A preseason cardiorespiratory profile of dancers in nine professional ballet and modern companies.

Science.gov (United States)

Bronner, Shaw; Ojofeitimi, Sheyi; Lora, Jennifer Bailey; Southwick, Heather; Kulak, Michelina Cassella; Gamboa, Jennifer; Rooney, Megan; Gilman, Greg; Gibbs, Richard

2014-01-01

While studies have investigated the physical demands of dance in terms of cardiorespiratory fitness, there are no recent comparisons of cardiorespiratory response to exercise among professional dancers of different genres. Our purpose was to: 1. develop a cardiorespiratory profile of professional dancers; 2. investigate differences in peak and recovery heart rate (HR) between professional modern and ballet dancers using an accelerated 3-minute step test; 3. demonstrate the relationship between cardiorespiratory variables; and 4. investigate the effects of company and work variables on the dancers' cardiorespiratory profiles. We hypothesized greater cardiorespiratory fitness in modern dancers than in ballet dancers, due to the nature of their repertory. Furthermore, we hypothesized that company profiles would reflect differences in work variables. Two hundred and eleven dancers (mean age 24.6 ± 4.7) from nine companies (two modern and seven ballet) performed a 3-minute step test. Demographics, height, mass, blood pressure (BP), smoking history, and resting peak and recovery HR were recorded. Body mass index (BMI) and fitness category were calculated. Independent t-tests were used to compare differences in demographics and cardiorespiratory variables due to genre, MANOVA were conducted to compare differences due to company, and correlations were calculated to determine the relationships between cardiorespiratory variables (p < 0.05). Modern dancers demonstrated higher mass and BMI, lower BP, lower resting HR and HR recovery, and a higher percentage were categorized as "fit" compared to ballet dancers (p < 0.03). There were differences between companies in age, experience, BMI, BP, resting, peak, and recovery HR, and fitness category (p < 0.001). The differences in cardiorespiratory fitness levels that may be related to rigor of repertory, rehearsal and performance seasons, or off-season exercise training are discussed. Results support the need for comprehensive

Disordered eating, amenorrhea, and substance use and misuse among professional ballet dancers: Preliminary analysis

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Mia Peric

2016-04-01

Full Text Available Background: Substance use and misuse (SUM, eating disorders (ED and consequent amenorrhea (AM occur frequently in professional ballet dancing. The objective of this study has been to explore the prevalence and association between ED, AM and SUM in ballet. Material and Methods: The sample comprised 21 ballet dancers, 23.1±4.5 years old, members of the professional National Ballet Ensemble from Croatia. Variables were collected by questionnaires examining SUM, occurrence of amenorrhea, and corresponding ballet-specific and socio-demographic factors (Questionnaire on Substance Use – QSU and the level of ED (Brief Eating Disorder in Athletes Questionnaire – BEDA-Q. Results: Smoking is prevalent in 40% of dancers (25% smoke on a daily basis, 36% often use analgesics, and 25% engage in binge drinking at least once a month. Smoking and binge drinking are less frequent in ballerinas with a higher academic level (r = 0.60 and r = 0.54 for binge drinking and smoking, respectively; p < 0.05. Alcohol drinking is higher among dancers who consume analgesics more often and those with a higher BEDA-Q score (r = 0.53 and r = 0.54 for analgesics and BEDA-Q, respectively; p < 0.05. Amenorrhea is more prevalent among those dancers with a higher BEDA-Q score. Women who consume nutritional supplements are less likely to use analgesics (Mann Whitney U test = 2.11; p < 0.05. Conclusions: Efforts seeking to prevent ED in ballet should target dancers who consume alcohol to a greater extent. Future studies should specifically explore the less frequent consumption of analgesics among dancers who consume nutritional supplements. Med Pr 2016;67(1:21–27

Pain and pain tolerance in professional ballet dancers.

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Tajet-Foxell, B; Rose, F D

1995-01-01

Pain experience in sport had been the subject of increasing research in recent years. While sports professionals have generally been found to have higher pain thresholds than control subjects the reasons for this are not entirely clear. The present study seeks to investigate one possible explanatory factor, the importance of the popular image of the physical activity and of the self-image of its participants, by examining pain experience in professional ballet dancers. Like sports professionals, dancers were found to have higher pain and pain tolerance thresholds than age matched controls in the Cold Pressor Test. However, they also reported a more acute experience of the sensory aspects of the pain. Explanations of this apparent paradox are discussed both in terms of the neuroticism scores of the two groups and in terms of the dancers' greater experience of pain and its relationship with physical activity. The results illustrated the importance of using multidimensional measures of pain in this type of investigation. PMID:7788215

Kinematic analysis of the gait in professional ballet dancers

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Lucie Teplá

2014-06-01

Full Text Available Background: A ballet dance routine places extreme functional demands on the musculoskeletal system and affects the motor behaviour of the dancers. An extreme ballet position places high stress on many segments of the dancer's body and can significantly influence the mobility of the lower limb joints. Objective: The aim of this study was to observe the differences in the gait pattern between ballet dancers and non-dancers. Methods:Thirteen professional ballet dancers (5 males, 8 females; age 24.1 ± 3.8 years; height 170.2 ± 8.5 cm; weight 58.3 ± 11.2 kg participated in this research. We compared these subjects with twelve controls (3 males, 9 females; mean age 24.3 ± 2.75 years; height 173.3 ± 6.01 cm; weight 72.2 ± 12.73 kg. None of the participants had any history of serious musculoskeletal pathology or injury or surgery to the lower limbs. Control groups had no ballet experience. Each participant performed five trials of the gait at self-selected walking speed. Kinematic data was obtained using the Vicon MX optoelectronic system. The observed data was processed in the Vicon Nexus and Vicon Polygon programmes and statistically evaluated in Statistica. Non-parametric test (Mann-Whitney U test, p < .05 was applied for comparing the dancers and the controls. Results:  Significant differences (p < .05 were found in all lower limb joints. In the dancers, greater hip extension (-15.30 ± 3.31° vs. -12.95 ± 6.04°; p = .008 and hip abduction (-9.18 ± 5.89° vs. -6.08 ± 2.52°; p < .001 peaks together with increased pelvic tilt (3.33 ± 1.26° vs. 3.01 ± 1.46°; p = .020, pelvic obliquity (12.46 ± 3.05° vs. 10.34 ± 3.49°; p < .001 and pelvic rotation (14.29 ± 3.77° vs. 13.26 ± 4.91°; p = .029 were observed. Additionally, the dancers demonstrated greater knee flexion (65.67 ± 4.65° vs. 62.45 ± 5.24°; p = .002 and knee

Similar Prevalence of Acetabular Labral Tear in Professional Ballet Dancers and Sporting Participants.

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Mayes, Susan; Ferris, April-Rose; Smith, Peter; Garnham, Andrew; Cook, Jill

2016-07-01

To compare the prevalence of acetabular labral tear in male and female professional ballet dancers with age-matched and sex-matched sporting participants and to determine the relationship to clinical findings and cartilage defects. Case-control study. Clinical and radiology practices. Forty-nine (98 hips) male and female professional ballet dancers (current and retired) with median age 30 years (range: 19-64 years) and 49 (98 hips) age-matched and sex-matched sporting participants. Group (ballet or sports), sex, age, hip cartilage defects, history of hip pain, Hip and Groin Outcome Score, passive hip internal rotation (IR), and external rotation range of movement (ROM). Labral tear identified with 3T magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Labral tears were identified in 51% of all 196 hips. The prevalence did not differ significantly between the ballet and sporting participants (P = 0.41) or between sexes (P = 0.34). Labral tear was not significantly associated with clinical measures, such as pain and function scores or rotation ROM (P > 0.01 for all). Pain provocation test using IR at 90° of hip flexion had excellent specificity [96%, 95% confidence intervals (CIs), 0.77%-0.998%] but poor sensitivity (50%, 95% CI, 0.26%-0.74%) for identifying labral tear in participants reporting hip pain. Older age and cartilage defect presence were independently associated with an increased risk of labral tear (both P ballet dancers was similar to a sporting population. Labral tears were not associated with clinical findings but were related to cartilage defects, independent of aging. Caution is required when interpreting MRI findings as labral tear may not be the source of the ballet dancer's symptoms.

Posterior Endoscopic Excision of Os Trigonum in Professional National Ballet Dancers.

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Ballal, Moez S; Roche, Andy; Brodrick, Anna; Williams, R Lloyd; Calder, James D F

2016-01-01

Previous studies have compared the outcomes after open and endoscopic excision of an os trigonum in patients of mixed professions. No studies have compared the differences in outcomes between the 2 procedures in elite ballet dancers. From October 2005 to February 2010, 35 professional ballet dancers underwent excision of a symptomatic os trigonum of the ankle after a failed period of nonoperative treatment. Of the 35 patients, 13 (37.1%) underwent endoscopic excision and 22 (62.9%) open excision. We compared the outcomes, complications, and time to return to dancing. The open excision group experienced a significantly greater incidence of flexor hallucis longus tendon decompression compared with the endoscopic group. The endoscopic release group returned to full dance earlier at a mean of 9.8 (range 6.5 to 16.1) weeks and those undergoing open excision returned to full dance at a mean of 14.9 (range 9 to 20) weeks (p = .001). No major complications developed in either group, such as deep infection or nerve or vessel injury. We have concluded that both techniques are safe and effective in the treatment of symptomatic os trigonum in professional ballet dancers. Endoscopic excision of the os trigonum offers a more rapid return to full dance compared with open excision. Copyright © 2016 American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Ballet Body Belief: Perceptions of an Ideal Ballet Body from Young Ballet Dancers

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Pickard, Angela

2013-01-01

This paper explores what is perceived and believed to be an ideal ballet body by young ballet dancers. Such bodily belief becomes, in Pierre Bourdieu's terms, a core part of a ballet dancer's habitus. A four year longitudinal, ethnographic, empirical study of the experiences of 12 young ballet dancers, six boys and six girls, aged between 10 and…

Bone stress injury of the ankle in professional ballet dancers seen on MRI

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Besser Marcus P

2008-03-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Ballet Dancers have been shown to have a relatively high incidence of stress fractures of the foot and ankle. It was our objective to examine MR imaging patterns of bone marrow edema (BME in the ankles of high performance professional ballet dancers, to evaluate clinical relevance. Methods MR Imaging was performed on 12 ankles of 11 active professional ballet dancers (6 female, 5 male; mean age 24 years, range 19 to 32. Individuals were imaged on a 0.2 T or 1.5 T MRI units. Images were evaluated by two musculoskeletal radiologists and one orthopaedic surgeon in consensus for location and pattern of bone marrow edema. In order to control for recognized sources of bone marrow edema, images were also reviewed for presence of osseous, ligamentous, tendinous and cartilage injuries. Statistical analysis was performed to assess the strength of the correlation between bone marrow edema and ankle pain. Results Bone marrow edema was seen only in the talus, and was a common finding, observed in nine of the twelve ankles imaged (75% and was associated with pain in all cases. On fluid-sensitive sequences, bone marrow edema was ill-defined and centered in the talar neck or body, although in three cases it extended to the talar dome. No apparent gender predilection was noted. No occult stress fracture could be diagnosed. A moderately strong correlation (phi = 0.77, p= 0.0054 was found between edema and pain in the study population. Conclusion Bone marrow edema seems to be a specific MRI finding in the talus of professional ballet dancers, likely related to biomechanical stress reactions, due to their frequently performed unique maneuvers. Clinically, this condition may indicate a sign of a bone stress injury of the ankle.

Bone stress injury of the ankle in professional ballet dancers seen on MRI

Science.gov (United States)

Elias, Ilan; Zoga, Adam C; Raikin, Steven M; Peterson, Judith R; Besser, Marcus P; Morrison, William B; Schweitzer, Mark E

2008-01-01

Background Ballet Dancers have been shown to have a relatively high incidence of stress fractures of the foot and ankle. It was our objective to examine MR imaging patterns of bone marrow edema (BME) in the ankles of high performance professional ballet dancers, to evaluate clinical relevance. Methods MR Imaging was performed on 12 ankles of 11 active professional ballet dancers (6 female, 5 male; mean age 24 years, range 19 to 32). Individuals were imaged on a 0.2 T or 1.5 T MRI units. Images were evaluated by two musculoskeletal radiologists and one orthopaedic surgeon in consensus for location and pattern of bone marrow edema. In order to control for recognized sources of bone marrow edema, images were also reviewed for presence of osseous, ligamentous, tendinous and cartilage injuries. Statistical analysis was performed to assess the strength of the correlation between bone marrow edema and ankle pain. Results Bone marrow edema was seen only in the talus, and was a common finding, observed in nine of the twelve ankles imaged (75%) and was associated with pain in all cases. On fluid-sensitive sequences, bone marrow edema was ill-defined and centered in the talar neck or body, although in three cases it extended to the talar dome. No apparent gender predilection was noted. No occult stress fracture could be diagnosed. A moderately strong correlation (phi = 0.77, p= 0.0054) was found between edema and pain in the study population. Conclusion Bone marrow edema seems to be a specific MRI finding in the talus of professional ballet dancers, likely related to biomechanical stress reactions, due to their frequently performed unique maneuvers. Clinically, this condition may indicate a sign of a bone stress injury of the ankle. PMID:18371230

Musculoskeletal Injury in Professional Dancers

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jacobs, Craig L; Cassidy, John David; Côté, Pierre

2017-01-01

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of the study was to determine the prevalence and factors associated with injury in professional ballet and modern dancers, and assess if dancers are reporting their injuries and explore reasons for not reporting injuries. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. SETTING: Participants...... were recruited from nine professional ballet and modern dance companies in Canada, Denmark, Israel, and Sweden. PARTICIPANTS: Professional ballet and modern dancers. INDEPENDENT VARIABLES: Sociodemographic variables included age, sex, height, weight, and before-tax yearly or monthly income. Dance...... specific characteristics included number of years in present dance company, number of years dancing professionally, number of years dancing total, and rank in the company. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Self-reported injury and Self-Estimated Functional Inability because of Pain. RESULTS: A total of 260 dancers...

The Body as a Tool: Professional Classical Ballet Dancers' Embodiment

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Alexias, George; Dimitropoulou, Elina

2011-01-01

This article is a qualitative study, which adopts the approach of social construction in order to comprehend the role played by the body in the formation of social behaviour. Using the concept of embodiment, professional ballet dancers have been chosen in order to investigate the particular attitude they form towards their bodies. The use of their…

Analysis of foot load during ballet dancers' gait.

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Prochazkova, Marketa; Tepla, Lucie; Svoboda, Zdenek; Janura, Miroslav; Cieslarová, Miloslava

2014-01-01

Ballet is an art that puts extreme demands on the dancer's musculoskeletal system and therefore significantly affects motor behavior of the dancers. The aim of our research was to compare plantar pressure distribution during stance phase of gait between a group of professional ballet dancers and non-dancers. Thirteen professional dancers (5 men, 8 women; mean age of 24.1 ± 3.8 years) and 13 nondancers (5 men, 8 women; mean age of 26.1 ± 5.3 years) participated in this study. Foot pressure analysis during gait was collected using a 2 m pressure plate. The participants were instructed to walk across the platform at a self-selected pace barefoot. Three gait cycles were necessary for the data analysis. The results revealed higher (p < 0.05) pressure peaks in medial edge of forefoot during gait for dancers in comparison with nondancers. Furthermore, differences in total foot loading and foot loading duration of rearfoot was higher (p < 0.05) in dancers as well. We can attribute these differences to long-term and intensive dancing exercises that can change the dancer's gait stereotype.

Degenerative joint disease in female ballet dancers

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van Dijk, C. N.; Lim, L. S.; Poortman, A.; Strübbe, E. H.; Marti, R. K.

1995-01-01

The relationship between long-term ballet dancing and eventual arthrosis of the hip, ankle, subtalar, and first metatarsophalangeal joint was examined in 19 former professional female dancers, aged 50 to 70 years. The dancers were compared with pair-matched controls. All 38 women underwent medical

Overuse Injuries in Professional Ballet: Influence of Age and Years of Professional Practice

OpenAIRE

Sobrino, Francisco Jos?; Guill?n, Pedro

2017-01-01

Background: In spite of the high rate of overuse injuries in ballet dancers, no studies have investigated the prevalence of overuse injuries in professional dancers by providing specific diagnoses and details on the differences in the injuries sustained as a function of age and/or years of professional practice. Hypothesis: Overuse injuries are the most prevalent injuries in ballet dancers. Professional ballet dancers suffer different types of injuries depending on their age and years of prof...

Schooling the Dancer: The Evolution of an Identity as a Ballet Dancer

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Pickard, Angela

2012-01-01

This paper explores how young ballet dancers' bodies are constructed and narrated through their desire to become performing ballet dancers. The schooling of the balletic body engages the young dancer in embodying the discipline of ballet and in developing a particular belief in a performing body. The embodied set of acquired dispositions that are…

Hip Joint Effusion-Synovitis Is Associated With Hip Pain and Sports/Recreation Function in Female Professional Ballet Dancers.

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Mayes, Susan; Ferris, April-Rose; Smith, Peter; Cook, Jill

2018-03-23

To compare hip joint effusion-synovitis prevalence in professional ballet dancers with nondancing athletes and to evaluate the relationship between effusion-synovitis and clinical measures and cartilage defects. Case-control study. Elite ballet and sport. Forty-nine professional ballet dancers and 49 age-matched and sex-matched athletes. Group (dancers/athletes), sex, age, years of training, Copenhagen Hip and Groin Outcome Scores (HAGOSs), hip rotation range of motion (ROM), generalized joint hypermobility (GJH), and hip cartilage defect scores. Hip joint effusion-synovitis (absent, grade 1 = 2-4 mm, grade 2 = >4 mm) scored with 3-Tesla magnetic resonance imaging. Hip joint effusion-synovitis was found in 22 (45%) dancers and 13 (26.5%) athletes (P = 0.06). Grade 2 effusion-synovitis was only found in dancers (n = 8, r = 0.31, P = 0.009). The prevalence of effusion-synovitis was similar in men (n = 11, 26%) and women (n = 24, 43%, P = 0.09). Female dancers with effusion-synovitis had lower HAGOS pain (r = 0.63, P = 0.001) and sports/recreation scores (r = 0.66, P = 0.001) compared with those without effusion-synovitis. The HAGOS scores were not related to effusion-synovitis in male dancers or female and male athletes (P > 0.01 for all). Effusion-synovitis was not related to hip ROM, GJH, or cartilage defect scores (P > 0.05 for all). Hip joint effusion-synovitis was related to higher levels of pain and lower sports/recreation function in female ballet dancers. Effusion-synovitis was not related to hip rotation ROM, GJH or cartilage defects. Larger sized joint effusion-synovitis was exclusively found in dancers.

Body mass index, nutritional knowledge, and eating behaviors in elite student and professional ballet dancers.

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Wyon, Matthew A; Hutchings, Kate M; Wells, Abigail; Nevill, Alan M

2014-09-01

It is recognized that there is a high esthetic demand in ballet, and this has implications on dancers' body mass index (BMI) and eating behaviors. The objective of this study was to examine the association between BMI, eating attitudes, and nutritional knowledge of elite student and professional ballet dancers. Observational design. Institutional. One hundred eighty-nine participants from an elite full-time dance school (M = 53, F = 86) and from an elite ballet company (M = 16, F = 25) volunteered for the study. There were no exclusion criteria. Anthropometric data (height and mass), General Nutrition Knowledge Questionnaire (GNKQ), and the Eating Attitude Test-26 (EAT-26) were collected from each participant. Univariate analysis of variance was used to examine differences in gender and group for BMI, GNKQ, and EAT-26. Regression analyses were applied to examine interactions between BMI, GNKQ, and EAT-26. Professional dancers had significantly greater BMI than student dancers (P < 0.001), and males had significantly higher BMI scores than females (P < 0.05). Food knowledge increased with age (P < 0.001) with no gender difference. Student dancers had a significant interaction between year group and gender because of significantly higher EAT-26 scores for females in years 10 and 12. Regression analysis of the subcategories (gender and group) reported a number of significant relationships between BMI, GNKQ, and EAT-26. The findings suggest that dancers with disordered eating also display lower levels of nutritional knowledge, and this may have an impact on BMI. Female students' eating attitudes and BMI should especially be monitored during periods of adolescent development.

The association between body-built and injury occurrence in pre-professional ballet dancers – Separated analysis for the injured body-locations

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Petra Zaletel

2017-02-01

Full Text Available Objectives: This study has aimed at identifying prevalence of injury-occurrence in 24 pre-professional-ballet-dancers (females, 16–18 years of age, and identifying the associations between the body-built and prevalence of injuries. Material and Methods: The sample of variables included: body mass, body height, and 3 somatotype characteristics (mesomorph, ectomorph and endomorph and data on injuries over the preceding year. Results: Dancers were mostly ectomorphic-mesomorph (endomorphy: 2.6±0.54, mesomorphy: 3.99±0.77, ectomorphy: 3.23±0.54. The most commonly injured locations were the foot (17% of all injuries and ankle (17%. Majority of the injuries occurred while practising but 37% of hip-injuries occurred while performing. Ankle-injuries resulted in longest absence from ballet. Endomorphy was related to ankle-injury (odds ratio (OR = 1.9, 95% confidence interval (CI: 1.4–2.3, ectomorphy to foot injury (OR = 1.7, 95% CI: 1.1–2.9, and body-mass to injury to the toes (OR = 1.7, 95% CI: 1.4–3.1. Conclusions: The results of this study allow for recognizing those dancers who are particularly vulnerable to injuries of certain body location. A more profound analysis of the possible mechanisms that lead to hip-injury during performance is needed. Int J Occup Med Environ Health 2017;30(1:151–159

Overuse Injuries in Professional Ballet: Influence of Age and Years of Professional Practice.

