical health in general and improvement of some of its indicators, including strength and life indices, heart rate recovery time after 20 squats. Dancing exercises also boost spirits, improve health and activity of the female students, which the study proved statistically.

"Learning to Dance"

Science.gov (United States)

Keller, Nicole

2013-01-01

This article describes how the author, Nicole Keller, found that her writing grew richer and more honest as her understanding of movement and her own body evolved through an Introduction to Modern Dance course. For the first time in her life as an aspiring writer, she felt connected to art, literature, and her personal history in ways that…

EFFECT OF DANCE EXERCISE ON COGNITIVE FUNCTION IN ELDERLY PATIENTS WITH METABOLIC SYNDROME: A PILOT STUDY

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Sang-Wook Song

2011-12-01

Full Text Available Metabolic syndrome is associated with an increased risk of cognitive impairment. The purpose of this prospective pilot study was to examine the effects of dance exercise on cognitive function in elderly patients with metabolic syndrome. The participants included 38 elderly metabolic syndrome patients with normal cognitive function (26 exercise group and 12 control group. The exercise group performed dance exercise twice a week for 6 months. Cognitive function was assessed in all participants using the Korean version of the Consortium to Establish a Registry for Alzheimer's disease (CERAD-K. Repeated-measures ANCOVA was used to assess the effect of dance exercise on cognitive function and cardiometabolic risk factors. Compared with the control group, the exercise group significantly improved in verbal fluency (p = 0.048, word list delayed recall (p = 0.038, word list recognition (p = 0.007, and total CERAD-K score (p = 0.037. However, no significance difference was found in body mass index, blood pressure, waist circumference, fasting plasma glucose, triglyceride, and HDL cholesterol between groups over the 6-month period. In the present study, six months of dance exercise improved cognitive function in older adults with metabolic syndrome. Thus, dance exercise may reduce the risk for cognitive disorders in elderly people with metabolic syndrome.

EFFECT OF DANCE EXERCISE ON COGNITIVE FUNCTION IN ELDERLY PATIENTS WITH METABOLIC SYNDROME: A PILOT STUDY

OpenAIRE

Sang-Wook Song; Seo-Jin Park; Jung-hyoun Cho; Sung-Goo Kang; Hyun-Kook Lim; Yu-Bae Ahn; Minjeong Kim; Se-Hong Kim

2011-01-01

Metabolic syndrome is associated with an increased risk of cognitive impairment. The purpose of this prospective pilot study was to examine the effects of dance exercise on cognitive function in elderly patients with metabolic syndrome. The participants included 38 elderly metabolic syndrome patients with normal cognitive function (26 exercise group and 12 control group). The exercise group performed dance exercise twice a week for 6 months. Cognitive function was assessed in all participants...

Aggressive behavior prevention in a dance duet

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Olena Gant

2017-10-01

Full Text Available Purpose: to study the features of aggression and the main directions of prevention of aggressive forms of behavior, among athletes engaged in sports dancing in the preliminary basic training. Material & Methods: analysis of scientific and methodological literature, "Personal aggressiveness and conflictness". Results: a theoretical analysis of the problem of aggressive behavior in sports dance duets. Level of aggressiveness of athletes of sports dances at the stage of preliminary basic training is determined. Reasons for the formation of aggressive behavior among young athletes are revealed. Areas of preventive and psychocorrectional work with aggressive athletes are singled out. Conclusion: a high level of aggression was detected in 19 (31,67% of the study participants. Determinants of aggressive behavior in sport ballroom pair appear particularly family upbringing style and pedagogical activity of the trainer. Correction of aggressive behavior of young athletes should have a complex systemic character and take into account the main characterological features of aggressive athletes.

American Prometheus. The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer. Biography; J. Robert Oppenheimer. Die Biographie

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bird, Kai; Sherwin, Martin J.

2009-07-01

A definitive portrait of legendary scientist J. Robert Oppenheimer, the ''father'' of the atomic bomb, discusses his seminal role in the twentieth-century scientific world, as well as his lesser-known roles as family man, supposed communist, and head of Princeton's Institute for Advanced Studies. ''American Prometheus'' is a rich evocation of America in mid-century and a compelling portrait of scientist J. Robert Oppenheimer, a man shaped by its major events--the Depression, World War II, and the Cold War. (orig.) [German] J. Robert Oppenheimer (1904-1967), der ''Vater der Atombombe'', zaehlt zu den schillerndsten Figuren der juengeren Zeitgeschichte. Fuer ihre glaenzende Biographie des ''amerikanischen Prometheus'' erhielten der Journalist Kai Bird und der Historiker Martin J. Sherwin den Pulitzer-Preis. Exemplarisch lassen sie das Drama eines Forschers lebendig werden, der sich zwischen Erkenntnisdrang und ethischer Verantwortung entscheiden muss. Oppenheimer leitete das streng geheime Manhattan-Projekt in der Wueste von New Mexico, wo am 16. Juli 1945 die erste Atombombe gezuendet wurde. Kurz darauf starben in Hiroshima und Nagasaki mehr als 200 000 Menschen durch die neue ''Wunderwaffe'' - die Menschheit war ins Atomzeitalter eingetreten. Erschuettert von der Zerstoerungskraft seiner Schoepfung, engagierte sich Oppenheimer fortan gegen den Einsatz nuklearer Waffen. Das machte ihn im Amerika der McCarthy-Aera verdaechtig. Er geriet ins Visier des FBI, wurde als Spion der Sowjetunion verleumdet und musste den Staatsdienst quittieren. Sein Privatleben wurde an die Oeffentlichkeit gezerrt, seine Wohnung verwanzt, sein Telefon abgehoert. Erst 1963 rehabilitierte ihn Praesident Kennedy. Ueber dreissig Jahre hinweg haben die Autoren Interviews mit Oppenheimers Angehoerigen, Freunden und Kollegen gefuehrt, FBI-Akten gesichtet, Tonbaender von Reden und Verhoeren

Dance for the rehabilitation of balance and gait in adults with neurological conditions other than Parkinson's disease: A systematic review

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kara K. Patterson

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Purpose: To conduct a systematic review that examined the effect of dance interventions on balance, gait and functional mobility outcomes in adults with neurological conditions other than Parkinson's disease. Methods: A systematic search of relevant databases was conducted. Data extraction and methodological appraisal were performed by two independent authors. Results: Nine studies were included (4 pre-post studies with no control group, 3 case reports, and 2 controlled studies and results of the methodological quality assessment ranged from poor to good. Study groups included stroke, multiple sclerosis, spinal cord injury, and Huntington's disease. Dance interventions varied in frequency, type and duration, and only 1 study reported intensity. Study dropout rates ranged from 20–44%, and 88–100% of dance classes were attended. Only 3 studies mentioned adverse events, of which there were none. A summary of results revealed significant changes in spatiotemporal gait parameters, Berg Balance Scale scores, Timed Up and Go test and six-minute walk test that were similar to or greater than those previously reported in a review of dance for individuals with Parkinson's disease. Conclusions: There is emerging evidence to support the use of dance as a feasible intervention for adults with neurological conditions. Further investigation of the effects of dance with randomized controlled trials using larger sample sizes and better reporting of the intervention, participant tolerance, and adverse events is warranted. Keyword: Rehabilitation

Feasibility of Delivering a Dance Intervention for SubAcute Stroke in a Rehabilitation Hospital Setting

Science.gov (United States)

Demers, Marika; McKinley, Patricia

2015-01-01

Dance can be a promising treatment intervention used in rehabilitation for individuals with disabilities to address physical, cognitive and psychological impairments. The aim of this pilot study was to determine the feasibility of a modified dance intervention as an adjunct therapy designed for people with subacute stroke, in a rehabilitation setting. Using a descriptive qualitative study design, a biweekly 45-min dance intervention was offered to individuals with a subacute stroke followed in a rehabilitation hospital, over 4 weeks. The dance intervention followed the structure of an usual dance class, but the exercises were modified and progressed to meet each individual’s needs. The dance intervention, delivered in a group format, was feasible in a rehabilitation setting. A 45-min dance class of moderate intensity was of appropriate duration and intensity for individuals with subacute stroke to avoid excessive fatigue and to deliver the appropriate level of challenge. The overall satisfaction of the participants towards the dance class, the availability of space and equipment, and the low level of risks contributed to the feasibility of a dance intervention designed for individuals in the subacute stage of post-stroke recovery. PMID:25785497

Feasibility of Delivering a Dance Intervention for SubAcute Stroke in a Rehabilitation Hospital Setting

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marika Demers

2015-03-01

Full Text Available Dance can be a promising treatment intervention used in rehabilitation for individuals with disabilities to address physical, cognitive and psychological impairments. The aim of this pilot study was to determine the feasibility of a modified dance intervention as an adjunct therapy designed for people with subacute stroke, in a rehabilitation setting. Using a descriptive qualitative study design, a biweekly 45-min dance intervention was offered to individuals with a subacute stroke followed in a rehabilitation hospital, over 4 weeks. The dance intervention followed the structure of an usual dance class, but the exercises were modified and progressed to meet each individual’s needs. The dance intervention, delivered in a group format, was feasible in a rehabilitation setting. A 45-min dance class of moderate intensity was of appropriate duration and intensity for individuals with subacute stroke to avoid excessive fatigue and to deliver the appropriate level of challenge. The overall satisfaction of the participants towards the dance class, the availability of space and equipment, and the low level of risks contributed to the feasibility of a dance intervention designed for individuals in the subacute stage of post-stroke recovery.

Effect of Dance Exercise on Cognitive Function in Elderly Patients with Metabolic Syndrome: A Pilot Study

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Se-Hong; Kim, Minjeong; Ahn, Yu-Bae; Lim, Hyun-Kook; Kang, Sung-Goo; Cho, Jung-hyoun; Park, Seo-Jin; Song, Sang-Wook

2011-01-01

Metabolic syndrome is associated with an increased risk of cognitive impairment. The purpose of this prospective pilot study was to examine the effects of dance exercise on cognitive function in elderly patients with metabolic syndrome. The participants included 38 elderly metabolic syndrome patients with normal cognitive function (26 exercise group and 12 control group). The exercise group performed dance exercise twice a week for 6 months. Cognitive function was assessed in all participants using the Korean version of the Consortium to Establish a Registry for Alzheimer’s disease (CERAD-K). Repeated-measures ANCOVA was used to assess the effect of dance exercise on cognitive function and cardiometabolic risk factors. Compared with the control group, the exercise group significantly improved in verbal fluency (p = 0.048), word list delayed recall (p = 0.038), word list recognition (p = 0.007), and total CERAD-K score (p = 0.037). However, no significance difference was found in body mass index, blood pressure, waist circumference, fasting plasma glucose, triglyceride, and HDL cholesterol between groups over the 6-month period. In the present study, six months of dance exercise improved cognitive function in older adults with metabolic syndrome. Thus, dance exercise may reduce the risk for cognitive disorders in elderly people with metabolic syndrome. Key points Metabolic syndrome (MS) is associated with an increased risk of cognitive impairment. Aerobic exercise improves cognitive function in elderly people and contributes to the prevention of degenerative neurological disease and brain damage. Dance sport is a form of aerobic exercise that has the additional benefits of stimulating the emotions, promoting social interaction, and exposing subjects to acoustic stimulation and music. In the present study, dance exercise for a 6-month period improved cognitive function in older adults with MS. In particular, positive effects were observed in verbal fluency, word