Science.gov (United States)

Sobrino, Francisco José; Guillén, Pedro

2017-06-01

In spite of the high rate of overuse injuries in ballet dancers, no studies have investigated the prevalence of overuse injuries in professional dancers by providing specific diagnoses and details on the differences in the injuries sustained as a function of age and/or years of professional practice. Overuse injuries are the most prevalent injuries in ballet dancers. Professional ballet dancers suffer different types of injuries depending on their age and years of professional practice. Descriptive epidemiology study. This descriptive epidemiological study was carried out between January 1, 2005, and October 10, 2010, regarding injuries sustained by professional dancers belonging to the major Spanish ballet companies practicing classical, neoclassical, contemporary, and Spanish dance. The sample was distributed into 3 different groups according to age and years of professional practice. Data were obtained from the specialized medical care the dancers received from the Trauma and Orthopaedic Surgery Service at Fremap in Madrid. The dependent variable was the study of the injury. A total of 486 injuries were identified over the study period, with overuse injuries being the most common etiology ( P ballet and veteran dancers practicing contemporary ballet ( P = .01). Specifically, among other findings, stress fractures of the base of the second metatarsal ( P = .03), patellofemoral syndrome, and os trigonum syndrome were more prevalent among junior professionals ( P = .04); chondral injury of the knee in senior professionals ( P = .04); and cervical disc disease in dancers of intermediate age and level of experience. Overall, overuse injuries were more prevalent in younger professionals, especially in women. This finding was especially true for the more technical ballet disciplines. On the other hand, in the athletic ballet disciplines, overuse lesions occurred mainly in the more senior professionals. This study provides specific clinical diagnoses obtained through

Performance anxiety experiences of professional ballet dancers: the importance of control.

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Walker, Imogen J; Nordin-Bates, Sanna M

2010-01-01

Performance anxiety research abounds in sport psychology, yet has been relatively sparse in dance. The present study explores ballet dancers' experiences of performance anxiety in relation to: 1. symptom type, intensity, and directional interpretation; 2. experience level (including company rank); and 3. self-confidence and psychological skills. Fifteen elite ballet dancers representing all ranks in one company were interviewed, and qualitative content analysis was conducted. Results revealed that cognitive anxiety was more dominant than somatic anxiety, and was unanimously interpreted as debilitative to performance. Somatic anxiety was more likely to be interpreted as facilitative, with the majority of dancers recognizing that a certain amount of anxiety could be beneficial to performance. Principal dancers suffered from higher intensities of performance anxiety than corps de ballet members. Feeling out of control emerged as a major theme in both the experience of anxiety and its interpretation. As a result, prevention or handling of anxiety symptoms may be accomplished by helping dancers to feel in control. Dancers may benefit from education about anxiety symptoms and their interpretation, in addition to psychological skills training incorporating cognitive restructuring strategies and problem-focussed coping to help increase their feelings of being in control.

The association between body-built and injury occurrence in pre-professional ballet dancers - Separated analysis for the injured body-locations.

Science.gov (United States)

Zaletel, Petra; Sekulić, Damir; Zenić, Nataša; Esco, Michael R; Šajber, Dorica; Kondrič, Miran

2017-02-21

This study has aimed at identifying prevalence of injury-occurrence in 24 pre-professional-ballet-dancers (females, 16-18 years of age), and identifying the associations between the body-built and prevalence of injuries. The sample of variables included: body mass, body height, and 3 somatotype characteristics (mesomorph, ectomorph and endomorph) and data on injuries over the preceding year. Dancers were mostly ectomorphic-mesomorph (endomorphy: 2.6±0.54, mesomorphy: 3.99±0.77, ectomorphy: 3.23±0.54). The most commonly injured locations were the foot (17% of all injuries) and ankle (17%). Majority of the injuries occurred while practising but 37% of hip-injuries occurred while performing. Ankle-injuries resulted in longest absence from ballet. Endomorphy was related to ankle-injury (odds ratio (OR) = 1.9, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.4-2.3), ectomorphy to foot injury (OR = 1.7, 95% CI: 1.1-2.9), and body-mass to injury to the toes (OR = 1.7, 95% CI: 1.4-3.1). The results of this study allow for recognizing those dancers who are particularly vulnerable to injuries of certain body location. A more profound analysis of the possible mechanisms that lead to hip-injury during performance is needed. Int J Occup Med Environ Health 2017;30(1):151-159. This work is available in Open Access model and licensed under a CC BY-NC 3.0 PL license.

Extreme hip motion in professional ballet dancers: dynamic and morphological evaluation based on magnetic resonance imaging.

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Kolo, Frank C; Charbonnier, Caecilia; Pfirrmann, Christian W A; Duc, Sylvain R; Lubbeke, Anne; Duthon, Victoria B; Magnenat-Thalmann, Nadia; Hoffmeyer, Pierre; Menetrey, Jacques; Becker, Christoph D

2013-05-01

To determine the prevalence of femoroacetabular impingement (FAI) of the cam or pincer type based on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in a group of adult female professional ballet dancers, and to quantify, in vivo, the range of motion (ROM) and congruence of the hip joint in the splits position. Institutional review board approval and informed consent from each volunteer were obtained. Thirty symptomatic or asymptomatic adult female professional ballet dancers (59 hips) and 14 asymptomatic non-dancer adult women (28 hips, control group) were included in the present study. All subjects underwent MRI in the supine position, while, for the dancers, additional images were acquired in the splits position. Labral abnormalities, cartilage lesions, and osseous abnormalities of the acetabular rim were assessed at six positions around the acetabulum. A morphological analysis, consisting of the measurement of the α angle, acetabular depth, and acetabular version, was performed. For the dancers, ROM and congruency of the hip joint in the splits position were measured. Acetabular cartilage lesions greater than 5 mm were significantly more frequent in dancer's hips than in control hips (28.8 vs 7.1%, p = 0.026), and were mostly present at the superior position in dancers. Distribution of labral lesions between the dancers and the control group showed substantially more pronounced labral lesions at the superior, posterosuperior, and anterosuperior positions in dancers (54 lesions in 28 dancer's hips vs 10 lesions in 8 control hips). Herniation pits were found significantly more often (p = 0.002) in dancer's hips (n = 31, 52.5%), 25 of them being located in a superior position. A cam-type morphology was found for one dancer and a retroverted hip was noted for one control. Femoroacetabular subluxations were observed in the splits position (mean: 2.05 mm). The prevalence of typical FAI of the cam or pincer type was low in this selected population of professional ballet

Examination and treatment of a professional ballet dancer with a suspected acetabular labral tear: A case report.

Science.gov (United States)

Khoo-Summers, Lynnette; Bloom, Nancy J

2015-08-01

Dancers are at risk for developing groin pain that is due to acetabular labral tears. Although surgical management of labral tears has been reported extensively, conservative management has been poorly described. This case report describes the examination, diagnosis, and treatment of groin pain in a professional ballet dancer with a suspected acetabular labral tear. Treatment focused on decreasing anterior hip joint stresses and improving the precision of hip motion through correction of alignment and movement impairments noted during functional activities and dance. Successful outcomes included a reduction in pain and return to professional ballet dancing. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Dance floor mechanical properties and dancer injuries in a touring professional ballet company.

Science.gov (United States)

Hopper, Luke S; Allen, Nick; Wyon, Matthew; Alderson, Jacqueline A; Elliott, Bruce C; Ackland, Timothy R

2014-01-01

The mechanical properties of the floors used by dancers have often been suggested to be associated with injury, yet limited etiological evidence is available to support this hypothesis. The dance floors at three theatres regularly used by a touring professional ballet company were mechanically quantified with the aim of comparing floor properties with injury incidence in dancers. Cross sectional. Test points on the floors were quantified in accordance with European Sports Surface Standard protocols for force reduction. Injuries and associated variables occurring within the ballet company dancers during activity on the three floors were recorded by the company's medical staff. An injury was recorded if a dancer experienced an incident that restricted the dancer from performing all normal training or performance activities for a 24 h period. Injuries were delimited to those occurring in the lower limbs or lumbar region during non-lifting tasks. Floor construction varied between venues and a range of floor mechanical properties were observed. None of the floors complied with the range of force reduction values required by the European Sport Surface Standards. The highest injury rate was observed on the floor with the greatest variability of force reduction magnitudes. No difference in injury frequency was observed between the venues with the highest and lowest mean force reduction magnitudes. Professional dancers can be required to perform on floors that may be inadequate for safe dance practice. Intra-floor force reduction variability may have a stronger association with injury risk than mean floor force reduction magnitude. Copyright © 2013 Sports Medicine Australia. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Atraumatic tears of the ligamentum teres are more frequent in professional ballet dancers than a sporting population.

Science.gov (United States)

Mayes, Susan; Ferris, April-Rose; Smith, Peter; Garnham, Andrew; Cook, Jill

2016-07-01

To compare the frequency of atraumatic ligamentum teres (LT) tear in professional ballet dancers with that of athletes, and to determine the relationship with clinical and imaging findings. Forty-nine male and female professional ballet dancers (98 hips) and 49 age and sex-matched non-dancing athletes (98 hips) completed questionnaires on hip symptoms and physical activity levels, underwent hip rotation range of movement (ROM) and hypermobility testing, and 3.0-Tesla magnetic resonance imaging (3 T MRI) on both hips to detect LT tears, acetabular labral tears, and articular cartilage defects, and to measure the lateral centre edge angles (LCE). A higher frequency of LT tear was found in dancers (55 %) compared with athletes (22 %, P = 0.001). The frequency and severity of LT tears in dancers increased with older age (P = 0.004, P = 0.006, respectively). The Hip and Groin Outcome Score (HAGOS) pain scores or hip rotation ROM did not differ significantly among participants with normal, partial, or complete tears of LT (P > 0.01 for all). Neither the frequency of generalised joint hypermobility (P = 0.09) nor the LCE angles (P = 0.32, P = 0.16, left and right hips respectively) differed between those with and those without LT tear. In most hips, LT tear co-existed with either a labral tear or a cartilage defect, or both. The higher frequency of atraumatic LT tears in professional ballet dancers suggests that the LT might be abnormally loaded in ballet, and caution is required when evaluating MRI, as LT tears may be asymptomatic. A longitudinal study of this cohort is required to determine if LT tear predisposes the hip joint to osteoarthritis.

Energetic efficiency, menstrual irregularity, and bone mineral density in elite professional female ballet dancers.

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Doyle-Lucas, Ashley F; Akers, Jeremy D; Davy, Brenda M

2010-01-01

Sports that emphasize low body weight for optimal performance, such as ballet, are associated with an increased prevalence of the female athlete triad (FT). Previous research in this area that involves dancers has been limited; the majority of studies have been performed on adolescents training in classical ballet, and not professional adult dancers. The purpose of this study is to compare the physical and behavioral characteristics of female elite ballet dancers to sedentary, recreationally active non-dancing controls, with regard to characteristics of the FT and energetic efficiency. Women aged 18 to 35 years were recruited as participants. The dancers (N = 15) and non-dancing controls (N = 15) were pair-matched via age (dancers: 24.3 ± 1.3 years; controls: 23.7 ± 0.9 years), body mass index (dancers: 18.9 ± 0.2; controls: 19.4 ± 0.2 kg/m 2 ), and fat-free mass (dancers: 44.3 ± 0.8; controls: 44.1 ± 0.9 kg). Assessments included habitual dietary intake using 4-day food records, self-reported physical activity, psychometric measures of eating behaviors, health and menstrual history, body composition and bone density (dual energy x-ray absorptiometry), and resting metabolic rate (RMR) assessed by indirect calorimetry. Characteristics of the FT, specifically menstrual irregularities (6 of 15 dancers reported irregular or no menses; 1 of 15 controls reported irregular menses) and low energy availability, were more prevalent in dancers than in pair-matched controls. Despite having a similar fat-free mass (FFM), dancers had a significantly lower absolute RMR (dancers: 1367 ± 27; controls: 1454 ± 34 kcal/d; p ≤ 0.05) and significantly lower RMR relative to FFM (dancers: 30.9 ± 0.6; controls: 33.1 ± 0.8 kcal/kg fat-free mass/d; p ≤ 0.05). Energy intake between dancers (1577 ± 89 kcal/d) and pair-matched controls (2075 ± 163 kcal/d) also differed significantly (p ≤ 0.01). Six of the 15 dancers met the criteria for the FT (including low bone mineral

Overuse Injuries in Professional Ballet: Injury-Based Differences Among Ballet Disciplines.

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Sobrino, Francisco José; de la Cuadra, Crótida; Guillén, Pedro

2015-06-01

Despite overuse injuries being previously described as the most frequent in ballet, there are no studies on professional dancers providing the specific clinical diagnoses or type of injury based on the discipline. Overuse injuries are the most frequent injuries in ballet, with differences in the type and frequency of injuries based on discipline. Cross-sectional study; Level of evidence, 3. This was a descriptive cross-sectional study performed between January 1, 2005, and October 10, 2010, on injuries occurring in professional dancers from leading Spanish dance companies who practiced disciplines such as classical, neoclassical, contemporary, and Spanish ballet. Data, including type of injury, were obtained from specialized medical services at the Trauma Service, Fremap, Madrid, Spain. A total of 486 injuries were evaluated, a significant number of which were overuse disorders (P ballet (82.60%). Injuries were more frequent among female dancers (75.90%) and classical ballet (83.60%). A statistically significant prevalence of patellofemoral pain syndrome was found in the classical discipline (P = .007). Injuries of the adductor muscles of the thigh (P = .001) and of the low back facet (P = .02) in the Spanish ballet discipline and lateral snapping hip (P = .02) in classical and Spanish ballet disciplines were significant. Overuse injuries were the most frequent injuries among the professional dancers included in this study. The prevalence of injuries was greater for the most technically demanding discipline (classical ballet) as well as for women. Patellofemoral pain syndrome was the most prevalent overuse injury, followed by Achilles tendinopathy, patellar tendinopathy, and mechanical low back pain. Specific clinical diagnoses and injury-based differences between the disciplines are a key factor in ballet.

Overuse Injuries in Professional Ballet

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Sobrino, Francisco José; de la Cuadra, Crótida; Guillén, Pedro

2015-01-01

Background Despite overuse injuries being previously described as the most frequent in ballet, there are no studies on professional dancers providing the specific clinical diagnoses or type of injury based on the discipline. Hypothesis Overuse injuries are the most frequent injuries in ballet, with differences in the type and frequency of injuries based on discipline. Study Design Cross-sectional study; Level of evidence, 3. Methods This was a descriptive cross-sectional study performed between January 1, 2005, and October 10, 2010, on injuries occurring in professional dancers from leading Spanish dance companies who practiced disciplines such as classical, neoclassical, contemporary, and Spanish ballet. Data, including type of injury, were obtained from specialized medical services at the Trauma Service, Fremap, Madrid, Spain. Results A total of 486 injuries were evaluated, a significant number of which were overuse disorders (P ballet (82.60%). Injuries were more frequent among female dancers (75.90%) and classical ballet (83.60%). A statistically significant prevalence of patellofemoral pain syndrome was found in the classical discipline (P = .007). Injuries of the adductor muscles of the thigh (P = .001) and of the low back facet (P = .02) in the Spanish ballet discipline and lateral snapping hip (P = .02) in classical and Spanish ballet disciplines were significant. Conclusion Overuse injuries were the most frequent injuries among the professional dancers included in this study. The prevalence of injuries was greater for the most technically demanding discipline (classical ballet) as well as for women. Patellofemoral pain syndrome was the most prevalent overuse injury, followed by Achilles tendinopathy, patellar tendinopathy, and mechanical low back pain. Clinical Relevance Specific clinical diagnoses and injury-based differences between the disciplines are a key factor in ballet. PMID:26665100

Measurement of the extreme ankle range of motion required by female ballet dancers.

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Russell, Jeffrey A; Kruse, David W; Nevill, Alan M; Koutedakis, Yiannis; Wyon, Matthew A

2010-12-01

Female ballet dancers require extreme ankle motion, especially plantar flexion, but research about measuring such motion is lacking. The purposes of this study were to determine in a sample of ballet dancers whether non-weight-bearing ankle range of motion is significantly different from the weight-bearing equivalent and whether inclinometric plantar flexion measurement is a suitable substitute for standard plantar flexion goniometry. Fifteen female ballet dancers (5 university, 5 vocational, and 5 professional dancers; age 21 ± 3.0 years) volunteered. Subjects received 5 assessments on 1 ankle: non-weight-bearing goniometry dorsiflexion (NDF) and plantar flexion (NPF), weight-bearing goniometry in the ballet positions demi-plié (WDF) and en pointe (WPF), and non-weight-bearing plantar flexion inclinometry (IPF). Mean NDF was significantly lower than WDF (17° ± 1.3° vs 30° ± 1.8°, P ballet proficiency. The authors conclude that assessment of extreme ankle motion in female ballet dancers is challenging, and goniometry and inclinometry appear to measure plantar flexion differently.

Professional ballet dancers have a similar prevalence of articular cartilage defects compared to age- and sex-matched non-dancing athletes.

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Mayes, Susan; Ferris, April-Rose; Smith, Peter; Garnham, Andrew; Cook, Jill

2016-12-01

Ballet exposes the hip joint to repetitive loading in extreme ranges of movement and may predispose a dancer to pain and osteoarthritis (OA). The aims of this study were to compare the prevalence of cartilage defects in professional ballet dancers and athletes and to determine the relationship of clinical signs and symptoms. Forty-nine male and female, current and retired professional ballet dancers and 49 age- and sex-matched non-dancing athletes completed hip pain questionnaires, including the Copenhagen Hip and Groin Outcome Score (HAGOS), and underwent hip range of movement (ROM) testing and 3-Tesla magnetic resonance imaging to score cartilage defects (no defect, grade 1: focal partial defect and grade 2: diffuse or full thickness defect). Thirty (61 %) dancers and 27 (55 %) athletes had cartilage defects (p = 0.54). The frequency of grade 1 and 2 cartilage defects did not differ between dancers and athletes (p = 0.83). The frequency of cartilage defects was similar in male and female dancers (p = 0.34), and male and female athletes (p = 0.24). Cartilage defects were not related to history of hip pain (p = 0.34), HAGOS pain (p = 0.14), sports/rec (p = 0.15) scores or hip internal rotation ≤20° (p > 0.01). Cartilage defects were related to age in male dancers (p = 0.002). Ballet dancers do not appear to be at a greater risk of cartilage injury compared to non-dancing athletes. Male dancers develop cartilage defects at an earlier age than athletes and female dancers. Cartilage defects were not related to clinical signs and symptoms; thus, prospective studies are required to determine which cartilage defects progress to symptomatic hip OA.

Should Ballet Dancers Vary Postures and Underfoot Surfaces When Practicing Postural Balance?

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Steinberg, Nili; Waddington, Gordon; Adams, Roger; Karin, Janet; Tirosh, Oren

2018-01-01

Postural balance (PB) is an important component skill for professional dancers. However, the effects of different types of postures and different underfoot surfaces on PB have not adequately been addressed. The main aim of this study was to investigate the effect of different conditions of footwear, surfaces, and standing positions on static and dynamic PB ability of young ballet dancers. A total of 36 male and female young professional ballet dancers (aged 14-19 years) completed static and dynamic balance testing, measured by head and lumbar accelerometers, while standing on one leg in the turnout position, under six different conditions: (1) "relaxed" posture; (2) "ballet" posture; (3) barefoot; (4) ballet shoes with textured insoles; (5) barefoot on a textured mat; and (6) barefoot on a spiky mat. A condition effect was found for static and dynamic PB. Static PB was reduced when dancers stood in the ballet posture compared with standing in the relaxed posture and when standing on a textured mat and on a spiky mat (p ballet shoes with textured insoles and when standing on a spiky mat compared with all other conditions (p ballet aligned position, including dance practice on different types of floors and on different types of textured/spiky materials may result in skill transfer to practice on normal floor surfaces, and both static and dynamic PB exercises should be assessed and generalized into practical dance routines.

Ballet dancers cardiorespiratory, oxidative and muscle damage responses to classes and rehearsals.