Effect of dance exercise on cognitive function in elderly patients with metabolic syndrome: a pilot study.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Se-Hong; Kim, Minjeong; Ahn, Yu-Bae; Lim, Hyun-Kook; Kang, Sung-Goo; Cho, Jung-Hyoun; Park, Seo-Jin; Song, Sang-Wook

2011-01-01

Metabolic syndrome is associated with an increased risk of cognitive impairment. The purpose of this prospective pilot study was to examine the effects of dance exercise on cognitive function in elderly patients with metabolic syndrome. The participants included 38 elderly metabolic syndrome patients with normal cognitive function (26 exercise group and 12 control group). The exercise group performed dance exercise twice a week for 6 months. Cognitive function was assessed in all participants using the Korean version of the Consortium to Establish a Registry for Alzheimer's disease (CERAD-K). Repeated-measures ANCOVA was used to assess the effect of dance exercise on cognitive function and cardiometabolic risk factors. Compared with the control group, the exercise group significantly improved in verbal fluency (p = 0.048), word list delayed recall (p = 0.038), word list recognition (p = 0.007), and total CERAD-K score (p = 0.037). However, no significance difference was found in body mass index, blood pressure, waist circumference, fasting plasma glucose, triglyceride, and HDL cholesterol between groups over the 6-month period. In the present study, six months of dance exercise improved cognitive function in older adults with metabolic syndrome. Thus, dance exercise may reduce the risk for cognitive disorders in elderly people with metabolic syndrome. Key pointsMetabolic syndrome (MS) is associated with an increased risk of cognitive impairment.Aerobic exercise improves cognitive function in elderly people and contributes to the prevention of degenerative neurological disease and brain damage. Dance sport is a form of aerobic exercise that has the additional benefits of stimulating the emotions, promoting social interaction, and exposing subjects to acoustic stimulation and music.In the present study, dance exercise for a 6-month period improved cognitive function in older adults with MS. In particular, positive effects were observed in verbal fluency, word list

GENDER AND THE PERSONAL IN POLITICAL BIOGRAPHY Observations from a Dutch Perspective

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bosch, Mineke

2009-01-01

This article explores the differential meanings of "personal life" in political biographies of men and women, mainly based upon Dutch examples, but making use of international literature. Though there has been a tendency to use personal detail only as a means to advertise and popularize

Health-Related Quality of Life in University Dance Students.

Science.gov (United States)

White, Hayley M; Hoch, Johanna M; Hoch, Matthew C

2018-03-01

Injuries are common among dancers and may negatively affect health-related quality of life (HRQL). The modified Disablement in the Physically Active Scale (mDPA) is a generic patient-reported outcome instrument that could be used when providing care to patients participating in performing arts. The objective of this pilot study was to examine the internal consistency of the mDPA and assess overall HRQL using the mDPA in university dance students. Thirty-one female university dance students completed the mDPA during one data collection session. Higher scores on the Physical Summary Component (mDPA-PSC), the Mental Summary Component (mDPAMSC), and mDPA-Total indicated increased disablement. The internal consistency was determined using Cronbachs alpha. The mDPA-Total, mDPA-PSC, and mDPAMSC scores were examined descriptively using mean and standard deviations. Individual item responses were also examined. The proportion of university dance students with clinically relevant levels of disablement on the mDPA-Total was examined using a previously established minimally clinically important difference value. The internal consistency for the mDPA-MSC (a=0.91) and mDPATotal (a=0.90) was excellent and good for the mDPA-PSC (a=0.88). A large proportion (71%) of university dance students demonstrated clinically relevant levels of disablement despite fully participating in dance-related activities. Pain, impaired motion, and stress were the greatest contributors to increased disablement in these individuals. The mDPA scores observed in this pilot study indicate that many dance students experience levels of disablement and decreased HRQL which may warrant physical and mental intervention. Clinicians providing healthcare services to performing artists should consider using the mDPA to provide patient-centered care.

Feminist Pedagogy, Body Image, and the Dance Technique Class

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Barr, Sherrie; Oliver, Wendy

2016-01-01

This paper investigates the evolution of feminist consciousness in dance technique class as related to body image, the myth of the perfect body, and the development of feminist pedagogy. Western concert dance forms have often been taught in a manner where imitating the teacher is primary in the learning process. In this traditional scenario,…

Moving Self: The Thread Which Bridges Dance and Theatre

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Smith, Mary Lynn

2002-01-01

This paper is a study of the impact movement education has had on prospective dance and theatre practitioners--how they think about, perceive, and experience movement. The purpose is to discuss the concept "experience" as it relates to phenomena being considered during classes in dance improvisation and movement for theatre with the objective to…

Adolescent Culture and Music.

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Andersen, Neil

1996-01-01

Discusses adolescent anxieties, rebelliousness, and media preferences in the 1990s, especially Hip Hop, and relates today's trends to past trends, from Sinatra to Break Dancing. Suggests classroom activities using music and music videos: analyzing fans; providing biographies, discographies, lyrics; writing reviews of albums and videos; studying…

Research Sources and Microforms in Black Studies: An Annotated Bibliography.

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Ridinger, Robert B. Marks

1985-01-01

Analyzes 93 reference works and 23 microform collections concerning the Black American experience in 13 subject areas of the social sciences (anthropology, biography, race relations and civil rights, the Black church, communication studies, economics, education, dance, genealogy, Black history, sports, women's studies, and literature and language)…

Mozart, Love and the Eighth Grade.

Science.gov (United States)

Thoms, Hollis

1983-01-01

A semester-long study of Mozart helped eighth-graders understand the composer's personality and appreciate his music. Students read a biography of his life, studied the forms of his music, danced the minuet, and performed one of his operas in a schoolwide Mozart Day celebration. (AM)

Dance Movement Therapy with Elderly People with Pakinson's and Alzheimer's Diseace

OpenAIRE

Nitschová, Aneta

2016-01-01

This bachelor thesis focuses on the application of dance movement therapy with elderly people with certain limitations. The aim of the thesis is to describe the effects of dance movement therapy on elderly people who suffer from neurodegenerative diseases - Parkinson's disease and Alzheimer's disease. The thesis also points to the fact that although the dance movement therapy is a very suitable supplementary method of elderly people care, it does not get much attention in the Czech Republic, ...

Clubbing masculinities: gender shifts in gay men's dance floor choreographies.

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Peterson, Grant Tyler

2011-01-01

This article adopts an interdisciplinary approach to understanding the intersections of gender, sexuality, and dance. It examines the expressions of sexuality among gay males through culturally popular forms of club dancing. Drawing on political and musical history, I outline an account of how gay men's gendered choreographies changed throughout the 1970s, 80s, and 90s. Through a notion of "technologies of the body," I situate these developments in relation to cultural levels of homophobia, exploring how masculine expressions are entangled with and regulated by musical structures. My driving hypothesis is that as perceptions of cultural homophobia decrease, popular choreographies of gay men's dance have become more feminine in expression. Exploring this idea in the context of the first decade of the new millennium, I present a case study of TigerHeat, one of the largest weekly gay dance club events in the United States.

"Dance and go on": a project of psychosocial rehabilitation on the road.

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Tavormina, Romina; Tavormina, Maurilio Giuseppe Maria; Nemoianni, Eugenio

2015-09-01

The project "Dance and go on" was created with the intention of bringing out of the Day Centre of the Department of Mental Health of Torre del Greco, the dance group "Dance That you go" active since 2009. Dancing Bachata becomes a rehabilitation tool to express emotions through the body and to open to the outside, on the territory (local society), overcoming the fear of being judged by others, the prejudice and the social stigma about mental illness. The rehabilitation activities of the dancing group allowed patients to improve their care of self, self-esteem, confidence in their capacities and an increase in their social relations. The strength and cohesion of the rehabilitation group has given to the patients the opportunity to believe in their own abilities, to accept themselves with their difficulties and to improve the relationship with their body in relation with each other.

What is it dance can do?

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ravn, Susanne

presented in this paper are based on a synthesis of the results of all three reports. The surveys presented in report 3 indicates that an impressing high percentage (87 and 98) of the participants evaluate that the dance practices are social in a ‘high’ or ‘very high’ degree. Drawing on a combination...... of observations and interviews with participants and the dancers teaching in courses and projects, report 1 and 2 present and analyse participants’ experiences running behind the surveys. In each their ways, these two reports bring to the fore that participating in the dance activities is, first of all, a matter...

Is Dance a Sport?: A Twenty-First-Century Debate

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Guarino, Lindsay

2015-01-01

This article discusses a new debate which has emerged for dancers. For many years dancers debated dance as art versus entertainment. This age-old debate still exists without a consensus, yet there is suddenly a new generation of dancers with a fresh debate. Legions of young performers are fervently proclaiming that their dance is actually a sport.…

Straight into the Eyes - Jacek Łumiński and the Silesian Dance Theatre (1991-2011

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Alicja Iwańska

2012-06-01

Full Text Available The final decade of the 20th century was the turning-point for the development of Polish contemporary dance. In 1991 Jacek Łumiński established the Silesian Dance Theatre in Bytom. The theatre is said to be in the avant-garde of all activities related to contemporary dance development in Poland. It was J. Łumiński and his theatre who pioneered new trends in contemporary dance at the beginning of the nineties of the 20th century, at the same time they have conducted educational activity over the intervening twenty years. The aim of this article is to present the artistic and educational activity of the Silesian Dance Theatre of the recent twenty years. In the beginning the author presents a choreographic portrait of J. Łumiński, the founder and choreographer of the Silesian Dance Theatre, and creator of the Polish contemporary dance technique. Then an analysis of J. Łumiński’s dance style is carried out, and the review of the Silesian Dance Theatre’s choreographic attainments is presented. The final part of the article discusses the wide spectrum of educational activities undertaken in the field of contemporary professional dance by the Silesian Dance Theatre, and the phenomenon of the theatre on the Polish stage.

Naturalistic music and dance: Cortical phase synchrony in musicians and dancers.

Science.gov (United States)

Poikonen, Hanna; Toiviainen, Petri; Tervaniemi, Mari

2018-01-01

Expertise in music has been investigated for decades and the results have been applied not only in composition, performance and music education, but also in understanding brain plasticity in a larger context. Several studies have revealed a strong connection between auditory and motor processes and listening to and performing music, and music imagination. Recently, as a logical next step in music and movement, the cognitive and affective neurosciences have been directed towards expertise in dance. To understand the versatile and overlapping processes during artistic stimuli, such as music and dance, it is necessary to study them with continuous naturalistic stimuli. Thus, we used long excerpts from the contemporary dance piece Carmen presented with and without music to professional dancers, musicians, and laymen in an EEG laboratory. We were interested in the cortical phase synchrony within each participant group over several frequency bands during uni- and multimodal processing. Dancers had strengthened theta and gamma synchrony during music relative to silence and silent dance, whereas the presence of music decreased systematically the alpha and beta synchrony in musicians. Laymen were the only group of participants with significant results related to dance. Future studies are required to understand whether these results are related to some other factor (such as familiarity to the stimuli), or if our results reveal a new point of view to dance observation and expertise.