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Rodrigues-Krause, Josianne; Krause, Mauricio; Cunha, Giovani Dos Santos; Perin, Diana; Martins, Jocelito B; Alberton, Cristine Lima; Schaun, Maximiliano I; De Bittencourt, Paulo Ivo Homem; Reischak-Oliveira, Alvaro

2014-01-01

This study aimed to describe and compare ballet dancers' cardiorespiratory responses, muscle damage and oxidative stress levels during a ballet class (practice of isolated ballet exercises performed with barre/hand-rail support and across-the-floor movements to improve technical skills) and rehearsal (practice of ballet choreography involving technical-artistic skills to improve dancers' performance for shows). The 12 advanced female ballet dancers undertook three exercise sessions: maximum effort test, class and rehearsal. Heart rate (HR) and oxygen consumption (VO2) were continuously measured. Lactate was determined before 15 min and after class and rehearsal. Blood was sampled pre, post and 48 h after class and rehearsal for creatine kinase (CK), lipid peroxides (LPO) and glutathione analysis (GSSG/GSH). Class was of lower intensity than rehearsal as shown by VO2, HR and lactate values: VO2 (mL.kg(-1).min(-1)): 14.5±2.1 vs. 19.1±1.7 (p Ballet dancers' muscle damage and oxidative stress responses seem not to be dependent on exercise intensity based on VO2 responses.

Attentional Focus in Classical Ballet: A Survey Of Professional Dancers.

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Guss-West, Clare; Wulf, Gabriele

2016-03-01

Focus of attention and its effects on skilled motor performance has become an important line of research in the motor learning domain. Numerous studies have demonstrated that an external focus of attention (i.e., on the movement effect) enhances motor performance and learning relative to an internal focus (i.e., on body movements). Thus, small differences in the wording of instructions or feedback given by teachers can have a significant impact on the effectiveness and efficiency of motor skill performance. In this paper, we review some of the attentional focus studies that are relevant to ballet performance. In addition, we report the findings of a survey among professional ballet dancers (N = 53) that we conducted to determine their typical attentional focus while performing certain movements. The results showed that the majority adopted internal foci, or combinations of internal and external foci, most of the time. This suggests that there is room for improvement for performance and teaching. We provide examples of how external foci can be promoted in ballet practice.

Comparison of postural stability between injured and uninjured ballet dancers.

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Lin, Cheng-Feng; Lee, I-Jung; Liao, Jung-Hsien; Wu, Hong-Wen; Su, Fong-Chin

2011-06-01

Ballet movements require a limited base of support; thus, ballet dancers require a high level of postural control. However, postural stability in ballet dancers is still unclear and needs to be understood. To evaluate ballet dancers' postural stability in performing single-leg standing, the en pointe task, and the first and fifth positions and to determine differences in task performance among healthy nondancers, healthy dancers, and dancers with ankle sprains. Controlled laboratory study. Injured dancers, uninjured dancers, and nondancers were recruited for this study (N = 33 age-matched participants; n= 11 per group). The tasks tested were single-leg standing with eyes open and closed, first position, fifth position, and en pointe. Center of pressure parameters were calculated from the ground-reaction force collected with 1 force plate. Analysis of variance was used to assess the differences of center of pressure parameters among 3 groups in single-leg standing; independent t test was used to examine the differences of center of pressure parameters between injured and uninjured dancers. During single-leg standing, injured dancers had significantly greater maximum displacement in the medial-lateral direction and total trajectory of center of pressure, compared with the uninjured dancers and nondancers. During the first and fifth positions, the injured dancers demonstrated significantly greater standard deviation of center of pressure position in the medial-lateral and anterior-posterior directions, compared with the uninjured dancers. During en pointe, the injured dancers had significantly greater maximum displacement in the medial-lateral direction and the anterior-posterior direction, compared with the uninjured dancers. The injured and uninjured dancers demonstrated differences in postural stability in the medial-lateral direction during single-leg standing and the ballet postures. Although the injured dancers received ballet training, their postural stability

Differences of Ballet Turns ("Pirouette") Performance between Experienced and Novice Ballet Dancers

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Lin, Chia-Wei; Chen, Shing-Jye; Su, Fong-Chin; Wu, Hong-Wen; Lin, Cheng-Feng

2014-01-01

Purpose: This study investigated the different postural control strategies exhibited by experienced and novice dancers in ballet turns ("pirouettes"). Method: Thirteen novice and 13 experienced dancers performed ballet turns with dominant-leg support. The peak push force was measured in the double-leg support phase. The inclination…

Musculoskeletal Injury in Professional Dancers: Prevalence and Associated Factors: An International Cross-Sectional Study.

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Jacobs, Craig L; Cassidy, J David; Côté, Pierre; Boyle, Eleanor; Ramel, Eva; Ammendolia, Carlo; Hartvigsen, Jan; Schwartz, Isabella

2017-03-01

The purpose of the study was to determine the prevalence and factors associated with injury in professional ballet and modern dancers, and assess if dancers are reporting their injuries and explore reasons for not reporting injuries. Cross-sectional study. Participants were recruited from nine professional ballet and modern dance companies in Canada, Denmark, Israel, and Sweden. Professional ballet and modern dancers. Sociodemographic variables included age, sex, height, weight, and before-tax yearly or monthly income. Dance specific characteristics included number of years in present dance company, number of years dancing professionally, number of years dancing total, and rank in the company. Self-reported injury and Self-Estimated Functional Inability because of Pain. A total of 260 dancers participated in the study with an overall response rate of 81%. The point prevalence of self-reported injury in professional ballet and modern dancers was 54.8% (95% CI, 47.7-62.1) and 46.3% (95% CI, 35.5-57.1), respectively. Number of years dancing professionally (OR = 4.4, 95% CI, 1.6-12.3) and rank (OR = 2.4, 95% CI, 1.2-4.8) were associated with injury in ballet dancers. More than 15% of all injured dancers had not reported their injury and their reasons for not reporting injury varied. The prevalence of injury is high in professional dancers with a significant percentage not reporting their injuries for a variety of reasons. Number of years dancing and rank are associated with injury in professional ballet dancers.

INJURIES IN PROFESSIONAL DANCERS: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW

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Allana Alexandre Cardoso

Full Text Available ABSTRACT Movement is a fundamental element of dance, and the dancer’s body is the raw material through which the art of dance is expressed; for this, it demands the utmost discipline in the pursuit of technical and artistic excellence. To meet the professional demands, dancers are subjected to strenuous training routines, which can lead to the development of injuries in this environment. The objective was to examine the etiology, main affected segments, prevalence, and instruments used to evaluate the lesions in studies with professional dancers and/or in comparison with similar populations. We selected articles published in the last decade in the databases BIREME, LILACS, MEDLINE EBSCO, WEB OF SCIENCE, SCOPUS (Elsevier, and PubMed, with cross-sectional, observational cohort and case control design published in Portuguese, English, or Spanish. Systematic reviews, case studies, dissertations, theses, book chapters, cross-referenced articles, and studies published outside of the last decade were not included. The search used combinations of the terms “dancing* and athletic injuries* and musculoskeletal* and pain*”. A principal investigator and two reviewers conducted the survey and analyzed all the potentially relevant articles, initially by the abstract and title. Twelve articles were included, with 1,149 participants (965 professional dancers of classical ballet, modern dance, contemporary dance, and breakdance, 104 amateur dancers, and 80 elite athletes. Nine studies found simultaneous lesions with emphasis on the foot and ankle (n=4, upper and lower limbs lesions (n=4 and lower and upper limb joints (n=1. Other studies have found lesions in the anterior cruciate ligament (n=3. There was no agreement regarding the instruments for detecting lesions in professional, pre-professional, and amateur dancers. There was a prevalence of studies aimed at classical ballet modality, evidencing a higher frequency of lower limb involvement in

Differences of ballet turns (pirouette) performance between experienced and novice ballet dancers.

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Lin, Chia-Wei; Chen, Shing-Jye; Su, Fong-Chin; Wu, Hong-Wen; Lin, Cheng-Feng

2014-09-01

This study investigated the different postural control strategies exhibited by experienced and novice dancers in ballet turns (pirouettes). Thirteen novice and 13 experienced dancers performed ballet turns with dominant-leg support. The peak push force was measured in the double-leg support phase. The inclination angles of rotation axis with respect to vertical axis were calculated in the early single-leg support phase as well as the initiation sequence of ankle, knee, and hip joints on the supporting leg. Moreover, the anchoring index of the head was computed in the transverse plane during turning. The novice dancers applied a greater push force, an increased inclination angle of rotation axis, and an insufficient proximal-to-distal extension sequence pattern. The novice dancers also had a smaller head-anchoring index compared with experienced dancers, which meant novice dancers were not using a space target as a stability reference. A poorer performance in novice dancers could result from higher push force in propulsion, lack of a "proximal-to-distal extension sequence" pattern, and lack of visual spotting for postural stability. Training on sequential initiation of lower-extremity joints and rehearsal of visual spotting are essential for novice dancers to obtain better performance on ballet turns.

Anthropometric evaluation of body composition in ballet dancers. A longitudinal study

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Hamlet Betancourt León

2008-07-01

Full Text Available http://dx.doi.org/10.5007/1980-0037.2008v10n2p115 The body of the adolescent dancer is the result of morphological, physiological and behavioral adaptations due to specific physical training. For the ballet master, body weight is irrelevant to evaluating the technical and artistic performance and beauty of a figure. All ballet dancers must have bodies that conform to the canon of international ballet in order to be able to perform in public. The purpose of this study is to describe the changes in the body composition of dancers at the Cuban National School of Ballet between two points in their training process. This was a longitudinal study of 54 girls and 40 boys, aged between 15 and 20 years old. An anthropometric protocol of 6 measurements was employed in order to determine body composition using the Durnin and Rahaman method for females and the Parizková and Buzková method for males. The main results demonstrate signifi cant increases in both weight and height for age in both sexes, and it was observed that height growth velocity decreased with age. The female dancers exhibited stable body fat percentages for all ages while male dancers signifi cantly reduced this percentage from one year to the next. The female students exhibited higher mean percentage body fat values than the normal range established in Cuba for elite athletes from competitive artistic sports and professional dancers, while the male students exhibited body fat percentages that were similar to these specialized groups.

Imagem corporal e bailarinas profissionais Body image of professional ballet dancers

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Aline Nogueira Haas

2010-06-01

Full Text Available A imagem corporal é um tema que sempre está em evidência quando se aborda a dança em suas diferentes modalidades. A busca da imagem corporal ideal em bailarinas vai além dos parâmetros da população em geral e, na medida em que elas se tornam profissionais, a necessidade de manter o peso adequado vai aumentando. Este estudo tem como objetivo verificar o nível de satisfação de bailarinas de balé clássico e de dança jazz com sua imagem corporal, identificando as diferenças e semelhanças entre os dois grupos. Pretende-se ainda identificar semelhanças e diferenças no nível de satisfação com a imagem corporal de bailarinas clássicas de países diferentes. Trata-se de uma pesquisa de campo descritiva. A amostra foi composta por 15 bailarinas adultas profissionais de balé clássico e 16 bailarinas de dança jazz de Porto Alegre, RS, Brasil, e por nove bailarinas adultas profissionais radicadas em Nova Iorque, Estados Unidos. O instrumento utilizado para avaliar o nível de satisfação com a imagem corporal foi o Questionário de Imagem Corporal - BSQ, que mede o grau de preocupação com a forma do corpo, a autodepreciação devido à aparência física e a sensação de estar gordo. Os dados foram analisados com auxílio do programa estatístico SPSS 15.0. Para a comparação dos dados foram aplicados os testes Qui-quadrado e Anova, sendo considerados significativos valores de p Body image is an issue that is always in evidence when addressing different types of dance. The search for the ideal body image among dancers goes beyond the parameters of the general population and, as they become professionals, the need to maintain the appropriate weight increases. This study aims to verify the level of satisfaction of classical ballet dancers and jazz dancers with their body image, identifying differences and similarities between the two groups. Furthermore, similarities and differences in the level of satisfaction with body image of

Seeing Futures in Ballet: The Storylines of Four Student Ballet Dancers

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Loch, Sarah

2015-01-01

This paper explores the storylines of four student ballet dancers who attend a specialist performing arts secondary school and who, in differing ways, envisage futures which "look straight at ballet". When decisions about schooling intermingle with long-held imaginings of futures in ballet, thought is provoked about ways the young…

Weighing in on Surveillance: Perception of the Impact of Surveillance on Female Ballet Dancers' Health

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Dryburgh, Anne; Fortin, Sylvie

2010-01-01

The aim of this qualitative study was to investigate professional ballet dancers' perceptions of the impact of surveillance on their psychological and physical health. The theoretical framework was inspired by Foucault's writing, particularly his concepts of surveillance, power, discipline and docile bodies. Fifteen professional ballet dancers…

Size and symmetry of trunk muscles in ballet dancers with and without low back pain.

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Gildea, Jan E; Hides, Julie A; Hodges, Paul W

2013-08-01

Cross-sectional, observational study. To investigate the cross-sectional area (CSA) of trunk muscles in professional ballet dancers with and without low back pain (LBP). LBP is the most prevalent chronic injury in classical ballet dancers. Research on nondancers has found changes in trunk muscle size and symmetry to be associated with LBP. There are no studies that examine these changes in ballet dancers. Magnetic resonance imaging was performed in 14 male and 17 female dancers. The CSAs of 4 muscles (multifidus, lumbar erector spinae, psoas, and quadratus lumborum) were measured and compared among 3 groups of dancers: those without LBP or hip pain (n = 8), those with LBP only (n = 13), and those with both hip-region pain and LBP (n = 10). Dancers with no pain had larger multifidus muscles compared to those with LBP at L3-5 (P.05). The CSAs of the other muscles did not differ between groups. The psoas (Pballet dancers, LBP and hip-region pain and LBP are associated with a smaller CSA of the multifidus but not the erector spinae, psoas, or quadratus lumborum muscles.

Central common drive to antagonistic ankle muscles in relation to short-term cocontraction training in nondancers and professional ballet dancers.

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Geertsen, S S; Kjær, M; Pedersen, K K; Petersen, T H; Perez, M A; Nielsen, J B

2013-10-01

Optimization of cocontraction of antagonistic muscles around the ankle joint has been shown to involve plastic changes in spinal and cortical neural circuitries. Such changes may explain the ability of elite ballet dancers to maintain a steady balance during various ballet postures. Here we investigated whether short-term cocontraction training in ballet dancers and nondancers leads to changes in the coupling between antagonistic ankle motor units. Eleven ballet dancers and 10 nondancers were recruited for the study. Prior to training, ballet dancers and nondancers showed an equal amount of coherence in the 15- to 35-Hz frequency band and short-term synchronization between antagonistic tibialis anterior and soleus motor units. The ballet dancers tended to be better at maintaining a stable cocontraction of the antagonistic muscles, but this difference was not significant (P = 0.09). Following 27 min of cocontraction training, the nondancers improved their performance significantly, whereas no significant improvement was observed for the ballet dancers. The nondancers showed a significant increase in 15- to 35-Hz coherence following the training, whereas the ballet dancers did not show a significant change. A group of control subjects (n = 4), who performed cocontraction of the antagonistic muscles for an equal amount of time, but without any requirement to improve their performance, showed no change in coherence. We suggest that improved ability to maintain a stable cocontraction around the ankle joint is accompanied by short-term plastic changes in the neural drive to the involved muscles, but that such changes are not necessary for maintained high-level performance.

Trunk Dynamics Are Impaired in Ballet Dancers with Back Pain but Improve with Imagery.

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Gildea, Jan E; VAN DEN Hoorn, Wolbert; Hides, Julie A; Hodges, Paul W

2015-08-01

Trunk control is essential in ballet and may be compromised in dancers with a history of low back pain (LBP) by associated changes in motor control. This study aimed to compare trunk mechanical properties between professional ballet dancers with and without a history of LBP. As a secondary aim, we assessed whether asking dancers to use motor imagery to respond in a "fluid" manner could change the mechanical properties of the trunk and whether this was possible for both groups. Trunk mechanical properties of stiffness and damping were estimated with a linear second-order system, from trunk movement in response to perturbations, in professional ballet dancers with (n = 22) and without (n = 8) a history of LBP. The second-order model adequately described trunk movement in response to the perturbations. Trials were performed with and without motor imagery to respond in a fluid manner to the perturbation. Dancers with a history of LBP had lower damping than dancers without LBP during the standard condition (P = 0.002) but had greater damping during the "fluid" condition (P 0.99). Stiffness was not different between the dancers with and those without a history of LBP (P = 0.252) but was less during the fluid condition than the standard condition (P < 0.001). Although dancers with a history of LBP have less trunk damping than those without LBP, they have the capacity to modulate the trunk's mechanical properties to match that of pain-free dancers by increasing damping with motor imagery. These observations have potential relevance for LBP recurrence and rehabilitation.

Musculoskeletal injuries in young ballet dancers.

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Leanderson, Charlotte; Leanderson, Johan; Wykman, Anders; Strender, Lars-Erik; Johansson, Sven-Erik; Sundquist, Kristina

2011-09-01

The aim of this study was to examine the incidence of musculoskeletal injuries, site and type of injury, and the most common injury diagnoses in young ballet dancers at the Royal Swedish Ballet School, a public school in Stockholm. This retrospective study of 476 students (297 girls and 179 boys) aged 10-21 years was based on medical records for the period August 1988 to June 1995. Data on diagnosis, site of injury and type of injury were collected, and the injuries were classified as traumatic or due to overuse. In total, 438 injuries were recorded. The injury incidence rate was 0.8 per 1,000 dance hours in both female and male dancers and tended to increase with increasing age. Most injuries occurred as the result of overuse. Seventy-six per cent of all injuries occurred in the lower extremities. Ankle sprain was the most common traumatic diagnosis, while the most common overuse-related diagnosis was tendinosis pedis. A few gender differences were noted. The findings of this study suggest that there is a need to apply primary injury prevention in young ballet dancers. Future studies could aim to identify (1) injury risk factors and (2) injury prevention programmes that are effective at reducing injury rates in young dancers.

Lower Limb Flexibility and Risk of Injury in Professional Dancers A comparative study of Ballet, Hip-Hop and African traditional dances

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Aiyegbusi Ayoola Ibifubara

2018-02-01

Full Text Available Background: Dancers are highly trained athletes who are at significant risk of injury due to the repetitive nature of their movement. It is hypothesized that injury patterns will be determined by the peculiar movement patterns and physical requirements of specific dance genres. This study was therefore undertaken to determine the association between the flexibility of the lower limb muscles and the pattern and risk of injury among professional dancers in three different dance genres. Methods: Eighty two professional dancers recruited from four (4 dance companies in Lagos State Nigeria presented as 28 indigenous African dancers, 26 ballet dancers and 28 hip hop dancers. A modified questionnaire on the epidemiology of dance injuries was administered to all participants and the degree of flexibility of the hip muscles measured by goniometry prior to warm up and stretching. Major Findings: There was a significant relationship between the flexibility of the hamstrings and injury occurrence in all the dance groups. The flexibility of the medial rotators, and the adductor group of muscles were significantly (p<0.05 related to injury occurrence respectively in the indigenous and ballet participants while a significant relationship (p<0.05 was seen between injury occurrence and flexibility of the adductors and medial rotators among hip-hop participants. Conclusion: The flexibility of the lower limb muscles is an intrinsic and a major factor contributing to injury among professional dancers. There is therefore a need to develop a stretching protocol for the different dance genres to prevent injury.

Differences in Cortical Representation and Structural Connectivity of Hands and Feet between Professional Handball Players and Ballet Dancers

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Meier, Jessica; Topka, Marlene Sofie; Hänggi, Jürgen

2016-01-01

It is known that intensive training and expertise are associated with functional and structural neuroadaptations. Most studies, however, compared experts with nonexperts; hence it is, specifically for sports, unclear whether the neuroplastic adaptations reported are sport-specific or sport-general. Here we aimed at investigating sport-specific adaptations in professional handball players and ballet dancers by focusing on the primary motor and somatosensory grey matter (GM) representation of hands and feet using voxel-based morphometry as well as on fractional anisotropy (FA) of the corticospinal tract by means of diffusion tensor imaging-based fibre tractography. As predicted, GM volume was increased in hand areas of handball players, whereas ballet dancers showed increased GM volume in foot areas. Compared to handball players, ballet dancers showed decreased FA in both fibres connecting the foot and hand areas, but they showed lower FA in fibres connecting the foot compared to their hand areas, whereas handball players showed lower FA in fibres connecting the hand compared to their foot areas. Our results suggest that structural adaptations are sport-specific and are manifested in brain regions associated with the neural processing of sport-specific skills. We believe this enriches the plasticity research in general and extends our knowledge of sport expertise in particular. PMID:27247805

Differences in Cortical Representation and Structural Connectivity of Hands and Feet between Professional Handball Players and Ballet Dancers.

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Meier, Jessica; Topka, Marlene Sofie; Hänggi, Jürgen

2016-01-01

It is known that intensive training and expertise are associated with functional and structural neuroadaptations. Most studies, however, compared experts with nonexperts; hence it is, specifically for sports, unclear whether the neuroplastic adaptations reported are sport-specific or sport-general. Here we aimed at investigating sport-specific adaptations in professional handball players and ballet dancers by focusing on the primary motor and somatosensory grey matter (GM) representation of hands and feet using voxel-based morphometry as well as on fractional anisotropy (FA) of the corticospinal tract by means of diffusion tensor imaging-based fibre tractography. As predicted, GM volume was increased in hand areas of handball players, whereas ballet dancers showed increased GM volume in foot areas. Compared to handball players, ballet dancers showed decreased FA in both fibres connecting the foot and hand areas, but they showed lower FA in fibres connecting the foot compared to their hand areas, whereas handball players showed lower FA in fibres connecting the hand compared to their foot areas. Our results suggest that structural adaptations are sport-specific and are manifested in brain regions associated with the neural processing of sport-specific skills. We believe this enriches the plasticity research in general and extends our knowledge of sport expertise in particular.