Naturalistic music and dance: Cortical phase synchrony in musicians and dancers

Science.gov (United States)

Toiviainen, Petri; Tervaniemi, Mari

2018-01-01

Expertise in music has been investigated for decades and the results have been applied not only in composition, performance and music education, but also in understanding brain plasticity in a larger context. Several studies have revealed a strong connection between auditory and motor processes and listening to and performing music, and music imagination. Recently, as a logical next step in music and movement, the cognitive and affective neurosciences have been directed towards expertise in dance. To understand the versatile and overlapping processes during artistic stimuli, such as music and dance, it is necessary to study them with continuous naturalistic stimuli. Thus, we used long excerpts from the contemporary dance piece Carmen presented with and without music to professional dancers, musicians, and laymen in an EEG laboratory. We were interested in the cortical phase synchrony within each participant group over several frequency bands during uni- and multimodal processing. Dancers had strengthened theta and gamma synchrony during music relative to silence and silent dance, whereas the presence of music decreased systematically the alpha and beta synchrony in musicians. Laymen were the only group of participants with significant results related to dance. Future studies are required to understand whether these results are related to some other factor (such as familiarity to the stimuli), or if our results reveal a new point of view to dance observation and expertise. PMID:29672597

The Benefit of Movement: Dance/Movement Therapy and Down Syndrome

Science.gov (United States)

Albin, Chloe M.

2016-01-01

There are various forms of therapies for children with disabilities, including physical therapy, speech therapy, and alternative therapies such as music and dance therapy. Each form of therapy has its benefits for those with disabilities, but ultimately the success of the therapy rests on the attention paid to the individual. Especially for…

Analysis of the waggle dance motion of honeybees for the design of a biomimetic honeybee robot.

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Tim Landgraf

Full Text Available The honeybee dance "language" is one of the most popular examples of information transfer in the animal world. Today, more than 60 years after its discovery it still remains unknown how follower bees decode the information contained in the dance. In order to build a robotic honeybee that allows a deeper investigation of the communication process we have recorded hundreds of videos of waggle dances. In this paper we analyze the statistics of visually captured high-precision dance trajectories of European honeybees (Apis mellifera carnica. The trajectories were produced using a novel automatic tracking system and represent the most detailed honeybee dance motion information available. Although honeybee dances seem very variable, some properties turned out to be invariant. We use these properties as a minimal set of parameters that enables us to model the honeybee dance motion. We provide a detailed statistical description of various dance properties that have not been characterized before and discuss the role of particular dance components in the commmunication process.

Natural Selection and the Audition Process: Dance Science in Context. Monaco Dance Forum/Association Danse Medecine Recherche Colloquium, Monaco, 1-4 April 2010

Science.gov (United States)

Sporton, Gregory

2010-01-01

The Monaco Dance Forum (MDF), a biennale of dance that takes place in the beautiful and affluent surroundings of Monte Carlo, has chosen this time to celebrate as its theme the centenary of the "Ballets Russes." Diaghilev's famous company made its first tour in 1909, an event that unarguably changed ballet's status as an art form, and heralded…

A comparison of dance interventions in people with Parkinson disease and older adults.

Science.gov (United States)

McNeely, M E; Duncan, R P; Earhart, G M

2015-05-01

It is important for our aging population to remain active, particularly those with chronic diseases, like Parkinson disease (PD), which limit mobility. Recent studies in older adults and people with PD suggest dance interventions provide various motor benefits. The literature for dance in PD is growing, but many knowledge gaps remain, relative to what is known in older adults. The purpose of this review is to: (1) detail results of dance intervention studies in older adults and in PD, (2) describe limitations of dance research in these populations, and (3) identify directions for future study. Generally, a wide variety of dance styles have been investigated in older adults, while a more limited subset has been evaluated in PD. Measures vary widely across studies and a lack of standardized outcomes measures hinders cross-studies comparisons. Compared to the dance literature in older adults, there is a notable absence of evidence in the PD literature in outcome domains related to cardiovascular health, muscle strength, body composition, flexibility, and proprioception. As a whole, the dance literature supports substantial and wide-ranging benefits in both populations, but additional effort should be dedicated to well-designed comparative studies using standardized outcome measures to identify optimal treatment programs. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

A Comparison of Dance Interventions in People with Parkinson Disease and Older Adults

Science.gov (United States)

McNeely, ME; Duncan, RP; Earhart, GE

2015-01-01

It is important for our aging population to remain active, particularly those with chronic diseases, like Parkinson disease (PD), which limit mobility. Recent studies in older adults and people with PD suggest dance interventions provide various motor benefits. The literature for dance in PD is growing, but many knowledge gaps remain, relative to what is known in older adults. The purpose of this review is to: 1) detail results of dance intervention studies in older adults and in PD, 2) describe limitations of dance research in these populations, and 3) identify directions for future study. Generally, a wide variety of dance styles have been investigated in older adults, while a more limited subset has been evaluated in PD. Measures vary widely across studies and a lack of standardized outcomes measures hinders cross-studies comparisons. Compared to the dance literature in older adults, there is a notable absence of evidence in the PD literature in outcome domains related to cardiovascular health, muscle strength, body composition, flexibility, and proprioception. As a whole, the dance literature supports substantial and wide-ranging benefits in both populations, but additional effort should be dedicated to well-designed comparative studies using standardized outcome measures to identify optimal treatment programs. PMID:25771040