Differences in Cortical Representation and Structural Connectivity of Hands and Feet between Professional Handball Players and Ballet Dancers

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Jessica Meier

2016-01-01

Full Text Available It is known that intensive training and expertise are associated with functional and structural neuroadaptations. Most studies, however, compared experts with nonexperts; hence it is, specifically for sports, unclear whether the neuroplastic adaptations reported are sport-specific or sport-general. Here we aimed at investigating sport-specific adaptations in professional handball players and ballet dancers by focusing on the primary motor and somatosensory grey matter (GM representation of hands and feet using voxel-based morphometry as well as on fractional anisotropy (FA of the corticospinal tract by means of diffusion tensor imaging-based fibre tractography. As predicted, GM volume was increased in hand areas of handball players, whereas ballet dancers showed increased GM volume in foot areas. Compared to handball players, ballet dancers showed decreased FA in both fibres connecting the foot and hand areas, but they showed lower FA in fibres connecting the foot compared to their hand areas, whereas handball players showed lower FA in fibres connecting the hand compared to their foot areas. Our results suggest that structural adaptations are sport-specific and are manifested in brain regions associated with the neural processing of sport-specific skills. We believe this enriches the plasticity research in general and extends our knowledge of sport expertise in particular.

Eyes-Closed Single-Limb Balance is Not Related to Hypermobility Status in Dancers.

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Marulli, Tiffany A; Harmon-Matthews, Lindsay E; Davis-Coen, J Hope; Willigenburg, Nienke W; Hewett, Timothy E

2017-06-15

Hypermobility may be associated with decreased lower extremity proprioception, which in turn may increase injury risk. The prevalence of hypermobility in dancers varies across studies, but joint hypermobility appears to be more common in dancers than in the general population. The purpose of this study was to determine how hypermobility affects eyes-closed single-limb balance as an indirect measure of proprioception in dancers. The secondary aim was to compare hypermobility and balance across dancer affiliation groups. Data were collected from 45 professional dancers, 11 collegiate modern dancers, 227 student dancers, and 15 pre-professional dancers during routine dance screens. Dancer hypermobility status was assessed via an eight-point Beighton-Horan Laxity test. Single-limb balance time, in seconds, was assessed in parallel position with the eyes closed. Hypermobile (HM) and non-hypermobile (NHM) dancers showed very similar balance times (HM median: 36.5 seconds; NHM median: 33.0 seconds; p = 0.982). Hypermobility was not significantly different between dancer affiliation groups (p = 0.154): 47% in ballet academy students, 27% in collegiate modern dancers, 62% in pre-professional dancers, and 36% in professional dancers. The student, pre-professional, and professional ballet dancers all demonstrated longer balance times than the collegiate modern dancers; however, this difference was only significant between the professional ballet dancers and collegiate modern dancers (p = 0.026). Dancers demonstrated a higher prevalence of hypermobility than what has been reported for the general population. Joint hypermobility did not affect eyes-closed single-limb balance time. Future studies are needed to determine if joint hypermobility affects more sensitive measures of proprioception and risk of injury.

Overuse Injuries in Professional Ballet

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Sobrino, Francisco Jos?; de la Cuadra, Cr?tida; Guill?n, Pedro

2015-01-01

Background Despite overuse injuries being previously described as the most frequent in ballet, there are no studies on professional dancers providing the specific clinical diagnoses or type of injury based on the discipline. Hypothesis Overuse injuries are the most frequent injuries in ballet, with differences in the type and frequency of injuries based on discipline. Study Design Cross-sectional study; Level of evidence, 3. Methods This was a descriptive cross-sectional study performed betwe...

Male Ballet Dancers and Their Performances of Heteromasculinity

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Haltom, Trenton M.; Worthen, Meredith G. F.

2014-01-01

Although previous research has investigated men in feminized sports, we took a different approach in this study and examined men in ballet. Because ballet is one of the most highly gendercodified sports, male ballet dancers must negotiate their identities as men while performing a dance form that is highly stigmatized as effeminate. We…

Correlation of clinical and magnetic resonance imaging findings in hips of elite female ballet dancers.

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Duthon, Victoria B; Charbonnier, Caecilia; Kolo, Frank C; Magnenat-Thalmann, Nadia; Becker, Christophe D; Bouvet, Cindy; Coppens, Elia; Hoffmeyer, Pierre; Menetrey, Jacques

2013-03-01

To understand why professional female ballet dancers often complain of inguinal pain and experience early hip osteoarthritis (OA). Goals were to examine clinical and advanced imaging findings in the hips of dancers compared with those in a matched cohort of nondancers and to assess the femoral head translation in the forward split position using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Twenty professional female ballet dancers and 14 active healthy female individuals matched for age (control group) completed a questionnaire on hip pain and underwent hip examination with impingement tests and measurement of passive hip range of motion (ROM). All had a pelvic 1.5 T MRI in the back-lying position to assess femoroacetabular morphologic features and lesions. For the dancers, additional MR images were acquired in the split position to evaluate femoroacetabular congruency. Twelve of 20 dancers complained of groin pain only while dancing; controls were asymptomatic. Dancers' passive hip ROM was normal. No differences in α neck angle, acetabular depth, acetabular version, and femoral neck anteversion were found between dancers and controls. MRI of dancers while performing splits showed a mean femoral head subluxation of 2.05 mm. MRI of dancers' hips showed labral tears, cartilage thinning, and herniation pits, located in superior and posterosuperior positions. Lesions were the same for symptomatic and asymptomatic dancers. Controls had proportionally the same number of labral lesions but in an anterosuperior position. They also had 2 to 3 times fewer cartilage lesions and pits than did dancers. The results of our study are consistent with our hypothesis that repetitive extreme movements can cause femoral head subluxations and femoroacetabular abutments in female ballet dancers with normal hip morphologic features, which could result in early OA. Pathologic changes seen on MRI were symptomatic in less than two thirds of the dancers. Level IV, therapeutic case series. Copyright �

Central common drive to antagonistic ankle muscles in relation to short-term co-contraction training in non-dancers and professional ballet dancers

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Geertsen, Svend Sparre; Kjær, Majken; Pedersen, Kasper Karhu

2013-01-01

Optimization of co-contraction of antagonistic muscles around the ankle joint has been shown to involve plastic changes in spinal and cortical neural circuitries. Such changes may explain the ability of elite ballet dancers to maintain a steady balance during various ballet postures. Here we inve...

Corticospinal excitability of the ankle extensor muscles is enhanced in ballet dancers.

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Saito, Sakiko; Obata, Hiroki; Endoh, Takashi; Kuno-Mizumura, Mayumi; Nakazawa, Kimitaka

2014-09-01

We tested the corticospinal excitability of the soleus muscle in ballet dancers to clarify whether the presumed long-term repetition of the specific plantarflexion results in changes of excitability in this neural pathway. We compared motor evoked potentials of the soleus muscle at rest and during isometric contraction of the plantar flexors in dancers and non-dancers. The amplitudes of motor evoked potentials elicited by transcranial magnetic stimulation during contraction were examined against the background electromyographic activity. A regression line was calculated for each subject. Results showed that the slope of the regression line is significantly greater in the dancer group than in the control group, suggesting that the corticospinal tract of ballet dancers has adapted to long-term repetition of plantarflexion in daily ballet training.

Magnetic resonance imaging of the ankle in female ballet dancers en pointe

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Russell, Jeffrey A. (Dept. of Dance, Univ. of California-Irvine, Irvine, CA (United States)), e-mail: jeff.russell@uci.edu; Shave, Ruth M. (Dept. of Radiology, Russells Hall Hospital, Dudley (United Kingdom)); Yoshioka, Hiroshi (Dept. of Radiological Sciences, Univ. of California-Irvine, Irvine, CA (United States)); Kruse, David W. (Dept. of Orthopaedic Surgery and Family Medicine, Univ. of California-Irvine, Irvine, CA (United States)); Koutedakis, Yiannis; Wyon, Matthew A. (School of Sport, Performing Arts and Leisure, Univ. of Wolverhampton, Walsall (United Kingdom))

2010-07-15

Background: Ballet dancers require extreme range of motion of the ankle, especially weight-bearing maximum plantar flexion (en pointe). In spite of a high prevalence of foot and ankle injuries in ballet dancers, the anatomy and pathoanatomy of this position have not been sufficiently studied in weight-bearing. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a beneficial method for such study. Purpose: To develop an MRI method of evaluating the ankles of female ballet dancers standing en pointe and to assess whether pathological findings from the MR images were associated with ankle pain reported by the subjects. Material and Methods: Nine female ballet dancers (age, 21+-2.9 years; dance experience, 16+-4.1 years; en pointe dance experience, 7+-4.9 years) completed an ankle pain visual analog scale questionnaire and underwent T1- and T2-weighted scans using a 0.25 T open MRI device. The ankle was scanned in three positions: supine with full plantar flexion, standing with the ankle in anatomical position, and standing en pointe. Results: Obtaining MR images of the ballet dancers en pointe was successful in spite of limitations imposed by the difficulty of remaining motionless in the en pointe position during scanning. MRI signs of ankle pathology and anatomical variants were observed. Convergence of the posterior edge of the tibial plafond, posterior talus, and superior calcaneus was noted in 100% of cases. Widened anterior joint congruity and synovitis/joint effusion were present in 71% and 67%, respectively. Anterior tibial and/or talar spurs and Stieda's process were each seen in 44%. However, clinical signs did not always correlate with pain reported by the subjects. Conclusion: This study successfully established an ankle imaging technique for ballet dancers en pointe that can be used in the future to assess the relationship between en pointe positioning and ankle pathoanatomy in ballet dancers

Magnetic resonance imaging of the ankle in female ballet dancers en pointe.

Science.gov (United States)

Russell, Jeffrey A; Shave, Ruth M; Yoshioka, Hiroshi; Kruse, David W; Koutedakis, Yiannis; Wyon, Matthew A

2010-07-01

Ballet dancers require extreme range of motion of the ankle, especially weight-bearing maximum plantar flexion (en pointe). In spite of a high prevalence of foot and ankle injuries in ballet dancers, the anatomy and pathoanatomy of this position have not been sufficiently studied in weight-bearing. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a beneficial method for such study. To develop an MRI method of evaluating the ankles of female ballet dancers standing en pointe and to assess whether pathological findings from the MR images were associated with ankle pain reported by the subjects. Nine female ballet dancers (age, 21+/-2.9 years; dance experience, 16+/-4.1 years; en pointe dance experience, 7+/-4.9 years) completed an ankle pain visual analog scale questionnaire and underwent T1- and T2-weighted scans using a 0.25 T open MRI device. The ankle was scanned in three positions: supine with full plantar flexion, standing with the ankle in anatomical position, and standing en pointe. Obtaining MR images of the ballet dancers en pointe was successful in spite of limitations imposed by the difficulty of remaining motionless in the en pointe position during scanning. MRI signs of ankle pathology and anatomical variants were observed. Convergence of the posterior edge of the tibial plafond, posterior talus, and superior calcaneus was noted in 100% of cases. Widened anterior joint congruity and synovitis/joint effusion were present in 71% and 67%, respectively. Anterior tibial and/or talar spurs and Stieda's process were each seen in 44%. However, clinical signs did not always correlate with pain reported by the subjects. This study successfully established an ankle imaging technique for ballet dancers en pointe that can be used in the future to assess the relationship between en pointe positioning and ankle pathoanatomy in ballet dancers.

Frozen Landscapes: A Foucauldian Genealogy of the Ideal Ballet Dancer's Body

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Ritenburg, Heather Margaret

2010-01-01

This paper explores the social construction of the "ideal" body of the female ballet dancer in North America. Specifically, the author constructs a Foucauldian genealogy tracing a body shape that came to dominate the principal female dancers of the New York City Ballet, and how this body shape continues to be normalized through…

The effect of textured ballet shoe insoles on ankle proprioception in dancers.

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Steinberg, Nili; Waddington, Gordon; Adams, Roger; Karin, Janet; Tirosh, Oren

2016-01-01

Impaired ankle inversion movement discrimination (AIMD) can lead to ankle sprain injuries. The aim of this study was to explore whether wearing textured insoles improved AIMD compared with barefoot, ballet shoes and smooth insoles, among dancers. Forty-four adolescent male and female dancers, aged 13-19, from The Australian Ballet School were tested for AIMD while barefoot, wearing ballet shoes, smooth insoles, and textured insoles. No interaction was found between the four different footwear conditions, the two genders, or the two levels of dancers in AIMD (p > .05). An interaction was found between the four different footwear conditions and the three tertiles when tested in ballet shoes (p = .006). Although significant differences were found between the upper tertiles and the lower tertiles when tested with ballet shoes, barefoot and with smooth insoles (p < .001; p < .001; p = .047, respectively), when testing with textured insoles dancers in the lower tertile obtained similar scores to those obtained by dancers in the upper tertile (p = .911). Textured insoles improved the discrimination scores of dancers with low AIMD, suggesting that textured insoles may trigger the cutaneous receptors in the plantar surface, increasing the awareness of ankle positioning, which in turn might decrease the chance of ankle injury. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

STUDY OF BODY IMAGE IN PROFESSIONAL DANCERS: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW

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Allana Alexandre Cardoso

Full Text Available ABSTRACT Body image is multidimensional, dynamic, and entirely linked to the body in motion, which entails relevant bodily concerns in the routine of professional dancers, who need to maintain their body aesthetics constantly. The objective was summarizing the scientific production on the body image of professional dancers and to understand how they perceive it. This review is composed by seven studies that investigated professional dancers of classical ballet, jazz and contemporary dance. The results demonstrate that even though they are lean and had appropriate body mass index, professional dancers are dissatisfied with their body and wish to be thinner, that is, professional dancers constitute a risk group for the development of eating disorders.

Assessment of Maximum Aerobic Capacity and Anaerobic Threshold of Elite Ballet Dancers.

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Wyon, Matthew A; Allen, Nick; Cloak, Ross; Beck, Sarah; Davies, Paul; Clarke, Frances

2016-09-01

An athlete's cardiorespiratory profile, maximal aerobic capacity, and anaerobic threshold is affected by training regimen and competition demands. The present study aimed to ascertain whether there are company rank differences in maximal aerobic capacity and anaerobic threshold in elite classical ballet dancers. Seventy-four volunteers (M 34, F 40) were recruited from two full-time professional classical ballet companies. All participants completed a continuous incremental treadmill protocol with a 1-km/hr speed increase at the end of each 1-min stage until termination criteria had been achieved (e.g., voluntary cessation, respiratory exchange ratio ballet companies are probably due to the different rehearsal and performance demands.

Frequency of pain and eating disorders among professional and amateur dancers

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Maria Angélica Kurpel Diogo

Full Text Available ABSTRACT CONTEXT AND OBJECTIVE: The pursuit of perfection can cause anxiety and lead dancers to exceed their physical limits. The aim here was to evaluate the prevalence of pain symptoms and eating disorders among professional and amateur dancers. DESIGN AND SETTING: Observational cross-sectional study; Curitiba, PR, Brazil. METHODS: Data on 150 professional and non-professional practitioners of ballet, jazz and street dance were collected through specific questionnaires: Brief Pain Inventory-Short Form (BPI-SF, Eating Attitudes Test-26 (EAT-26, Bulimic Investigatory Test Edinburgh (BITE and State-Trait Anxiety Inventory-T-6 (STAI-T-6. RESULTS: Pain was observed in 58.6% of the sample, equally between professionals and amateurs (P = 0.19. Ballet dancers had more lower-limb pain than the other groups (P = 0.05. EAT-26 showed a tendency towards more eating disorders among the amateurs (P = 0.06. Higher risk of eating disorders was found among ballet dancers (P = 0.004 and jazz practitioners (P = 0.02 than among street dancers. Amateurs had more symptoms on the BITE scale (P < 0.0001, more pain (P = 0.002 and higher anxiety (P < 0.0001. Eating disorders were more common among females (P = 0.01 and singles (P = 0.02. Professionals were more satisfied with their own body image than amateurs (P < 0.001. CONCLUSIONS: Pain symptoms were found in almost half of the sample, equally among professionals and amateurs as well as between the three dance styles. Female and singles had more eating disorders. Those with eating disorders had higher levels of pain and anxiety.

Body dissatisfaction and the wish for different silhouette is associated with higher adiposity and fat intake in female ballet dancers than male.

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Da Silva, Camila Lacerda; De Oliveira, Erick Prado; De Sousa, Maysa Vieira; Pimentel, Gustavo D

2016-01-01

It is known that behavioral disorders and altered food intake are linked to ballet dancers. Thus, the aim of the present study was to investigate the body composition, dietetic profile, self-perceived body image and social desirability in professional ballet dancers. This study was conducted from April to October 2010 in athletes screened for nutritional evaluation. Anthropometric, dietary, social desirability and self-perceived body image evaluation were performed to attend the aim of study. We found that ballet dancers are highly trained and eutrophic, although female dancers had higher adiposity and fat intake than male dancers. In addition, it was observed low consumption of calcium, dietary fiber, potassium, magnesium and vitamin A. Moreover, 30% of male ballet dancers have a strong desire for social acceptance. When the body image was evaluated by Body Shape Questionnaire (BSQ), was reported that 40% of the ballet female dancers have of moderate to severe alteration in body image and 20% of male dancers had slight alteration. Furthermore, the Drawings and Silhouettes Scale showed that 80% of male dancers wish to have a smaller or larger silhouette than the current self-perceived and 60% of the female dancers would like to have a silhouette lower than the self-perceive as current. Collectively, our results shown that most of the dancers were eutrophic, but female athletes have higher adiposity and present strong desire for a different shape of current. Furthermore, was found increased fat intake in female group; however, deficiencies in consumption of dietary fiber, calcium, potassium, magnesium and vitamin A were found in both gender.

Changes in biomechanics and muscle activation in injured ballet dancers during a jump-land task with turnout (Sissonne Fermée).

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Lee, Hsing-Hsan; Lin, Chia-Wei; Wu, Hong-Wen; Wu, Tzu-Chuan; Lin, Cheng-Feng

2012-01-01

Large impact loading with abnormal muscle activity and motion patterns may contribute to lower extremity injuries in ballet dancers. Yet, few studies investigated the influence of injury on the ballet movement. The purpose of this study was to find the neuromuscular and biomechanical characteristics in dancers with and without ankle injury during a jump-landing Sissonne Fermée task. Twenty-two ballet dancers were recruited and divided into the injured group (n = 11) and the uninjured group (n = 11). They performed a ballet movement called "Sissonne Fermée" with reflective markers and electrodes attached to their lower extremities. Ground reaction force, joint kinematics, and muscle activity were measured. The injured dancers had greater peak ankle eversion but smaller hindfoot-to-tibial eversion angles. Also, the injured dancers had greater activity of the hamstring of the dominant leg and tibialis anterior of the non-dominant leg during the pre-landing phase. The injured dancers had greater tibialis anterior activity of the dominant leg but less muscle activity in the medial gastrocnemius of the non-dominant leg during the post-landing phase. The injured dancers had a greater co-contraction index in the non-dominant ankle and a lower loading rate. The higher co-contraction indices showed that the injured dancers required more muscle effort to control ankle stability. Furthermore, the injured dancers used a "load avoidance strategy" to protect themselves from re-injury. Neuromuscular control training of the ankle joint for ballet dancers to prevent injury is necessary.

Premature Growth Plate Closure in a Ballet Dancer en Pointe.

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Shah, Selina

2017-09-01

A 13-year-old ballet dancer who had been dancing en pointe (on the tips of the toes) since 10 years presented to the clinic with a shortened right second toe. She had no previous history of pain or trauma. She was diagnosed with premature growth arrest of the second metatarsal head physes resulting in a shortened metatarsal. This is the first reported case of premature growth arrest in a ballet dancer as a result of dancing en pointe.

Obturator externus was larger, while obturator internus size was similar in ballet dancers compared to nondancing athletes.

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Mayes, Susan; Ferris, April-Rose; Smith, Peter; Cook, Jill

2018-06-02

To compare the cross-sectional area (CSA) of hip external rotators, obturator externus (OE) and obturator internus (OI), in ballet dancers and nondancing athletes, and evaluate the relationship between obturator muscle size and hip pain. Case-control study. Elite ballet and sport. 33 male and female professional ballet dancers and 33 age and sex-matched athletes. CSA's of OE and OI measured on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of one hip. Hip pain was scored with the Copenhagen Hip and Groin Outcome Score (HAGOS): HAGOS pain score of 100 was defined as no pain and a score less than 100 was defined as pain. Participants weight and height. Estimated marginal mean CSA of OE was 14% larger in dancers than athletes (p = 0.01, ηp2 = 0.1); the size of OI was similar (p > 0.05). Men and women in both groups had similar sized OI and OE. There was no interaction between the estimated marginal mean CSA of either obturator and hip pain. It appears that ballet selectively increases muscle size of OE, but not OI. Obturator size was not related to mild hip pain, as OE and OI size was similar in dancers and athletes with and without pain. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Single-leg squats can predict leg alignment in dancers performing ballet movements in "turnout".