No Simple Answers: A Holistic Approach to Issues Concerning Obesity and African Dance

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Maxwell Xolani Rani

2017-02-01

Full Text Available Obesity is a growing health issue in South Africa that carries health risk detrimental to those living in Black townships. The author will argue that the use of South African traditional urban dances may be permissible option for replacing aerobics to help prevent and combat obesity. Christian missionaries, colonizers, Western education, urbanization, and apartheid have had negative impacts on South African traditional rural dances; however, South Africans who migrated to urban environments in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries transformed traditions under spatial and ideological constraints and created new South African traditional urban social dances. South African traditional urban social dances were created in urban environments, in slum yards and townships, and do not reach the same level of sacred ritual that South African traditional rural social dances do; thus, their use in Black townships to help fight obesity is a possibility that must be further researched. The use of South African traditional urban social dances may not only help prevent and reduce obesity, but also help build community, teach history, facilitate self-exploration in a holistic manner, and open doors for the youth of today to continue to transform traditional urban social dances to reflect the current realities they are experiencing in Black townships.

Retrospective anаlysis dance Bojko in the Carpathian region in the context of Ukrainian choreographic cultur

OpenAIRE

Kvetsko Olga Yaroslavivna

2017-01-01

In the article the characteristics Boyko dance in the context of Ukrainian folk stage dance. The main trends of Boyko dance as part of the study of Ukrainian dance in general and peculiarities of choreographic traditions Boyko. Outlined role in shaping the folk dance choreography Boyko culture in Ivano-Frankivsk region. The analysis of the scientific coverage Boyko dance. Determined stylistic features choreographic culture Boyko. The actual problem is the synthesis of art experiences enrich U...

[Analysis and evaluation of occupational accidents in dancers of the dance theatre].

Science.gov (United States)

Wanke, E M; Groneberg, D A; Quarcoo, D

2011-03-01

The dance theatre is an autonomous form of presentation within the performing arts. It is a combination of dance, drama, singing and speaking. As the actors are usually professional dancers the dance theatre is associated with the professional dance. Compared with other dance styles there is an enhanced usage of props, costumes or décor to intensify the production and the expressiveness. In contrast to the defined professional dance technique the range of movements is unlimited. There has not yet been done any research on the influence of props as well as décor in terms of exogenous factors potentially favouring injuries. Aim of this study is to characterize specific injury patterns, as well as their causes and to suggest basic approaches to prevent injuries in the dance theatre. The data of this evaluation comprise occupational accident reports, accident reports of various Berlin theatres as well as case records of all Berlin State Theatres (n = 1106) of the Berlin State Accident Insurance over a 9-year period. 103 occupational accidents are accounted for the dance theatre. 44.6 % of the accidents happen during rehearsals, 42.4 % during performances, 76.7 % on stage and adjoining areas and 10.7 % in the ballet studio. Second most common movement resulting in an injury are jumps with 25.4 %. Altogether 69.7 % of the accidents have a uniquely defined exogenous cause with 30.5 % by props, 12.7 % by the floor and 17.2 % by the dance partner. 30.3 % of the accidents have multifactorial causes (e. g. the social situation, state of training and nutrition). 61 % of all accidents happen within three hours after starting work with an increase of occupational accidents between 11:00 - 12:00 hrs and 08:00- 09:00 hrs. The lower extremity is the most affected location (53.3 %), followed by the head/neck area (21.4 %) and the upper extremity (17.5 %). Contusions (26.2 %), distortions (17.5 %), muscular strains (19.4 %) and wounds (13.6 %) are the most frequent types of

A Set of Descriptive Case Studies of Four Dance Faculty Members' Pedagogical Practices

Science.gov (United States)

Sims, Meredith; Erwin, Heather

2012-01-01

Dance faculty members come from a variety of backgrounds, which lead to varied knowledge bases and varied teaching practices. More information is needed about the current pedagogical practices of higher education dance faculty. This study sought to provide a description of four faculty members' pedagogical approaches to a dance technique class in…

Peeling Back the Skin of Racism: Real History and Race in Dance Education

Science.gov (United States)

Kerr-Berry, Julie

2016-01-01

Over a decade ago Julie Kerr-Berry wrote the editorial for this journal, "The Skin We Dance, The Skin We Teach: Appropriation of Black Content in Dance Education" (Kerr-Berry 2004). In it, she argued the importance of integrating multiple legacies into dance education, particularly into the historical narrative. She also contended that…

‘ “Dannsair air ùrlar-déile thu”: Gaelic evidence about dance from the mid-17th to late-18th century Highlands’

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Michael Steven Newton

2013-10-01

Full Text Available From the 1950s to the 1970s, two sets of scholars – Tom and Joan Flett, and George Emmerson – gleaned many English-language sources to recover aspects of the history of dance in Scotland. They correctly pointed out the pervasive influence of French court culture and the French-trained dancing masters on Scottish forms of dance, including in the Highlands, but did not examine the majority of potential Gaelic sources in their work. This article examines Scottish Gaelic sources referring to dance practices in the Scottish Highlands from the late-seventeenth century to the end of the eighteenth century, placing them within the context of wider European developments in music and dance and confirming that they demonstrate a consciousness of the strong connections with France and corresponding effects on Gaelic dance traditions.

Temporal trends in dancing among adults between 1994 and 2012: The Health Survey for England.

Science.gov (United States)

Vassallo, Amy Jo; Hiller, Claire E; Pappas, Evangelos; Stamatakis, Emmanuel

2018-01-01

The benefits of physical activity are established, however, increasing population physical activity levels remains a challenge. Participating in activities that are enjoyable and multidimensional, such as dancing, are associated with better adherence. However, the extent to which the general population participates in dancing and its temporal trends has not been well studied. The aim of this study was to investigate temporal trends and patterns and correlates of dance participation in England from 1994 to 2012 using a series of large nationally representative surveys. We used data from the Health Survey for England 1994, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2008 and 2012 to examine dance temporal trends. Temporal trends data were age-standardized and correlates of dance participation were examined for males and females over each study year. Changes in population prevalence of dance participation were determined using multiple logistical regression with 1997 as the reference year. Of all survey participants (n=98,178) 7.8% (95%CI: 7.63-7.96) reported dance participation. There was a marked steady decrease over time, with the steepest decline from 2003 onwards. The multivariable-adjusted odds ratios for dance participation were 0.51 for males (95%CI 0.408-0.630, p<0.001) and 0.69 for females (95%CI: 0.598-0.973, p<0.001) in 2012 compared to 1997. Dance participation in adults in England has decreased markedly over time. This study suggests that dance is not being adequately utilized as a health enhancing physical activity, and therefore further research and resources should be dedicated to supporting dance in the community. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Adversaries, Advocates, or Thoughtful Analysts? Some Lessons from Dance History.

Science.gov (United States)

Wagner, Ann

1999-01-01

Argues that the arts demand careful analysis when providing a rationale for the inclusion of the arts in educational programs and policies. Provides information on the content and context of dance opposition and provides examples from dance history of issues that need to be addressed. (CMK)

Postural balance and falls in elderly nursing home residents enrolled in a ballroom dancing program.

Science.gov (United States)

da Silva Borges, Eliane Gomes; de Souza Vale, Rodrigo Gomes; Cader, Samária Ali; Leal, Silvania; Miguel, Francisco; Pernambuco, Carlos Soares; Dantas, Estélio H M

2014-01-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of a ballroom dancing program on the postural balance of institutionalized elderly residents. The sample consisted of 59 sedentary elderly residents of long-stay institutions who were randomly assigned to a ballroom dancing experimental group (EG, n=30) or a control group (CG, n=29). The ballroom dancing program consisted of three 50-min sessions each week on alternate days over a 12-week period. The dances included the foxtrot, waltz, rumba, swing, samba and bolero. The medical records of the subjects were reviewed to determine the number of falls they experienced in the three months prior to the intervention. Postural static balance was assessed using a Lizard (Med. EU., Italy, 2010) stabilometric and posturometric platform. Only patients in the EG lost a significant amount of weight (Δ=-2.85 kg) when comparing the pre- and post-test postural balance assessments. The intergroup comparison revealed a reduced lower limb weight distribution difference in the EG post-test compared to the CG post-test (p=0.012). In the intragroup comparison, the EG patients experienced significantly fewer falls post-test relative to pre-test (pfalls in the EG post-test compared to the CG post-test (pbalance via a ballroom dancing program. This activity improved balance and reduced the number of falls in this elderly population. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.

Dance Theatre of Harlem.

Science.gov (United States)

Petrides, Angelica

1983-01-01

Describes the emergence of the Dance Theatre of Harlem, which has united both aesthetic excellence and social purpose/community involvement since its founding in 1971. Reveals how current government policies have endangered its funding. Offers a critique of several productions, which showed a new emphasis on technique. (DMM)

Narrative Review of Dance-based Exercise and Its Specific Impact on Depressive Symptoms in Older Adults

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ray Marks

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Background: Depression is a chronic condition that results in considerable disability, and particularly in later life, severely impacts the life quality of the individual with this condition. The first aim of this review article was to summarize, synthesize, and evaluate the research base concerning the use of dance-based exercises on health status, in general, and secondly, specifically for reducing depressive symptoms, in older adults. A third was to provide directives for professionals who work or are likely to work with this population in the future. Methods: All English language peer reviewed publications detailing the efficacy of dance therapy as an intervention strategy for older people in general, and specifically for minimizing depression and dependence among the elderly were analyzed. Key words: dance therapy and depression were included. Databases used were Academic Search Complete, Cinahl, PubMed, Scopus, PsycINFO, and Web of Science. Results: Collectively, this data reveal dance therapy may be useful as a rehabilitation strategy for older adults, in general, as well as for elders with varying degrees of depression, regardless of strategy employed. Conclusions: Although more research is needed, older individuals with or without chronic depression or depressive symptoms can benefit emotionally from dance based exercise participation. Geriatric clinicians can expect this form of exercise will also heighten the life quality of the older individual with depression or subclinical depression.

"Just Dance": The Effects of Exergame Feedback and Controller Use on Physical Activity and Psychological Outcomes.

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Lin, Jih-Hsuan

2015-06-01

In Asia, dance games are among the most popular types of exergames. Whereas traditional dance-based games emphasize step movements on a dance pad, more recent dance games emphasize intuitive dance movements using simple controllers or players' own bodies to "just dance." However, because of limited space and access, young adults in Taiwan often do not use these games. Popular dance videos on YouTube are more readily available to students because these videos can be accessed on a computer. Therefore, the current study examines the effects of interactivity (the role of feedback) and controller use on participants' physiological and psychological outcomes during exergames. The dance game "Just Dance 3" (Ubisoft, Montreuil, France) was chosen as the stimulus for this study. Participants danced through one song for rehearsal and warm-up, followed by three songs for the experiment, which lasted approximately 12 minutes. One hundred twenty-nine college students participated in a 2×2×2 (interactivity, feedback versus no feedback; controller, with versus without; sex, male versus female) between-subject factorial design. A series of 2×2×2 (interactivity, controller, and sex) analyses of variance showed no significant differences in interaction effects on participants' heart rates, blood pressures, body movements, step counts, or perceived psychological outcomes. Dance game videos without feedback are also effective tools for achieving moderate-level exercise intensity. These videos can supplement the limited access to games in Asian countries, such as Taiwan.