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Hopper, Luke S; Sato, Nahoko; Weidemann, Andries L

2016-01-01

The physical assessments used in dance injury surveillance programs are often adapted from the sports and exercise domain. Bespoke physical assessments may be required for dance, particularly when ballet movements involve "turning out" or external rotation of the legs beyond that typically used in sports. This study evaluated the ability of the traditional single-leg squat to predict the leg alignment of dancers performing ballet movements with turnout. Three-dimensional kinematic data of dancers performing the single-leg squat and five ballet movements were recorded and analyzed. Reduction of the three-dimensional data into a one-dimensional variable incorporating the ankle, knee, and hip joint center positions provided the strongest predictive model between the single-leg squat and the ballet movements. The single-leg squat can predict leg alignment in dancers performing ballet movements, even in "turned out" postures. Clinicians should pay careful attention to observational positioning and rating criteria when assessing dancers performing the single-leg squat.

Prevalence and profile of musculoskeletal injuries in ballet dancers: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Smith, Toby O; Davies, Leigh; de Medici, Akbar; Hakim, Allan; Haddad, Fares; Macgregor, Alex

2016-05-01

To determine the prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders and anatomical regions which are most frequently injured in ballet dancers. Published (AMED, CiNAHL, EMBASE, SPORTDiscus, psycINFO, MEDLINE, the Cochrane Library) and grey literature databases (OpenGrey, the WHO International Clinical Trials Registry Platform, Current Controlled Trials and the UK National Research Register Archive) were searched from their inception to 25th May 2015 for papers presenting data on injury prevalence in ballet dancers. Two reviewers independently identified all eligible papers, data extracted and critically appraised studies. Study appraisal was conducted using the CASP appraisal tool. Pooled prevalence data with 95% confidence intervals were estimated to determine period prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders and anatomical regions affected. Nineteen studies were eligible, reporting 7332 injuries in 2617 ballet dancers. The evidence was moderate in quality. Period prevalence of musculoskeletal injury was 280% (95% CI: 217-343%). The most prevalent musculoskeletal disorders included: hamstring strain (51%), ankle tendinopathy (19%) and generalized low back pain (14%). No papers explored musculoskeletal disorders in retired ballet dancers. Whilst we have identified which regions and what musculoskeletal disorders are commonly seen ballet dancers. The long-term injury impact of musculoskeletal disorders in retired ballet dancers remains unknown. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Anthropometric evaluation of body composition in ballet dancers. A longitudinal study

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Maria Elena Díaz Sánchez

2008-04-01

Full Text Available The body of the adolescent dancer is the result of morphological, physiological and behavioral adaptations due to specific physical training. For the ballet master, body weight is irrelevant to evaluating the technical and artistic performance and beauty of a figure. All ballet dancers must have bodies that conform to the canon of international ballet in order to be able to perform in public. The purpose of this study is to describe the changes in the body composition of dancers at the Cuban National School of Ballet between two points in their training process. This was a longitudinal study of 54 girls and 40 boys, aged between 15 and 20 years old. An anthropometric protocol of 6 measurements was employed in order to determine body composition using the Durnin and Rahaman method for females and the Parizková and Buzková method for males. The main results demonstrate signifi cant increases in both weight and height for age in both sexes, and it was observed that height growth velocity decreased with age. The female dancers exhibited stable body fat percentages for all ages while male dancers signifi cantly reduced this percentage from one year to the next. The female students exhibited higher mean percentage body fat values than the normal range established in Cuba for elite athletes from competitive artistic sports and professional dancers, while the male students exhibited body fat percentages that were similar to these specialized groups. Resumo El cuerpo humano del bailarín adolescente es resultado de las adaptaciones orfológicas-fi siológicas y conductuales de un entrenamiento físico particular. Para los maestros de ballet el peso corporal no es relevante en la evaluación técnica-artística y de belleza de la fi gura del danzante. Cada bailarín tiene que cumplir con los cánones internacionales de fi gura del ballet para presentarse en el escenario artístico. El objetivo de esta investigación es describir las variaciones de la

"Nutcracker Fracture" in a Ballet Dancer Performing in The Nutcracker.

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Carsen, Sasha; Quinn, Bridget J; Beck, Elizabeth; Southwick, Heather; Micheli, Lyle J

2015-09-01

A 26-year-old female professional dancer sustained an acute injury to her mid-foot during a performance of The Nutcracker. An intra-articular, comminuted, minimally displaced fracture of the cuboid was found. The patient was treated non-operatively with cast and boot immobilization, modified weightbearing, and progressive rehabilitation. She was able to return to professional dance at 6 months post-injury and continues to dance professionally over 1 year out from injury without issue. The unique demands of classical ballet, especially dancing en pointe, increase the risk for mid-foot fractures, and clinicians should have a high-index of suspicion in dancers suffering an acute injury to the foot and ankle with greater than expected pain or swelling. Multiple imaging modalities can be used to make the diagnosis, to include plain film radiographs, MRI, and CT scan. Fracture characteristics and patient-specific factors should be taken into account when deciding on a treatment plan.

Single-leg squats can predict leg alignment in dancers performing ballet movements in “turnout”

Science.gov (United States)

Hopper, Luke S; Sato, Nahoko; Weidemann, Andries L

2016-01-01

The physical assessments used in dance injury surveillance programs are often adapted from the sports and exercise domain. Bespoke physical assessments may be required for dance, particularly when ballet movements involve “turning out” or external rotation of the legs beyond that typically used in sports. This study evaluated the ability of the traditional single-leg squat to predict the leg alignment of dancers performing ballet movements with turnout. Three-dimensional kinematic data of dancers performing the single-leg squat and five ballet movements were recorded and analyzed. Reduction of the three-dimensional data into a one-dimensional variable incorporating the ankle, knee, and hip joint center positions provided the strongest predictive model between the single-leg squat and the ballet movements. The single-leg squat can predict leg alignment in dancers performing ballet movements, even in “turned out” postures. Clinicians should pay careful attention to observational positioning and rating criteria when assessing dancers performing the single-leg squat. PMID:27895518

Low RMRratio as a surrogate marker for energy deficiency, the choice of predictive equation vital for correctly identifying male and female ballet dancers at risk

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Staal, Sarah; Sjödin, Anders Mikael; Fahrenholtz, Ida Lysdahl

2018-01-01

Ballet dancers are reported to have an increased risk for energy deficiency with or without disordered eating (DE) behavior. A low ratio between measured (m) and predicted (p) resting metabolic rate (RMRratio... the prevalence of suppressed RMR using different methods to calculatepRMR and to explore associations with additional markers of energy deficiency. Female (n=20) and male (n=20) professional ballet dancers, 19-35 years of age were enrolled. mRMR was assessed by respiratory calorimetry (ventilated open hood). p......% hypotension. Forty percent of females had elevated LEAF-Q score, and 50% were underweight. Suppressed RMR was associated with elevated LEAF-Q score in females and with higher training volume in males. In conclusion, professional ballet dancers are at risk for energy deficiency. The number of identified...

Empathy, Self-Esteem and Creativity among Junior Ballet Dancers.

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Kalliopuska, Mirja

This study examined the effect of the active pursuit of ballet as a hobby on personality. The study group consisted of 62 members of the junior ballet of the Finnish National Opera, ranging in age from 9 to 17 with the majority under 14. The dancers were given four self-esteem questionnaires which measured empathy, creativity, and other…

The role of puberty in the making and breaking of young ballet dancers: Perspectives of dance teachers.

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Mitchell, Siobhan B; Haase, Anne M; Malina, Robert M; Cumming, Sean P

2016-02-01

Physical changes associated with puberty may conflict with functional and aesthetic ideals for a career in ballet. The dance teacher is in a position to guide young dancers through the pubertal transition, although dancers rather than teachers are often the focus of research. This study explores the social stimulus value of the female body in ballet as perceived by the dance teacher and how value may change during puberty. Ten UK dance teachers were interviewed; interpretative phenomenological analysis was used. Four main themes perceived by dance teachers emerged as central to the social stimulus value of the body among adolescent dancers: the ideal body; teacher approaches to managing puberty in the dance environment; puberty as a 'make or break' stage in ballet; and teacher awareness of pubertal onset and the implications of timing. Dance teachers can play an important role in moderating external and individual expectations during the pubertal transition. Copyright © 2015 The Foundation for Professionals in Services for Adolescents. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Specificity of foot configuration during bipedal stance in ballet dancers.

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Casabona, Antonino; Leonardi, Giuseppa; Aimola, Ettore; La Grua, Giovanni; Polizzi, Cristina Maria; Cioni, Matteo; Valle, Maria Stella

2016-05-01

Learning highly specialized upright postures may be of benefit for more common as well as for novel stances. In this study, we asked whether this generalization occurs with foot configurations previously trained or depends on a generic increase in balance difficulty. We also explored the possibility that the benefit may concern not only the level of postural performance but also the structural organization of the upright standing. Ten elite professional ballet dancers were compared to ten untrained subjects, measuring the motion of the center of pressure (COP) across a set of five stances with different foot configurations. The balance stability was measured computing the area, the sway path, and the root mean square of the COP motion, whereas the structure of the postural control was assessed by compute approximate entropy, fractal dimension and the mean power frequency. The foot position included common and challenging stances, with the level of difficulty changed across the configurations. Among these conditions, only one foot configuration was familiar to the dancers. Statistically significant differences between the two groups, for all the parameters, were observed only for the stance with the foot position familiar to the dancers. Stability and structural parameters exhibited comparable differences. We concluded that the benefit from classical ballet is limited to a specific foot configuration, regardless of the level of stance difficulty or the component of postural control. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Comparison of Body Composition and Energy Intake of Young Female Ballet Dancers and Ordinary School Girls

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Kalniņa Līga

2017-12-01

Full Text Available The aim of this study is to assess body fat level, energy and nutrient intake of adolescent ballet dancers and to compare these results with those of adolescents from ordinary school. Participants included 39 ballet dancers and 70 adolescents from ordinary school. Body composition was measured using a multi-frequency 8-polar bioelectrical impedance leg-to-hand analyser (X-Scan Plus II, Korea. Dietary intakes were assessed using a three-day estimated food record. Nutritional intake was calculated using the Nutri Survey software. Ballet dancers were slightly shorter, lighter, with less fat and fat-free mass compared to girls from ordinary school. 51.3% (95% CI 35.59 to 66.97 of ballet dancers and 4% (95% CI; 0.27 to 11.15 of ordinary school girls had a body fat level of 12% or less. The recommended amount of 35–45 kcal energy to kg fat-free mass for aesthetic sports was not reached by 42.1% (95% CI 27.61 to 50.65% of ballet dancers. No statistically significant difference was found in percent body fat between ballet dancers who consumed energy less than the recommended amount compared to those who ate normally, but fatfree mass (p < 0.05 was lower in those who consumed 35–45 kcal energy to kg fat-free mass or less compared to those who ate more. The investigated groups had an inadequate intake of minerals and vitamins during the winter period.

Injuries in a Professional Ballet Dance Company: A 10-year Retrospective Study.

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Ramkumar, Prem N; Farber, Joseph; Arnouk, Johnny; Varner, Kevin E; Mcculloch, Patrick C

2016-03-01

Ballet dancers are high-performance athletes who are particularly susceptible to a wide variety of musculoskeletal injuries. However, they are relatively understudied, and data on their injury rates are lacking. This retrospective study features the largest aggregate data on professional ballet dancers to date and aims to identify the most common diagnoses and areas of injury in this unique population to better direct preventative and clinical practices. The study encompassed a 10-year period from January 2000 to December 2010 of dancers from a single company. Data regarding the dancers' age, gender, location of injury, and diagnosis were collected from workers' compensation claims, company records, and medical records maintained by the treating doctors. These were analyzed to determine metrics on injury incidence, frequency, and diagnosis. Over the 10-year span, 574 injuries occurred. There were approximately 52 dancers per year for a total of 153 who danced at least one complete season during the study period. The average age was 27, and 53% were female. Given turnover with retirement and replacements, the total number of dancer-years was 520, indicating an injury incidence per annum of 1.10 (574 injuries per 520 dancer-years). The most common locations of injury were foot and ankle and the lumbar spine, with the three most common diagnoses making up greater than a third (37%) of the total. As the current largest study in professional ballet, the findings set the benchmark metrics for musculoskeletal injury to the foot, ankle, and lumbar spine sites. Future studies should aim to identify injury risk factors and modalities for prevention of these injuries.

Chronic Inflammation and Neutrophil Activation as Possible Causes of Joint Diseases in Ballet Dancers

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Leandro da Silva Borges

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Herein, we investigated the effects of a ballet class on the kinetic profiles of creatine kinase (CK and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH activities, cytokines, complement component 3 (C3, and the concentrations of immunoglobulin (Ig, IgA and IgM, in ballerinas. We also verified neutrophil death and ROS release. Blood samples were taken from 13 dancers before, immediately after, and 18 hours after a ballet class. The ballet class increased the plasma activities of CK-total (2.0-fold immediately after class, while the activities of CK-cardiac muscle (1.0-fold and LDH (3.0-fold were observed to increase 18 hours after the class. Levels of the TNF-α, IL-1β, IgG, and IgA were not affected under the study conditions. The exercise was found to induce neutrophil apoptosis (6.0-fold 18 hours after the ballet class. Additionally, immediately after the ballet class, the neutrophils from the ballerinas were found to be less responsive to PMA stimulus. Conclusion. Ballet class was found to result in inflammation in dancers. The inflammation caused by the ballet class remained for 18 hours after the exercise. These findings are important in preventing the development of chronic lesions that are commonly observed in dancers, such as those with arthritis and synovitis.

Chronic inflammation and neutrophil activation as possible causes of joint diseases in ballet dancers.

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Borges, Leandro da Silva; Bortolon, José Ricardo; Santos, Vinicius Coneglian; de Moura, Nivaldo Ribeiro; Dermargos, Alexandre; Cury-Boaventura, Maria Fernanda; Gorjão, Renata; Pithon-Curi, Tania Cristina; Hatanaka, Elaine

2014-01-01

Herein, we investigated the effects of a ballet class on the kinetic profiles of creatine kinase (CK) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) activities, cytokines, complement component 3 (C3), and the concentrations of immunoglobulin (Ig), IgA and IgM, in ballerinas. We also verified neutrophil death and ROS release. Blood samples were taken from 13 dancers before, immediately after, and 18 hours after a ballet class. The ballet class increased the plasma activities of CK-total (2.0-fold) immediately after class, while the activities of CK-cardiac muscle (1.0-fold) and LDH (3.0-fold) were observed to increase 18 hours after the class. Levels of the TNF-α , IL-1β, IgG, and IgA were not affected under the study conditions. The exercise was found to induce neutrophil apoptosis (6.0-fold) 18 hours after the ballet class. Additionally, immediately after the ballet class, the neutrophils from the ballerinas were found to be less responsive to PMA stimulus. Ballet class was found to result in inflammation in dancers. The inflammation caused by the ballet class remained for 18 hours after the exercise. These findings are important in preventing the development of chronic lesions that are commonly observed in dancers, such as those with arthritis and synovitis.

Negotiating the Gay Male Stereotype in Ballet and Modern Dance

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Polasek, Katherine M.; Roper, Emily A.

2011-01-01

Dance, ballet and modern in particular, is culturally defined as a feminine activity in the United States. The purpose of the present study was to examine the experiences of professional male modern and ballet dancers in the United States. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 12 current professional ballet and modern dancers. We examined…

Self-Described Differences Between Legs in Ballet Dancers: Do They Relate to Postural Stability and Ground Reaction Force Measures?

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Mertz, Laura; Docherty, Carrie

2012-12-01

Ballet technique classes are designed to train dancers symmetrically, but they may actually create a lateral bias. It is unknown whether dancers in general are functionally asymmetrical, or how an individual dancer's perceived imbalance between legs might manifest itself. The purpose of this study was to examine ballet dancers' lateral preference by analyzing their postural stability and ground reaction forces in fifth position when landing from dance-specific jumps. Thirty university ballet majors volunteered to participate in this study. The subjects wore their own ballet technique shoes and performed fundamental ballet jumps out of fifth position on a force plate. The force plate recorded center of pressure (COP) and ground reaction force (GRF) data. Each subject completed a laterality questionnaire that determined his or her preferred landing leg for ballet jumps, self-identified stronger leg, and self-identified leg with better balance. All statistical comparisons were made between the leg indicated on the laterality questionnaire and the other leg (i.e., if the dancer's response to a question was "left," the comparison was made with the left leg as the "preferred" leg and the right leg as the "non-preferred leg"). No significant differences were identified between the limbs in any of the analyses conducted (all statistical comparisons produced p values > 0.05). The results of this study indicate that a dancer's preferential use of one limb over the other has no bearing on GRFs or balance ability after landing jumps in ballet. Similarly, dancers' opinions of their leg characteristics (such as one leg being stronger than the other) seem not to correlate with the dancers' actual ability to absorb GRFs or to balance when landing from ballet jumps.

Three-dimensional analysis of a ballet dancer with ischial tuberosity apophysitis. A case study.

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Pohjola, Hanna; Sayers, Mark; Mellifont, Rebecca; Mellifont, Daniel; Venojärvi, Mika

2014-12-01

The purpose of this case study was to describe the three-dimensional biomechanics of common ballet exercises in a ballet dancer with ischial tuberosity apophysitis. This was achieved by comparing kinematics between the symptomatic (i.e. ischial apophyseal symptoms) and contralateral lower limbs, as well as via reported pain. Results suggest consistent differences in movement patterns in this dancer. These differences included: 1) decreased external rotation of contralateral hip, hence a decreased hip contribution to 'turn out'; 2) increased contralateral knee adduction and internal rotation; 3) an apparent synchronicity in the contralateral lower limb of the decreased hip external rotation and increased knee adduction; and 4) minimal use of ankle plantar/dorsiflexion movement for symptomatic side. Pain related to the left ischial apophysitis was associated with reduced amplitudes especially in fast ballet movements that required large range of motion in flexion and adduction in the left hip joint. These findings suggest that ischial apophysitis may limit dancer's ballet technique and performance. Key PointsThe pain related to the left ischial apophysitis was associated with reduced amplitudes especially in fast ballet movements that require large range of motion. This may affect to the lower limbs kinematics, and limit dancer's technique and performance.Compensatory strategies in the kinetic chain, differences in the joint angles between the lower limbs, traction forces, velocity and amplitude demands should be taken in consideration while training and rehabilitation of the ischial apophyseal injury within classical ballet.

Incidence and Prevalence of Musculoskeletal Injury in Ballet

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Smith, Preston J.; Gerrie, Brayden J.; Varner, Kevin E.; McCulloch, Patrick C.; Lintner, David M.; Harris, Joshua D.

2015-01-01

Background Most published studies on injuries in the ballet dancer focus on the lower extremity. The rigors of this activity require special training and care. By understanding prevalence and injury pattern to the musculoskeletal system, targeted prevention and treatment for this population can be developed. Purpose To determine the incidence and prevalence of musculoskeletal injuries in ballet. Study Design Systematic review; Level of evidence, 4. Methods A systematic review registered with PROSPERO was performed using PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines. Level 1 through 4 evidence studies reporting incidence of musculoskeletal injuries in male and female ballet dancers were included, with the numbers and types of injuries extracted from each. Injury rates were recorded and calculated based on professional status, sex, and nature of injury. Incidence was defined as number of injuries sustained over a specific time. Prevalence was defined as proportion of subjects with an injury at a given point in time. Results The studies analyzed reported injury incidence or prevalence in more than 1365 amateur and 900 professional dancers. The mean age was 16.2 years among amateur and 27.0 years among professional dancers. The incidence of injury among amateur dancers was 0.99 and 1.09 injuries per 1000 dance hours in males and females, respectively; 75% of injuries were overuse, with similar rates among males and females. In professional dancers, the incidence of injury was 1.06 and 1.46 injuries per 1000 dance hours in males and females, respectively, and 64% of female injuries were overuse, compared with 50% in males (P ballet dancers is 0.97 and 1.24 injuries per 1000 dance hours, respectively. The majority are overuse in both amateur and professional dancers, with amateur ballet dancers showing a higher proportion of overuse injuries than professionals (P < .001). Male professional dancers show a higher proportion of

Recontextualizing Dance Skills: Overcoming Impediments to Motor Learning and Expressivity in Ballet Dancers.

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Karin, Janet

2016-01-01

The process of transmitting ballet's complex technique to young dancers can interfere with the innate processes that give rise to efficient, expressive and harmonious movement. With the intention of identifying possible solutions, this article draws on research across the fields of neurology, psychology, motor learning, and education, and considers their relevance to ballet as an art form, a technique, and a training methodology. The integration of dancers' technique and expressivity is a core theme throughout the paper. A brief outline of the historical development of ballet's aesthetics and training methods leads into factors that influence dancers' performance. An exploration of the role of the neuromotor system in motor learning and the acquisition of expert skills reveals the roles of sensory awareness, imagery, and intention in cuing efficient, expressive movement. It also indicates potentially detrimental effects of conscious muscle control, explicit learning and persistent naïve beliefs. Finally, the paper presents a new theory regarding the acquisition of ballet skills. Recontextualization theory proposes that placing a problematic task within a new context may engender a new conceptual approach and/or sensory intention, and hence the genesis of new motor programs; and that these new programs may lead to performance that is more efficient, more rewarding for the dancer, more pleasing aesthetically, and more expressive. From an anecdotal point of view, this theory appears to be supported by the progress of many dancers at various stages of their dancing lives.

Is goniometry suitable for measuring ankle range of motion in female ballet dancers? An initial comparison with radiographic measurement.

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Russell, Jeffrey A; Shave, Ruth M; Kruse, David W; Nevill, Alan M; Koutedakis, Yiannis; Wyon, Matthew A

2011-06-01

Female ballet dancers require extreme ankle motion to attain the demi-plié (weight-bearing full dorsiflexion [DF]) and en pointe (weight-bearing full plantar flexion [PF]) positions of ballet. However, techniques for assessing this amount of motion have not yet received sufficient scientific scrutiny. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine possible differences between weight-bearing goniometric and radiographic ankle range of motion measurements in female ballet dancers. Ankle range of motion in 8 experienced female ballet dancers was assessed by goniometry and 2 radiographic measurement methods. The latter were performed on 3 mediolateral x-rays, in demi-plié, neutral, and en pointe positions; one of them used the same landmarks as goniometry. DF values were not significantly different among the methods, but PF values were (P ballet dancers and suggest that goniometry may not be ideal for assessing ankle range of motion in these individuals. Therefore, further research is needed to standardize how DF and PF are measured in ballet dancers. Diagnostic, Level I.

Incidence of anterior cruciate ligament injuries among elite ballet and modern dancers: a 5-year prospective study.

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Liederbach, Marijeanne; Dilgen, Faye E; Rose, Donald J

2008-09-01

Ballet and modern dance are jump-intensive activities, but little is known about the incidence of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries among dancers. Rigorous jump and balance training has been shown in some prospective studies to significantly reduce ACL injury rates among athletes. Dancers advance to the professional level only after having achieved virtuosic jump and balance technique. Therefore, dancers on the elite level may be at relatively low risk for ACL injury. Descriptive epidemiology study. Dance exposure, injuries, and injury conditions were systematically recorded at 4 dance organizations over 5 years. Select neuromuscular and psychometric variables were compared between and within ACL-injured and noninjured dancers. Of 298 dancers, 12 experienced an ACL injury over the 5-year period. The incidence of ACL injury was 0.009 per 1000 exposures. Landing from a jump onto 1 leg was the mechanism of injury in 92% of cases. Incidence was not statistically different between gender or dance groups, although women modern dancers had a 3 to 5 times greater relative risk than women ballet dancers and men dancers. No difference between ACL-injured and noninjured dancers emerged with regard to race, oral contraceptive use, or select musculoskeletal measures. Dancers suffer considerably fewer ACL injuries than athletes participating in team ball sports. The training dancers undertake to perfect lower extremity alignment, jump, and balance skills may serve to protect them against ACL injury. Anterior cruciate ligament injuries happened most often late in the day and season, suggesting an effect of fatigue.

Single-leg squats can predict leg alignment in dancers performing ballet movements in “turnout”

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Hopper LS

2016-11-01

Full Text Available Luke S Hopper,1 Nahoko Sato,2 Andries L Weidemann1 1Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts, Edith Cowan University, Mt Lawley, WA, Australia; 2Department of Physical Therapy, Nagoya Gakuin University, Seto, Japan Abstract: The physical assessments used in dance injury surveillance programs are often adapted from the sports and exercise domain. Bespoke physical assessments may be required for dance, particularly when ballet movements involve “turning out” or external rotation of the legs beyond that typically used in sports. This study evaluated the ability of the traditional single-leg squat to predict the leg alignment of dancers performing ballet movements with turnout. Three-dimensional kinematic data of dancers performing the single-leg squat and five ballet movements were recorded and analyzed. Reduction of the three-dimensional data into a one-dimensional variable incorporating the ankle, knee, and hip joint center positions provided the strongest predictive model between the single-leg squat and the ballet movements. The single-leg squat can predict leg alignment in dancers performing ballet movements, even in “turned out” postures. Clinicians should pay careful attention to observational positioning and rating criteria when assessing dancers performing the single-leg squat. Keywords: injury, motion capture, clinical assessment

A comparison of ballet dancers with different level of experience in performing single-leg stance on retiré position.

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Lin, Chia-Wei; Lin, Cheng-Feng; Hsue, Bih-Jen; Su, Fong-Chin

2014-04-01

The purpose of the current study was to evaluate the postural stability of single-leg standing on the retiré position in ballet dancers having three different levels of skill. Nine superior experienced female ballet dancers, 9 experienced, and 12 novice dancers performed single-leg standing in the retiré position. The parameters of center of pressure (COP) in the anterior-posterior and medial-lateral directions and the maximum distance between COP and the center of mass (COM) were measured. The inclination angles of body segments (head, torso, and supporting leg) in the frontal plane were also calculated. The findings showed that the novice dancers had a trend of greater torso inclination angles than the experienced dancers but that the superior experienced dancers had greater maximum COM-COP distance in the anterior-posterior direction. Furthermore, both experienced and novice dancers had better balance when standing on the nondominant leg, whereas the superior experienced dancers had similar postural stability between legs. Based on the findings, ballet training should put equal focus on both legs and frontal plane control (medial-lateral direction) should be integrated to ballet training program.

Personality differences between young dancers and non-dancers

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Bakker, F.C.

1988-01-01

Leisure activities, interests and personality traits of young dancers, spending about 15 h weekly on classical and modern ballet education, were assessed by means of a number of questionnaires. Two groups were selected. One comprised dancers, aged 11 or 12 years who had been attending a professional

Stress fractures of the base of the metatarsal bones in young trainee ballet dancers

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Albisetti, Walter; De Bartolomeo, Omar; Tagliabue, Lorenzo; Camerucci, Emanuela; Calori, Giorgio Maria

2009-01-01

Classical ballet is an art form requiring extraordinary physical activity, characterised by rigorous training. These can lead to many overuse injuries arising from repetitive minor trauma. The purpose of this paper is to report our experience in the diagnosis and treatment of stress fractures at the base of the second and third metatarsal bones in young ballet dancers. We considered 150 trainee ballet dancers from the Ballet Schools of "Teatro Alla Scala" of Milan from 2005 to 2007. Nineteen of them presented with stress fractures of the base of the metatarsal bones. We treated 18 dancers with external shockwave therapy (ESWT) and one with pulsed electromagnetic fields (EMF) and low-intensity ultrasound (US); all patients were recommended rest. In all cases good results were obtained. The best approach to metatarsal stress fractures is to diagnose them early through clinical examination and then through X-ray and MRI. ESWT gave good results, with a relatively short time of rest from the patients’ activities and a return to dancing without pain. PMID:19415273

Reflections on a Degree Initiative: The UK's Birmingham Royal Ballet Dancers Enter the University of Birmingham

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Benn, Tansin

2003-01-01

This paper provides an opportunity to share experiences and perceptions of the first 5 years of a degree programme for professional dancers. A partnership developed in the mid-1990s between the UK's Birmingham Royal Ballet and the University of Birmingham, Westhill (now School of Education), to provide a part-time, post-experience, flexible study…

The effects of nutrition, puberty and dancing on bone density in adolescent ballet dancers.

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Burckhardt, Peter; Wynn, Emma; Krieg, Marc-Antoine; Bagutti, Carlo; Faouzi, Mohamed

2011-06-01

Ballet dancers have on average a low bone mineral content (BMC), with elevated fracture-risk, low body mass index (BMI) for age (body mass index, kg/m2), low energy intake, and delayed puberty. This study aims at a better understanding of the interactions of these factors, especially with regard to nutrition. During a competition for pre-professional dancers we examined 127 female participants (60 Asians, 67 Caucasians). They averaged 16.7 years of age, started dancing at 5.8 years, and danced 22 hours/week. Assessments were made for BMI, BMC (DXA), and bone mineral apparent density (BMAD) at the lumbar spine and femoral neck, pubertal stage (Tanner score), and nutritional status (EAT-40 questionnaire and a qualitative three-day dietary record). BMI for age was found to be normal in only 42.5% of the dancers, while 15.7% had a more or less severe degree of thinness (12.6% Grade2 and 3.1% Grade 3 thinness). Menarche was late (13.9 years, range 11 to 16.8 years). Food intake, evaluated by number of consumed food portions, was below the recommendations for a normally active population in all food groups except animal proteins, where the intake was more than twice the recommended amount. In this population, with low BMI and intense exercise, BMC was low and associated with nutritional factors; dairy products had a positive and non-dairy proteins a negative influence. A positive correlation between BMAD and years since menarche confirmed the importance of exposure to estrogens and the negative impact of delayed puberty. Because of this and the probable negative influence of a high intake of non-dairy proteins, such as meat, fish, and eggs, and the positive association with a high dairy intake, ballet schools should promote balanced diets and normal weight and should recognize and help dancers avoid eating disorders and delayed puberty caused by extensive dancing and inadequate nutrition.

A review of the risk factors for lower extremity overuse injuries in young elite female ballet dancers.

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Bowerman, Erin Anne; Whatman, Chris; Harris, Nigel; Bradshaw, Elizabeth

2015-06-01

The objective of this study was to review the evidence for selected risk factors of lower extremity overuse injuries in young elite female ballet dancers. An electronic search of key databases from 1969 to July 2013 was conducted using the keywords dancers, ballet dancers, athletes, adolescent, adolescence, young, injury, injuries, risk, overuse, lower limb, lower extremity, lower extremities, growth, maturation, menarche, alignment, and biomechanics. Thirteen published studies were retained for review. Results indicated that there is a high incidence of lower extremity overuse injuries in the target population. Primary risk factors identified included maturation, growth, and poor lower extremity alignment. Strong evidence from well-designed studies indicates that young elite female ballet dancers suffer from delayed onset of growth, maturation, menarche, and menstrual irregularities. However, there is little evidence that this deficit increases the risk of overuse injury, with the exception of stress fractures. Similarly, there is minimal evidence linking poor lower extremity alignment to increased risk of overuse injury. It is concluded that further prospective, longitudinal studies are required to clarify the relationship between growth, maturation, menarche, and lower extremity alignment, and the risk of lower extremity overuse injury in young elite female ballet dancers.

Postural adjustments in young ballet dancers compared to age matched controls.

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Iunes, Denise H; Elias, Iara F; Carvalho, Leonardo C; Dionísio, Valdeci C

2016-01-01

The purpose of the study was to use photogrammetry to evaluate the posture of ballet practitioners compared to an age-matched control group. One hundred and eleven 7- to 24-year-old female volunteers were evaluated and were divided into two groups: the ballet practising group (n = 52) and the control group (n = 59), divided into three subgroups according to age and years of ballet experience. Dancers with 1-3 years experience compared to controls of the same age shows alterations in External Rotation Angle (P ballet experience, the Navicular Angle Left is smaller. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A profile of the demographics and training characteristics of professional modern dancers.

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Weiss, David S; Shah, Selina; Burchette, Raoul J

2008-01-01

Modern dancers are a unique group of artists, performing a diverse repertoire in dance companies of various sizes. In this study, 184 professional modern dancers in the United States (males N=49, females N=135), including members of large and small companies as well as freelance dancers, were surveyed regarding their demographics and training characteristics. The mean age of the dancers was 30.1 +/- 7.3 years, and they had danced professionally for 8.9 +/- 7.2 years. The average Body Mass Index (BMI) was 23.6 +/- 2.4 for males and 20.5 +/- 1.7 for females. Females had started taking dance class earlier (age 6.5 +/- 4.2 years) as compared to males (age 15.6 +/- 6.2 years). Females were more likely to have begun their training in ballet, while males more often began with modern classes (55% and 51% respectively, p professional modern dancers surveyed spent 8.3 +/- 6.0 hours in class and 17.2 +/- 12.6 hours in rehearsal each week. Eighty percent took modern technique class and 67% reported that they took ballet technique class. The dancers who specified what modern technique they studied (N=84) reported between two and four different techniques. The dancers also participated in a multitude of additional exercise regimens for a total of 8.2 +/- 6.6 hours per week, with the most common types being Pilates, yoga, and upper body weightlifting. The dancers wore many different types of footwear, depending on the style of dance being performed. For modern dance alone, dancers wore 12 different types of footwear. Reflecting the diversity of the dancers and companies surveyed, females reported performing for 23.3 +/- 14.0 weeks (range: 2-52 weeks) per year; males reported performing 20.4 +/- 13.9 weeks (range: 1-40) per year. Only 18% of the dancers did not have any health insurance, with 54% having some type of insurance provided by their employer. However, 23% of the dancers purchased their own insurance, and 22% had insurance provided by their families. Only 16% of dancers

Incidence and Prevalence of Musculoskeletal Injury in Ballet: A Systematic Review.

Science.gov (United States)

Smith, Preston J; Gerrie, Brayden J; Varner, Kevin E; McCulloch, Patrick C; Lintner, David M; Harris, Joshua D

2015-07-01

Most published studies on injuries in the ballet dancer focus on the lower extremity. The rigors of this activity require special training and care. By understanding prevalence and injury pattern to the musculoskeletal system, targeted prevention and treatment for this population can be developed. To determine the incidence and prevalence of musculoskeletal injuries in ballet. Systematic review; Level of evidence, 4. A systematic review registered with PROSPERO was performed using PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines. Level 1 through 4 evidence studies reporting incidence of musculoskeletal injuries in male and female ballet dancers were included, with the numbers and types of injuries extracted from each. Injury rates were recorded and calculated based on professional status, sex, and nature of injury. Incidence was defined as number of injuries sustained over a specific time. Prevalence was defined as proportion of subjects with an injury at a given point in time. The studies analyzed reported injury incidence or prevalence in more than 1365 amateur and 900 professional dancers. The mean age was 16.2 years among amateur and 27.0 years among professional dancers. The incidence of injury among amateur dancers was 0.99 and 1.09 injuries per 1000 dance hours in males and females, respectively; 75% of injuries were overuse, with similar rates among males and females. In professional dancers, the incidence of injury was 1.06 and 1.46 injuries per 1000 dance hours in males and females, respectively, and 64% of female injuries were overuse, compared with 50% in males (P ballet dancers is 0.97 and 1.24 injuries per 1000 dance hours, respectively. The majority are overuse in both amateur and professional dancers, with amateur ballet dancers showing a higher proportion of overuse injuries than professionals (P < .001). Male professional dancers show a higher proportion of traumatic injuries, accounting for half of their

Acute Effects of Static vs. Ballistic Stretching on Strength and Muscular Fatigue Between Ballet Dancers and Resistance-Trained Women.

Science.gov (United States)

Lima, Camila D; Brown, Lee E; Wong, Megan A; Leyva, Whitney D; Pinto, Ronei S; Cadore, Eduardo L; Ruas, Cassio V

2016-11-01

Lima, CD, Brown, LE, Wong, MA, Leyva, WD, Pinto, RS, Cadore, EL, and Ruas, CV. Acute effects of static vs. ballistic stretching on strength and muscular fatigue between ballet dancers and resistance-trained women. J Strength Cond Res 30(11): 3220-3227, 2016-Stretching is used to increase joint range of motion, but the acute effects can decrease muscle strength. However, this may depend on the population or mode of stretching. The purpose of this study was to compare the acute effects of static vs. ballistic stretching on strength and muscular fatigue between ballet dancers and resistance-trained women. Fifteen resistance-trained women (age 23.8 ± 1.80 years, mass 67.47 ± 7.77 kg, height 168.30 ± 5.53 cm) and 12 ballet dancers (age 22.8 ± 3.04 years, mass 58.67 ± 5.65 kg, height 168.00 ± 7.69 cm) performed 5 days of testing. The first day was control (no stretching), whereas the other 4 days were static or ballistic stretching in a counterbalanced order. Range of motion, strength, and fatigue tests were also performed. Both groups demonstrated a significant decrease in hamstrings strength after static (102.71 ± 2.67 N·m) and ballistic stretching (99.49 ± 2.61 N·m) compared with control (113.059 ± 3.25 N·m), with no changes in quadriceps strength. For fatigue, only ballet dancers demonstrated a decrease from control (71.79 ± 4.88%) to ballistic (65.65 ± 8.19%), but no difference with static (65.01 ± 12.29%). These findings suggest that stretching decreases hamstrings strength similarly in ballet dancers and resistance-trained women, with no differences between modes of stretching. However, ballistic stretching only decreased muscular fatigue in ballet dancers, but not in resistance-trained women. Therefore, no stretching should be performed before strength performance. However, ballistic stretching may decrease acute muscular fatigue in ballet dancers.

Joint Coordination and Muscle Activities of Ballet Dancers During Tiptoe Standing.

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Tanabe, Hiroko; Fujii, Keisuke; Kouzaki, Motoki

2017-01-01

We aimed to investigate joint coordination of lower limbs in dancers during tiptoe standing and the relationship between joint coordination and muscle coactivation. Seven female ballet dancers performed tiptoe standing with six leg positions (fi e classical dance positions and one modern dance position) for 10 s. The kinematic data of the metatarsophalangeal (MP), ankle, knee, and hip joints was collected, and surface electromyography (EMG) of over 13 lower limb muscles was conducted. Principal component analysis was performed to determine joint coordination. MP-ankle and ankle-knee had in-phase coordination, whereas knee-hip showed anti-phase coordination in the sagittal plane. In addition, most EMG-EMG coherence around the MP and ankle joints was significant up to 50 Hz when these two joints swayed with in-phase. This suggests that different joint coordination patterns are associated with neural processing related to different muscle coactivation patterns. In conclusion, ballet dancers showed in-phase coordination from the MP to knee joints, which was associated with muscle coactivation to a higher frequency domain (up to 50 Hz) in comparison with anti-phase coordination.

Three-Dimensional Analysis of a Ballet Dancer with Ischial Tuberosity Apophysitis. A Case Study

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Hanna Pohjola

2014-12-01

Full Text Available The purpose of this case study was to describe the three-dimensional biomechanics of common ballet exercises in a ballet dancer with ischial tuberosity apophysitis. This was achieved by comparing kinematics between the symptomatic (i.e. ischial apophyseal symptoms and contralateral lower limbs, as well as via reported pain. Results suggest consistent differences in movement patterns in this dancer. These differences included: 1 decreased external rotation of contralateral hip, hence a decreased hip contribution to ‘turn out’; 2 increased contralateral knee adduction and internal rotation; 3 an apparent synchronicity in the contralateral lower limb of the decreased hip external rotation and increased knee adduction; and 4 minimal use of ankle plantar/dorsiflexion movement for symptomatic side. Pain related to the left ischial apophysitis was associated with reduced amplitudes especially in fast ballet movements that required large range of motion in flexion and adduction in the left hip joint. These findings suggest that ischial apophysitis may limit dancer’s ballet technique and performance.

The influence of winter vitamin D supplementation on muscle function and injury occurrence in elite ballet dancers: a controlled study.

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Wyon, Matthew A; Koutedakis, Yiannis; Wolman, Roger; Nevill, Alan M; Allen, Nick

2014-01-01

Athletes who train indoors during the winter months exhibit low serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] concentrations due to a lack of sunlight exposure. This has been linked to impaired exercise performance. The purpose of this study was to assess the effects of oral vitamin D₃ supplementation on selected physical fitness and injury parameters in elite ballet dancers. Controlled prospective study. 24 elite classical ballet dancers (intervention n=17; control n=7) participated in a controlled 4-month oral supplementation of vitamin D₃ (2000 IU per day). Isometric muscular strength and vertical jump height were measured pre and post intervention. Injury occurrence during the intervention period was also recorded by the in-house medical team. Repeated measures ANOVA and Mann-Whitney-U statistical tests were used and significance was set at p ≤ 0.05. Significant increases were noted for the intervention group for isometric strength (18.7%, pballet dancers. Copyright © 2013 Sports Medicine Australia. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Assessment of female ballet dancers' ankles in the en pointe position using high field strength magnetic resonance imaging.

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Russell, Jeffrey A; Yoshioka, Hiroshi

2016-08-01

The en pointe position of the ankle in ballet is extreme. Previously, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of ballet dancers' ankles en pointe was confined to a low field, open MR device. To develop a reproducible ankle MRI protocol for ballet dancers en pointe and to assess the positions of the key structures in the dancers ankles. Six female ballet dancers participated; each was randomly assigned to stand en pointe while one of her feet and ankles was splinted with wooden rods affixed with straps or to begin with the ankle in neutral position. She lay in an MR scanner with the ankle inside a knee coil for en pointe imaging and inside an ankle/foot coil for neutral position imaging. Proton density weighted images with and without fat suppression and 3D water excitation gradient recalled echo images were obtained en pointe and in neutral position in sagittal, axial, and coronal planes. We compared the bones, cartilage, and soft tissues within and between positions. No difficulties using the protocol were encountered. En pointe the posterior articular surface of the tibial plafond was incongruent with the talar dome and rested on the posterior talus. The posterior edge of the plafond impinged Kager's fat pad. All participants exhibited one or more small ganglion cysts about the ankle and proximal foot, as well as fluid accumulation in the flexor and fibularis tendon sheaths. Our MRI protocol allows assessment of female ballet dancers' ankles in the extreme plantar flexion position in which the dancers perform. We consistently noted incongruence of the talocrural joint and convergence of the tibia, talus, and calcaneus posteriorly. This protocol may be useful for clinicians who evaluate dancers. © The Foundation Acta Radiologica 2015.