A Not-so-Hidden Curriculum: Using Auto/Biographies to Teach Educational History

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Bailey, Lucy E.

2015-01-01

Autobiography and biography are productive genres for exploring historical events and processes, even as such works have sometimes held a peripheral role in the "community" of history of education scholarship. This paper focuses on the pedagogical productivity and challenges of a recent graduate course the author offered in…

І. Kotlyarevsky’s Biography in B. Levin’s Novel “Funny Sage”

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Tanya Korniychuk

2014-11-01

Full Text Available I. Kotlyarevsky is an outstanding personality in the history of Ukrainian literature, whose name has become for many people a symbol of Ukraine, a symbol of spiritual unity around national values. It is not a surprise that the figure of the writer became not only the object of numerous scientific works, but also a source of inspiration for masters of artistic word. B. Levin іn his time made artistic exploration of the phenomenon of I. Kotlyarevsky. B. Levin’s interest of I. Kotlyarevsky emerged during large-scale preparation of Ukrainian community to celebrate the 200 anniversary of the birth of the writer. In 1969 B. Levin wrote the story “Evenings of Academic republic” by order of the memorial museum. It was included in the collection “Wreath to I. Kotlyarevsky”. This work engendered writer’s plan to elaborate biography of famous poltavets more detail. For almost twenty years (1972–1990 on the basis of collected and processed factual material B. Levin wrote a novel, in which seven- stories reflected the most important periods of Kotlyarevsky’s life. Kotlyarevsky’s biography in B. Levin's novel „Funny sage” is analyzed in the article; focused on the character of interactions of known biographical facts about the writer, supported by documentary material, from the author’s fiction. By artistic interpretation of writer’s life way B. Levin showed again a great importance of I. Kotlyarevsky in historical and cultural life of Ukraine.

Program of Studies, Aesthetic Education: Dance, Drama/Theatre, Interrelated Arts.

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Montgomery County Public Schools, Rockville, MD. Dept. of Instructional Planning and Development.

Educational objectives and brief course descriptions are provided for dance, drama/theatre, and interrelated ARTS (Arts Resource Teams in Schools), Montgomery County Public School System, Rockville, Maryland. In grades K-12 dance and movement are part of the physical education department. Instruction emphasizes the potential of body movement for…

A brief family and academic biography of Benson E. Ginsburg.

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Maxson, Stephen C

2011-11-01

This is a brief personal biography of Benson E. Ginsburg, my friend, colleague and mentor. This is personal in several ways. First, it is about Benson's family as well as his career. Second, much of what I write is based on discussions with Benson. Third, after 1960, Benson's story is a big part of my story. I have been there for more than 50 years as it has unfolded.

Merging the arts of song and dance: New methodical options for teaching students within the disciplines of song and dance

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Johanne Karen Hagen

2017-01-01

Full Text Available To learn, acquire knowledge, and develop skills is an embodied process. In this article, the authors argue that merging the fields of song and dance is dependent on a deeper understanding of how the mind and the body interact, and they utilize the concept of enactive cognition to explain these processes. The authors maintain that students need insight into these processes in order to improve their learning and, consequently, their performance. Retrospective examples taken from three educational situations within the musical theatre context elucidate the discussion of the concepts of alignment and breathing. These frequently used concepts are often a source of confusion and misunderstanding for the student. To alleviate this, a stronger, interdisciplinary dialogue among the singing and dance teachers who are involved in the genre of musical theatre needs to be developed. The authors suggest collaborative teaching as a means to develop the teaching methods and as the pathway to attaining a common base when integrating the skills of singing and dancing.

Salsa dance and Zumba fitness: Acute responses during community-based classes

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Pablo A. Domene

2016-06-01

Conclusion: The acute responses to classes of partnered Latin dance and non-partnered Latin-themed aerobic dance suggest that in physically inactive women participation is indeed efficacious in terms of community-based physical activity and psychosocial health promotion.

Effects on Inter-Personal Memory of Dancing in Time with Others.

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Woolhouse, Matthew H; Tidhar, Dan; Cross, Ian

2016-01-01

We report an experiment investigating whether dancing to the same music enhances recall of person-related memory targets. The experiment used 40 dancers (all of whom were unaware of the experiment's aim), two-channel silent-disco radio headphones, a marked-up dance floor, two types of music, and memory targets (sash colors and symbols). In each trial, 10 dancers wore radio headphones and one of four different colored sashes, half of which carried cat symbols. Using silent-disco technology, one type of music was surreptitiously transmitted to half the dancers, while music at a different tempo was transmitted to the remaining dancers. Pre-experiment, the dancers' faces were photographed. Post-experiment, each dancer was presented with the photographs of the other dancers and asked to recall their memory targets. Results showed that same-music dancing significantly enhanced memory for sash color and sash symbol. Our findings are discussed in light of recent eye-movement research that showed significantly increased gaze durations for people observing music-dance synchrony versus music-dance asynchrony, and in relation to current literature on interpersonal entrainment, group cohesion, and social bonding.

The dance of time