Hypermobility and injuries in a professional ballet company.

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Klemp, P.; Learmonth, I. D.

1984-01-01

A study was conducted on members of the Cape Performing Arts Board (CAPAB) professional ballet company to determine the prevalence of hypermobility and to document the injuries sustained over a ten year period. If forward flexion, which is acquired through training, is excluded as a parameter the difference in hypermobility between dancers and controls is not statistically significant. Considering the stresses imposed on the musculoskeletal system, the number of injuries was surprisingly low. Ligamentous injuries about the ankle and knee were both common and accounted for the major morbidity. There were minor differences in the nature and severity of injuries in the male and female dancers. Back injuries, fractures and osteoarthrosis were uncommon and shin splints was not recorded in any of the dancers. Images p143-a p143-b Figure 1 Figure 2 Figure 3 PMID:6435713

Professional ballet dancers' experience of injury and osteopathic treatment in the UK: A qualitative study.

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Pollard-Smith, Tobias; Thomson, Oliver P

2017-01-01

Professional dancers suffer significant musculoskeletal injuries during the course of their careers. Treatment-seeking behaviour is important in all patient populations, yet is rarely investigated amongst professional dancers. This qualitative study aimed to form a better understanding of how dancers decide to seek treatment, and in particular to explore their experiences of receiving osteopathic care for their injuries. A qualitative study design using grounded theory was used as a methodological framework for data collection and analysis. Semi-structured interviews were used to explore professional dancers' experience of injury and decision-making to seek professional healthcare. Five themes were constructed that explain and describe dancers' experience of injuries and their views and perspectives of treatment, these were; the growing dancer, the fear factor, learning to cope, effective treatment, and returning autonomy. The personal development of each dancer consisted of an amalgam of internal and external pressures. These pressures combine with experiences of pain and injury to influence a dancer's decision-making behaviour when injured and deciding to seek treatment. The study also provide factors relevant in the effective treatment of dancers, and outlined participants' preference for a global physical approach to assessment and treatment of their musculoskeletal pain. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Comparison of Body Composition and Energy Intake of Young Female Ballet Dancers and Ordinary School Girls

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Kalniņa Līga; Selga Guntars; Sauka Melita; Randoha Aija; Krasovska Eva; Lāriņš Viesturs

2017-01-01

The aim of this study is to assess body fat level, energy and nutrient intake of adolescent ballet dancers and to compare these results with those of adolescents from ordinary school. Participants included 39 ballet dancers and 70 adolescents from ordinary school. Body composition was measured using a multi-frequency 8-polar bioelectrical impedance leg-to-hand analyser (X-Scan Plus II, Korea). Dietary intakes were assessed using a three-day estimated food record. Nutritional intake was calcul...

Effects of leg dominance on performance of ballet turns (pirouettes) by experienced and novice dancers.

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Lin, Chia-Wei; Su, Fong-Chin; Wu, Hong-Wen; Lin, Cheng-Feng

2013-01-01

Turns (pirouettes) are an important movement in ballet and may be affected by "lateral bias". This study investigated physiological differences exhibited by experienced and novice dancers, respectively, when performing pirouette with dominant and non-dominant leg supports, respectively. Thirteen novice and 13 experienced dancers performed turns on dominant or non-dominant legs. The maximum ankle plantarflexion, knee extension and hip extension were measured during the single-leg support phase. The inclination angle of rotation axis is the angle between instantaneous rotation axis and global vertical axis in the early single-leg support phase. Both groups exhibited a greater hip extension, knee extension, and ankle plantarflexion when performing a turn on the non-dominant leg. For experienced dancers, the inclination angle of rotation axis during the pre-swing phase was generally smaller for dominant leg support than non-dominant leg. However, no significant difference was found in inclination angle of rotation axis of novice dancers. For experienced dancers, an improved performance is obtained when using the dominant leg for support. By contrast, for novice dancers, the performance is independent of choice of support leg. The significant lateral bias in experienced dancers indicates the possible influence of training. That is, repetitive rehearsal on the preferred leg strengthens the impact of side dominance in experienced dancers.

Effect of Mulligan's and Kinesio knee taping on adolescent ballet dancers knee and hip biomechanics during landing.

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Hendry, D; Campbell, A; Ng, L; Grisbrook, T L; Hopper, D M

2015-12-01

Taping is often used to manage the high rate of knee injuries in ballet dancers; however, little is known about the effect of taping on lower-limb biomechanics during ballet landings in the turnout position. This study investigated the effects of Kinesiotape (KT), Mulligan's tape (MT) and no tape (NT) on knee and hip kinetics during landing in three turnout positions. The effect of taping on the esthetic execution of ballet jumps was also assessed. Eighteen pain-free 12-15-year-old female ballet dancers performed ballet jumps in three turnout positions, under the three knee taping conditions. A Vicon Motion Analysis system (Vicon Oxford, Oxford, UK) and Advanced Mechanical Technology, Inc. (Watertown, Massa chusetts, USA) force plate collected lower-limb mechanics. The results demonstrated that MT significantly reduced peak posterior knee shear forces (P = 0.025) and peak posterior (P = 0.005), medial (P = 0.022) and lateral (P = 0.014) hip shear forces compared with NT when landing in first position. KT had no effect on knee or hip forces. No significant differences existed between taping conditions in all landing positions for the esthetic measures. MT was able to reduce knee and the hip forces without affecting the esthetic performance of ballet jumps, which may have implications for preventing and managing knee injuries in ballet dancers. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Physiological characteristics of classical ballet.

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Schantz, P G; Astrand, P O

1984-10-01

The aerobic and anaerobic energy yield during professional training sessions ("classes") of classical ballet as well as during rehearsed and performed ballets has been studied by means of oxygen uptake, heart rate, and blood lactate concentration determinations on professional ballet dancers from the Royal Swedish Ballet in Stockholm. The measured oxygen uptake during six different normal classes at the theatre averaged about 35-45% of the maximal oxygen uptake, and the blood lactate concentration averaged 3 mM (N = 6). During 10 different solo parts of choreographed dance (median length = 1.8 min) representative for moderately to very strenuous dance, an average oxygen uptake (measured during the last minute) of 80% of maximum and blood lactate concentration of 10 mM was measured (N = 10). In addition, heart rate registrations from soloists in different ballets during performance and final rehearsals frequently indicated a high oxygen uptake relative to maximum and an average blood lactate concentration of 11 mM (N = 5). Maximal oxygen uptake, determined in 1971 (N = 11) and 1983 (N = 13) in two different groups of dancers, amounted to on the average 51 and 56 ml X min-1 X kg-1 for the females and males, respectively. In conclusion, classical ballet is a predominantly intermittent type of exercise. In choreographed dance each exercise period usually lasts only a few minutes, but can be very demanding energetically, while during the dancers' basic training sessions, the energy yield is low.

The prevalence and clinical significance of sonographic tendon abnormalities in asymptomatic ballet dancers: a 24-month longitudinal study.

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Comin, Jules; Cook, Jill L; Malliaras, Peter; McCormack, Moira; Calleja, Michelle; Clarke, Andrew; Connell, David

2013-01-01

Sonographic abnormalities of the achilles and patellar tendons are common findings in athletes, and tendinopathy is a common cause of pain and disability in athletes. However, it is unclear whether the sonographic changes are pathological or adaptive, or if they predict future injury. We undertook a cohort study to determine what sonographic features of the achilles and patellar tendons are consistent with changes as a result of ballet training, and which may be predictive of future development of disabling tendon symptoms. The achilles and patellar tendons of 79 (35 male, 44 female) professional ballet dancers (members of the English Royal Ballet) were examined with ultrasound, measuring proximal and distal tendon diameters and assessing for the presence of hypoechoic change, intratendon defects, calcification and neovascularity. All subjects were followed for 24 months for the development of patellar tendon or achilles-related pain or injury severe enough to require time off from dancing. Sonographic abnormalities were common among dancers, both male and female, and in both achilles and patellar tendons. Disabling tendon-related symptoms developed in 10 dancers and 14 tendons: 7 achilles (3 right, 4 left) and 7 patellar (2 right, 5 left). The presence of moderate or severe hypoechoic defects was weakly predictive for the development of future disabling tendon symptoms (p=0.0381); there was no correlation between any of the other sonographic abnormalities and the development of symptoms. There was no relationship between achilles or patellar tendons' diameter, either proximal or distal, with an increased likelihood of developing tendon-related disability. The presence of sonographic abnormalities is common in ballet dancers, but only the presence of focal hypoechoic changes predicts the development of future tendon-related disability. This suggests that screening of asymptomatic individuals may be of use in identifying those who are at higher risk of developing

Association Between Previous Injury and Risk Factors for Future Injury in Preprofessional Ballet and Contemporary Dancers.

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Kenny, Sarah J; Palacios-Derflingher, Luz; Shi, Qian; Whittaker, Jackie L; Emery, Carolyn A

2017-10-20

To determine the prevalence of self-reported 1-year injury history and examine its association with preparticipation evaluation components aimed at predicting future injury risk (PPE-IP) among preprofessional ballet and contemporary dancers. Cross-sectional study. Preprofessional ballet school, university contemporary dance program. Full-time preprofessional ballet and contemporary dancers. Preparticipation evaluation consisted of the Athletic Coping Skills Inventory-28, body mass index, total bone mineral density, ankle range of motion, active standing turnout, lumbopelvic control, unipedal dynamic balance, and Y-Balance test. Self-reported 1-year history of dance-related medical attention and/or time-loss injury. A total of 155 ballet [n = 90, 80 females, median age 15 years (range 11-19)] and contemporary [n = 65, 63 females, median age 20 years (range 17-30)] dancers participated. Forty-six percent (95% confidence interval (CI), 38.4-54.6) reported a 1-year injury history. Self-reported injury history was not associated with any PPE-IP, however, an influence of age and psychological coping skills on the relationship between 1-year injury history and PPE-IP was identified. Multivariable analyses revealed that prevalence of 1-year injury history did not differ by age [referent group 18 years: OR 0.69 (95% CI, 0.30-1.56)], or level of psychological coping skills [OR 1.35 (95% CI, 0.61-2.94)]. The prevalence of self-reported 1-year injury history among preprofessional ballet and contemporary dancers is high. Although measures of PPE-IP did not differ based on injury history, it is important that age and psychological coping skills are considered in future dance injury prevention and prediction research. Level 3 evidence.

Vitamin D status and musculoskeletal health in adolescent male ballet dancers a pilot study.

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Ducher, Gaele; Kukuljan, S; Hill, B; Garnham, A P; Nowson, C A; Kimlin, M G; Cook, J

2011-09-01

Adequate vitamin D levels during growth are critical to ensuring optimal bone development. Vitamin D synthesis requires sun exposure; thus, athletes engaged in indoor activities such as ballet dancing may be at relatively high risk of vitamin D insufficiency. The objective of this study was to investigate the prevalence of low vitamin D levels in young male ballet dancers and its impact on musculoskeletal health. Eighteen male ballet dancers, aged 10 to 19 years and training for at least 6 hours per week, were recruited from the Australian Ballet School, Melbourne, Australia. Serum 25(OH)D and intact PTH were measured in winter (July) from a non-fasting blood sample. Pubertal stage was determined using self-assessed Tanner criteria. Body composition and areal bone mineral density (aBMD) at the whole body and lumbar spine were measured using dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA). Injury history and physical activity levels were assessed by questionnaire. Blood samples were obtained from 16 participants. Serum 25(OH)D levels ranged from 20.8 to 94.3 nmol/L, with a group mean of 50.5 nmol/L. Two participants (12.5%) showed vitamin D deficiency [serum 25(OH)D level 50 nmol/L). No relationship was found between vitamin D status, PTH levels, body composition, and aBMD. The most commonly reported injuries were muscle tears and back pain. The average number of injuries reported by each dancer was 1.9 ± 0.4 (range: 0 to 5). There was no difference in the frequency of reported injuries between subjects with vitamin D deficiency or insufficiency (2.1 ± 0.6 injuries) and those with normal vitamin D levels (1.4 ± 0.6 injuries). This pilot study showed that more than half of highly-trained young male ballet dancers presented with low levels of vitamin D in winter. Further investigations in larger samples of adolescent athletes are needed to determine if this could negatively impact bone growth and place them at higher risk for musculoskeletal injuries.

Comparative study of anthropometric variables in female classical ballet dancers, volleyball players and physically active subjects

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Marco Aurélio Vaz

2009-01-01

Full Text Available The objective of this study was to compare anthropometric variables (body weight, height, and percent body fat and plantarflexion and dorsiflexion range of motion (ROM between three different groups of women: classical ballet dancers (n=14, volleyball players (n=22 and physically active subjects (n=13. The assumption was that different functional requirements should produce differences in the anthropometric variables and ROM between the three groups. Body weight and height were higher in volleyball players (66.42 ± 5.8 kg; 174.77 ± 5.6 cm, followed by physically active women (59.93 ±10.3 kg; 164 ± 7.5 cm and ballet dancers (49.25 ± 4.5 kg; 157.03 ± 3.6 cm (p<0.05. Percent body fat was higher in physically active women (30.67 ± 4.6% compared to theother two groups, which showed similar percentages (volleyball players: 24.93 ± 4.1%; ballet dancers: 21.94 ± 4.3%. The three groups were similar in terms of total ankle ROM and active dorsiflexion ROM between the right and left sides. However, plantarflexion ROM was higher in ballet dancers (~83°, followed by physically active women (~68° and volleyball players who presented the smallest ROM (~60°. The different requirements imposed by the three distinct physical activities seem to be responsible for changes in some of the anthropometric variables and ankle joint ROM.

Assessing Readiness for En Pointe in Young Ballet Dancers.

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Lai, Jeffrey C; Kruse, David W

2016-01-01

Children begin ballet lessons as young as age 2 years. The graceful movements of classical ballet require a combination of artistry, flexibility, and strength to perform. During the training and development of a young ballerina, the transition to dancing en pointe ("on the toes") represents a significant milestone and traditionally begins around age 11 or 12 years, assuming the proper training background and dance aspirations. However, current dance medicine literature describes factors such as maturity, proper technique, strength, and postural control as the more significant factors in determining pointe readiness. An in-office evaluation of these factors can be performed by the clinician to assist dancers, their family, and their dance instructor(s) determine pointe readiness. Copyright 2016, SLACK Incorporated.

Problems with Ballet: Steps, Style and Training

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Morris, Geraldine

2003-01-01

The purpose of this research is to instigate a debate about the way in which professional ballet dancers are trained and the content of that training. The literature on the teaching of ballet has always focused on two areas: ballet vocabulary and training. The former is treated as both a fixed and autonomous form, and, for the latter, methods of…

Imagem corporal e comportamentos de risco para transtornos alimentares em bailarinos profissionais Body image and risk behavior for eating disorders in professional ballet dancers

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Lena Guimarães Ribeiro

2010-04-01

in professional ballet dancers. METHOD: Sixty-one dancers (39 women and 22 men who represent the Brazilian classical ballet elite were assessed. The Portuguese versions of Eating Attitudes Test (EAT-26 and Bulimic Investigatory Test Edinburgh (BITE questionnaires were used to evaluate de risk behavior for ED. Stunkard´s standard silhouettes were used to assess body image perception. Association between variables was evaluated through the prevalence ratio (PR and respective 95% confidence interval (CI. RESULTS: Thirty-one dancers (50.8% would like to have smaller silhouette than the usual. The presence of risk behavior for ED was 2.71 times higher (CI 95%=1.02-7.18 among those who would like to have smaller silhouette than the usual and 2.64 times higher (CI 95% = 1.20 - 5.80 among those who would like to have smaller silhouette than the ones considered healthier. CONCLUSION: The high frequency of body dissatisfaction found can be collaborating for the onset of risk behavior for ED in professional ballet dancers.

Testosterone concentrations in female athletes and ballet dancers with menstrual disorders.

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Łagowska, Karolina; Kapczuk, Karina

2016-01-01

Menstrual disorders are common among female athletes and ballet dancers. Endocrine changes, such as high testosterone (HT) levels and high luteinizing hormone (LH)/follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) ratios, may suggest functional ovarian hyperandrogenism which may induce such dysfunction. The aim of this study was therefore to evaluate endocrine status in female athletes and ballet dancers with menstrual disorders. Their nutritional status and dietary habits were analysed in relation to the testosterone levels. In a cross-sectional approach, 31 female athletes (18.1 ± 2.6 years) and 21 ballerinas (17.1 ± 0.9) with menstrual disorders participated in the study. The levels of serum LH, FSH, progesterone (P), estradiol (E2), prolactin (PRL), thyroid-stimulating hormone, testosterone (T) and sex hormone-binding globulinwere measured to assess hormonal status. In addition, the free androgen index (FAI) was calculated. Nutritional status, total daily energy expenditure and nutritional habits were evaluated. Girls were assigned to one of the following groups: low testosterone (LT) level, normal testosterone level or HT level. There were significant differences between ballerinas and other female athletes in terms of testosterone levels, FAI, age at the beginning of training, length of training period and age at menarche. The PRL level was lowest in the LT group while the FAI index was highest in the HT group. Daily energy and carbohydrate intakes were significantly lower in the HT group. T levels in the study subjects were found to be associated with nutritional factors, energy availability, age at the beginning of training and frequency of training. This is the first report of HT levels being associated with the status of a female ballet dancer, the age of menarche and the length of the training history. Further research is necessary to confirm the results in a larger study group.

Body mass composition of ballet dancers and elite female aesthetic sport athletes from Cuba. DOI: 10.5007/1980-0037.2011v13n5p335

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Julieta Aréchiga Viramontes

2011-08-01

Full Text Available The level of scenic beauty of ballet dancer’s figure is signified for the reason of possessing morpho-functional characteristics valid only within the artistic cannon. The female ballet dancers and the sportswomen who practice esthetic sports do have in common the need of being slim and executing efficiently the complex movements of their technical activities. The objective of this paper is to compare the body composition of ballet female dancers with that of the artistic gymnastics (GAR, the rhythmic gymnastics (GRI and the synchronized swimming (NAS elite sportswomen. Thirty two female ballet dancers of the National Cuban Ballet School and sixty three elite sportswomen who practice aesthetic sports in Cuba have been studied for the purpose. An anthropometric protocol of sixteen measures has been applied to calculate the kinanthropometric indexes of the corporal mass composition’s component. The general percentage of the fat mass (PMG in the ballet dancers was found statistically different to the GAR and GRI groups, but this one was similar in comparison with NAS group. Mayor muscle mass general percentage (PMM was obtained in the GAR and GRI groups, in comparison with the dancers. The ballet group showed the minor differential PMM-PMG, and muscular percentage of the transverse areas of the segments of extremities than the elite athlete groups. The data classified the ballet group as the one of less potential efficiency of technical and transitive movement than the other ones.

The Ballet Dancing Profession: A Career Transition Model

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Roncaglia, Irina

2008-01-01

What type of emotional transition is experienced by professional dancers who face the end of their career? What does this journey imply? This article discusses the transition experiences of two case studies out of a total sample of fourteen (N = 14) international professional ballet dancers who left their careers between the ages of 21 and 49…

Low RMRratio as a Surrogate Marker for Energy Deficiency, the Choice of Predictive Equation Vital for Correctly Identifying Male and Female Ballet Dancers at Risk.

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Staal, Sarah; Sjödin, Anders; Fahrenholtz, Ida; Bonnesen, Karen; Melin, Anna Katarina

2018-06-22

Ballet dancers are reported to have an increased risk for energy deficiency with or without disordered eating behavior. A low ratio between measured ( m ) and predicted ( p ) resting metabolic rate (RMR ratio  energy deficiency. We aimed to evaluate the prevalence of suppressed RMR using different methods to calculate p RMR and to explore associations with additional markers of energy deficiency. Female (n = 20) and male (n = 20) professional ballet dancers, 19-35 years of age, were enrolled. m RMR was assessed by respiratory calorimetry (ventilated open hood). p RMR was determined using the Cunningham and Harris-Benedict equations, and different tissue compartments derived from whole-body dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry assessment. The protocol further included assessment of body composition and bone mineral density, blood pressure, disordered eating (Eating Disorder Inventory-3), and for females, the Low Energy Availability in Females Questionnaire. The prevalence of suppressed RMR was generally high but also clearly dependent on the method used to calculate p RMR, ranging from 25% to 80% in males and 35% to 100% in females. Five percent had low bone mineral density, whereas 10% had disordered eating and 25% had hypotension. Forty percent of females had elevated Low Energy Availability in Females Questionnaire score and 50% were underweight. Suppressed RMR was associated with elevated Low Energy Availability in Females Questionnaire score in females and with higher training volume in males. In conclusion, professional ballet dancers are at risk for energy deficiency. The number of identified dancers at risk varies greatly depending on the method used to predict RMR when using RMR ratio as a marker for energy deficiency.

Does Wearing Textured Insoles during Non-class Time Improve Proprioception in Professional Dancers?

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Steinberg, N; Tirosh, O; Adams, R; Karin, J; Waddington, G

2015-11-01

This study sought to determine whether textured insoles inserted in the sports shoes of young dancers improved their inversion and eversion ankle movement discrimination. 26 ballet dancers (14 female, 12 male) from the Australian Ballet School, ages 14-19 years, were divided into 2 groups according to sex and class levels. During the first 4 weeks, the first intervention group (GRP1) was asked to wear textured insoles in their sports shoes during non-class periods, and the second intervention group (GRP2) followed standard practice. In the next 4 weeks, GRP2 was asked to wear the textured insoles and GRP1 did not wear the textured insoles. Participants were tested pre-intervention, after 4 weeks, and at 8 weeks for both inversion and eversion ankle discrimination. In both inversion and eversion testing positions, interaction was found between the 2 groups and the 3 testing times (p<0.001), with significant differences between the first testing and the second testing (p=0.038 and p=0.019, respectively), and between the third testing and the second testing (p=0.003 and p=0.029, respectively). In conclusion, the stimulation to the proprioceptive system arising from textured insoles worn for 4 weeks was sufficient to improve the ankle proprioception of ballet dancers, in both inversion and eversion movements. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Dietary Intake, Anthropometric Characteristics, and Iron and Vitamin D Status of Female Adolescent Ballet Dancers Living in New Zealand.

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Beck, Kathryn L; Mitchell, Sarah; Foskett, Andrew; Conlon, Cathryn A; von Hurst, Pamela R

2015-08-01

Ballet dancing is a multifaceted activity requiring muscular power, strength, endurance, flexibility, and agility; necessitating demanding training schedules. Furthermore dancers may be under aesthetic pressure to maintain a lean physique, and adolescent dancers require extra nutrients for growth and development. This cross-sectional study investigated the nutritional status of 47 female adolescent ballet dancers (13-18 years) living in Auckland, New Zealand. Participants who danced at least 1 hr per day 5 days per week completed a 4-day estimated food record, anthropometric measurements (Dual-energy X-ray Absorptiometry) and hematological analysis (iron and vitamin D). Mean BMI was 19.7 ± 2.4 kg/m2 and percentage body fat, 23.5 ± 4.1%. The majority (89.4%) of dancers had a healthy weight (5th-85th percentile) using BMI-for-age growth charts. Food records showed a mean energy intake of 8097.3 ± 2155.6 kJ/day (48.9% carbohydrate, 16.9% protein, 33.8% fat, 14.0% saturated fat). Mean carbohydrate and protein intakes were 4.8 ± 1.4 and 1.6 ± 0.5 g/kg/day respectively. Over half (54.8%) of dancers consumed less than 5 g carbohydrate/kg/day, and 10 (23.8%) less than 1.2 g protein/kg/day. Over 60% consumed less than the estimated average requirement for calcium, folate, magnesium and selenium. Thirteen (28.3%) dancers had suboptimal iron status (serum ferritin (SF) ballet dancers are at risk for iron deficiency, and possibly inadequate nutrient intakes.

The relation of eating problems and amenorrhea in ballet dancers.

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Brooks-Gunn, J; Warren, M P; Hamilton, L H

1987-02-01

Exercise-induced amenorrhea has received considerable attention in the medical literature. The combination of exercise and low body weight is thought to exert synergistic effects in the pathogenesis of amenorrhea, while the role of dieting and eating problems, another possible causative mechanism, has not been examined. A sample of 55 adult dancers in national and regional classical ballet companies was studied; their mean age was 24.7 yr. Fifty-six percent of the dancers had delayed menarche (age 14 or later) and 19% of the sample were currently amenorrheic (5 months or longer). One-third of the dancers reported having had an eating problem (self-reported anorexia nervosa or bulimia). Amenorrhea and reported eating problems were significantly related: 50% of amenorrheics reported anorexia nervosa while 13% of the normals did. In addition, prolonged amenorrhea was significantly related to dieting (as measured by EAT-26 scales, a measure of dieting behavior). As expected, leanness and absolute weight also were related to prolonged amenorrhea. Amenorrhea in this sample of adult dancers was not related to current activity level or age at which training began. Thus, eating problems may be one factor in the pathogenesis of prolonged amenorrhea in certain athletic groups.

Are maturation, growth and lower extremity alignment associated with overuse injury in elite adolescent ballet dancers?

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Bowerman, Erin; Whatman, Chris; Harris, Nigel; Bradshaw, Elizabeth; Karin, Janet

2014-11-01

To identify growth, maturation and biomechanical risk factors for overuse injury in elite adolescent ballet dancers. Maturation (Tanner scale), growth (foot length change) and age at onset of menarche were recorded in elite adolescent ballet dancers. A modified knee valgus angle and lateral tilt of the pelvis were measured using 2D video during two dance movements (fondu, temps levé) to quantify lower extremity alignment. Overuse dance injuries were recorded by a physiotherapist. The injury rate ratio (RR) associated with each variable was estimated using over-dispersed Poisson regression modelling. Changes in right foot length (RR = 1.41, CI = 0.93-2.13), right knee angles during the fondu (RR = 0.68, CI = 0.45-1.03) and temps levé (RR = 0.72, CI = 0.53-0.98), and pelvic angles during the temps levé on the left (RR = 0.52, CI = 0.30-0.90) and fondu on the right (RR = 1.28, CI = 0.91-1.80) were associated with substantial changes in injury risk. Rate of growth in elite adolescent ballet dancers is likely associated with an increase in risk of lower extremity overuse injury and better right lower extremity alignment is likely associated with a reduction in risk of right lower extremity overuse injury. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Body mass composition of ballet dancers and elite female aesthetic sport athletes from Cuba. DOI: 10.5007/1980-0037.2011v13n5p335

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Hamlet Betancout León; Oscar Salinas Flores; Julieta Aréchiga Viramontes

2011-01-01

The level of scenic beauty of ballet dancer’s figure is signified for the reason of possessing morpho-functional characteristics valid only within the artistic cannon. The female ballet dancers and the sportswomen who practice esthetic sports do have in common the need of being slim and executing efficiently the complex movements of their technical activities. The objective of this paper is to compare the body composition of ballet female dancers with that of the artistic gymnastics (GAR), th...

Physiological fitness and professional classical ballet performance: a brief review.

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Twitchett, Emily A; Koutedakis, Yiannis; Wyon, Matthew A

2009-12-01

Although classical ballet is an artistic expression through the use of the body, there is a real opportunity to improve and extend the dancer's career by simply applying sports science principles to dance training and performance. Dance training is a long process of physical, intellectual, and psychological preparation, through physical exercise, often beginning in childhood and continuing until retirement. Fitness programs, supplementary to traditional dance classes, have only recently been considered as a part of this process; it may be suggested that this cross-training has generally been avoided thus far because of tradition and a reluctance to follow principles associated with sport. Classical ballet training, rehearsal, and performance do not elicit significant stimulus to result in increased aerobic fitness levels. Therefore, dancers often demonstrate low levels of aerobic fitness even though a strong aerobic foundation is necessary to meet the required workload. Dancers have greater than average range of motion and strength at the hip joint but weaknesses in the upper body, torso, hamstrings, and quadriceps. In the past, dancers have been wary of strength training because they perceive this leads to aesthetically undesirable hypertrophy. Dancers also have low body weights and low percentage body fat. Given that training does not provide the opportunity to expend enough energy to maintain these aesthetic demands, this aesthetic demand may be met by caloric restriction, which may lead to subsequent increased injury risk. It has been hypothesized that a "fit for purpose" body can help improve performance, reduce the risk of injury, and ensure prolonged dance careers. This review aims to explore the extent to which physical fitness components relate to dance performance, in particular classical ballet.

Prevalence and predictors of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis in adolescent ballet dancers.

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Longworth, Brooke; Fary, Robyn; Hopper, Diana

2014-09-01

To determine any differences between the prevalence of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis in ballet dancers who are girls compared with age-matched nondancers, and to establish if any relations exist between the presence of scoliosis and generalized joint hypermobility, age of menarche, body mass index (BMI), and the number of hours of dance training per week. Cross-sectional, matched pair study. Dance school. Dancers (n=30) between the ages of 9 and 16 years were recruited from a certified dance school in Western Australia; each dancer provided a consenting age-matched nondancer (n=30). Not applicable. Measurements were taken for angle of trunk rotation using a scoliometer (presence of scoliosis) and for height and weight to produce generalized joint hypermobility using Beighton criteria and an age-adjusted BMI, respectively. A subjective questionnaire regarding age of menarche and participation in dance and other sports was completed. Thirty percent of dancers tested positive for scoliosis compared with 3% of nondancers. Odds ratio calculations suggest that dancers were 12.4 times more likely to have scoliosis than nondancers of the same age. There was a higher rate of hypermobility in the dancer group (70%) compared with the nondancers (3%); however, there were no statistically significant relations between scoliosis and hypermobility, age of menarche, BMI, or hours of dance per week. Adolescent dancers, similar to adult dancers, are at significantly higher risk of developing scoliosis than nondancers of the same age. Vigilant screening and improved education of dance teachers and parents of dance students may be beneficial in earlier detection and, consequently, reducing the risk of requiring surgical intervention. Copyright © 2014 American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Prevalence of eating disorders symptoms in nonelite ballet dancers and basketball players: An exploratory and controlled study among French adolescent girls.

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Monthuy-Blanc, J; Maïano, C; Therme, P

2010-12-01

Until recently, very few controlled studies have examined the prevalence of eating disorders (ED) symptoms among nonelite adolescent female athletes. Moreover, results are mixed and inconclusive. Therefore, the aim of this exploratory study was to examine the prevalence of ED symptoms (underweight, bulimia, drive for thinness, body dissatisfaction) among French nonelite adolescent female athletes (ballet dancers and basketball players) and nonathletes. The sample of adolescent girls (aged between 12 and 16 years), consisted of 43 basketball players, 52 ballet dancers and 49 nonathlete controls. The eating disorder inventory and a demographic-personal information questionnaire (date of birth, experience of ED, week training time, etc.) were filled out by the participants. Additionally, all participants were measured and weighed. The frequencies of ED symptoms were compared between the groups (athletes versus nonathletes, ballet dancers versus basketball players) using a series of χ² tests. The χ² tests did not show significant differences in frequencies of underweight and body dissatisfaction symptoms between nonelite athletes and nonathletes. However, results highlighted a nonsignificant trend toward higher frequency of: (i) drive for thinness (P=0.05) symptoms in nonelite athletes compared with nonathletes, and (ii) bulimia (P=0.06) symptoms in nonathletes compared with nonelite athletes. Additional analyses performed among the sport groups revealed that the prevalence of drive for thinness symptoms was significantly two-fold higher in ballet dancers than basketball players (34.6% versus 16.3%). Nevertheless, no significant differences were found in the frequencies of underweight, bulimia and body dissatisfaction symptoms among the sport groups. This study showed that the frequency of ED symptoms is equivalent in nonelite athletes and nonathletes. However, these nonsignificant results should be interpreted with caution regarding the weak statistical power of

Lower Extremity Injury Patterns in Elite Ballet Dancers: Ultrasound/MRI Imaging Features and an Institutional Overview of Therapeutic Ultrasound Guided Percutaneous Interventions.

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Rehmani, Razia; Endo, Yoshimi; Bauman, Phillip; Hamilton, William; Potter, Hollis; Adler, Ronald

2015-10-01

Altered biomechanics from repetitive microtrauma, such as long practice hours in en pointe (tip of the toes) or demi pointe (balls of the feet) predispose ballet dancers to a multitude of musculoskeletal pathologies particularly in the lower extremities. Both ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) are radiation-sparing modalities which can be used to confidently evaluate these injuries, with ultrasound (US) offering the added utility of therapeutic intervention at the same time in experienced hands. The purposes of this paper were: (1) to illustrate the US and MRI features of lower extremity injury patterns in ballet dancers, focusing on pathologies commonly encountered at a single orthopedic hospital; (2) to present complementary roles of both ultrasound and MRI in the evaluation of these injuries whenever possible; (3) to review and present our institutional approach towards therapeutic ultrasound-guided interventions by presenting explicit cases. Online searches were performed using the search criteria of "ballet biomechanics" and "ballet injuries." The results were then further narrowed down by limiting articles published in the past 15 years, modality (US and MRI), anatomical region (foot and ankle, hip and knee) and to major radiology, orthopedics, and sports medicine journals. Performing ballet poses major stress to lower extremities and predisposes dancer to several musculoskeletal injuries. These can be adequately evaluated by both US and MRI. US is useful for evaluating superficial structures such as soft tissues, tendons, and ligaments, particularly in the foot and ankle. MRI provides superior resolution of deeper structures such as joints, bone marrow, and cartilage. In addition, US can be used as a therapeutic tool for providing quick symptomatic improvement in these athletes for who "time is money". Performing ballet may cause major stress to the lower extremities, predominantly affecting the foot and ankle, followed by the knee and hip. US

Recontextualizing Dance Skills: Overcoming Impediments to Motor Learning and Expressivity in Ballet Dancers

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Karin, Janet

2016-01-01

The process of transmitting ballet’s complex technique to young dancers can interfere with the innate processes that give rise to efficient, expressive and harmonious movement. With the intention of identifying possible solutions, this article draws on research across the fields of neurology, psychology, motor learning, and education, and considers their relevance to ballet as an art form, a technique, and a training methodology. The integration of dancers’ technique and expressivity is a core theme throughout the paper. A brief outline of the historical development of ballet’s aesthetics and training methods leads into factors that influence dancers’ performance. An exploration of the role of the neuromotor system in motor learning and the acquisition of expert skills reveals the roles of sensory awareness, imagery, and intention in cuing efficient, expressive movement. It also indicates potentially detrimental effects of conscious muscle control, explicit learning and persistent naïve beliefs. Finally, the paper presents a new theory regarding the acquisition of ballet skills. Recontextualization theory proposes that placing a problematic task within a new context may engender a new conceptual approach and/or sensory intention, and hence the genesis of new motor programs; and that these new programs may lead to performance that is more efficient, more rewarding for the dancer, more pleasing aesthetically, and more expressive. From an anecdotal point of view, this theory appears to be supported by the progress of many dancers at various stages of their dancing lives. PMID:27047437

Fatigue and symptoms of eating disorders in professional dancers

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Yasmin Cristina Feitosa Rodrigues

2017-05-01

Full Text Available DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5007/1980-0037.2017v19n1p96   The aim of this study was to make a comparison between fatigue and eating disorders in professional dancers in Brazil. Overall, 108 Classical Ballet or Contemporary Dance dancers (28.6 ± 7.7 years (49 women and 59 men of companies from São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Minas Gerais and Rio Grande do Sul participated in this study. The following validated instruments were used (Eating Attitudes Test; Bulimic Inventory Test Edinburgh; Yoshitake Fatigue Questionnaire, general Information. Results: 16% of dancers have symptoms of anorexia; 25% in the symptomatic bulimia scale and 30% in the bulimia scale. Significant data were identified in the comparison of bulimia nervosa scales with fatigue domains; on the symptomatic scale with drowsiness and lack of attention at work domain (p = 0.015, on the severity scale with fatigue projections to the body domain (p = 0.014, and in both scales in the impaired concentration and attention domain (p = 0.003 and p = 0.047 and in the general fatigue score (p = 0.016. Dancers with higher scores for difficulty in concentration and attention are 1.558 (95% CI 1.113 to 2.179 times more likely to have symptoms of bulimia. This study showed that there is a relationship between fatigue and symptoms of bulimia.

Ballet injuries: injury incidence and severity over 1 year.

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Allen, Nick; Nevill, Alan; Brooks, John; Koutedakis, Yiannis; Wyon, Matthew

2012-09-01

Prospective, descriptive single-cohort study. To assess the incidence and severity of injuries to a professional ballet company over 1 year. Data for an elite-level ballet company of 52 professional dancers were collected by an in-house medical team using a time-loss injury definition. A total of 355 injuries were recorded, with an overall injury incidence of 4.4 injuries per 1000 hours (female, 4.1; male, 4.8; P>.05) and a mean of 6.8 injuries per dancer (female, 6.3; male, 7.3; P>.05). Mean injury severity was 7 days (female, 4; male, 9; P.05); mean severity of injury was 3 days for females and 9 days for males (PSports Phys Ther 2012;42(9):781-790. Epub 19 July 2012. doi:10.2519/jospt.2012.3893.

Assessment of congruence and impingement of the hip joint in professional ballet dancers: a motion capture study.

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Charbonnier, Caecilia; Kolo, Frank C; Duthon, Victoria B; Magnenat-Thalmann, Nadia; Becker, Christoph D; Hoffmeyer, Pierre; Menetrey, Jacques

2011-03-01

Early hip osteoarthritis in dancers could be explained by femoroacetabular impingements. However, there is a lack of validated noninvasive methods and dynamic studies to ascertain impingement during motion. Moreover, it is unknown whether the femoral head and acetabulum are congruent in typical dancing positions. The practice of some dancing movements could cause a loss of hip joint congruence and recurrent impingements, which could lead to early osteoarthritis. Descriptive laboratory study. Eleven pairs of female dancer's hips were motion captured with an optical tracking system while performing 6 different dancing movements. The resulting computed motions were applied to patient-specific hip joint 3-dimensional models based on magnetic resonance images. While visualizing the dancer's hip in motion, the authors detected impingements using computer-assisted techniques. The range of motion and congruence of the hip joint were also quantified in those 6 recorded dancing movements. The frequency of impingement and subluxation varied with the type of movement. Four dancing movements (développé à la seconde, grand écart facial, grand écart latéral, and grand plié) seem to induce significant stress in the hip joint, according to the observed high frequency of impingement and amount of subluxation. The femoroacetabular translations were high (range, 0.93 to 6.35 mm). For almost all movements, the computed zones of impingement were mainly located in the superior or posterosuperior quadrant of the acetabulum, which was relevant with respect to radiologically diagnosed damaged zones in the labrum. All dancers' hips were morphologically normal. Impingements and subluxations are frequently observed in typical ballet movements, causing cartilage hypercompression. These movements should be limited in frequency. The present study indicates that some dancing movements could damage the hip joint, which could lead to early osteoarthritis.

Re-Contextualizing Dance Skills: Overcoming Impediments to Motor Learning and Expressivity in Ballet Dancers

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Janet eKarin

2016-03-01

Full Text Available The process of transmitting ballet’s complex technique to young dancers can interfere with the innate processes that give rise to efficient, expressive and harmonious movement. With the intention of identifying possible solutions, this article draws on research across the fields of neurology, psychology, motor learning, and education, and considers their relevance to ballet as an art form, a technique, and a training methodology. The integration of dancers’ technique and expressivity is a core theme throughout the paper. A brief outline of the historical development of ballet’s aesthetics and training methods leads into factors that influence dancers’ performance. An exploration of the role of the neuromotor system in motor learning and the acquisition of expert skills reveals the roles of sensory awareness, imagery, and intention in cuing efficient, expressive movement. It also indicates potentially detrimental effects of conscious muscle control, explicit learning and persistent naïve beliefs. Finally, the paper presents a new theory regarding the acquisition of ballet skills. Recontextualisation theory proposes that placing a problematic task within a new context may engender a new conceptual approach and/or sensory intention, and hence the genesis of new motor programs; and that these new programs may lead to performance that is more efficient, more rewarding for the dancer, more pleasing aesthetically, and more expressive. From an anecdotal point of view, this theory appears to be supported by the progress of many dancers at various stages of their dancing lives.

Effect of narrowing the base of support on the gait, gaze and quiet eye of elite ballet dancers and controls.

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Panchuk, Derek; Vickers, Joan N

2011-08-01

We determined the gaze and stepping behaviours of elite ballet dancers and controls as they walked normally and along progressively narrower 3-m lines (l0.0, 2.5 cm). The ballet dancers delayed the first step and then stepped more quickly through the approach area and onto the lines, which they exited more slowly than the controls, which stepped immediately but then slowed their gait to navigate the line, which they exited faster. Contrary to predictions, the ballet group did not step more precisely, perhaps due to the unique anatomical requirements of ballet dance and/or due to releasing the degrees of freedom under their feet as they fixated ahead more than the controls. The ballet group used significantly fewer fixations of longer duration, and their final quiet eye (QE) duration prior to stepping on the line was significantly longer (2,353.39 ms) than the controls (1,327.64 ms). The control group favoured a proximal gaze strategy allocating 73.33% of their QE fixations to the line/off the line and 26.66% to the exit/visual straight ahead (VSA), while the ballet group favoured a 'look-ahead' strategy allocating 55.49% of their QE fixations to the exit/VSA and 44.51% on the line/off the line. The results are discussed in the light of the development of expertise and the enhanced role of fixations and visual attention when more tasks become more constrained.

The Influence of Injury Definition on Injury Burden in Preprofessional Ballet and Contemporary Dancers.

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Kenny, Sarah J; Palacios-Derflingher, Luz; Whittaker, Jackie L; Emery, Carolyn A

2018-03-01

Study Design Cohort study. Background Multiple operational definitions of injury exist in dance research. The influence that these different injury definitions have on epidemiological estimations of injury burden among dancers warrants investigation. Objective To describe the influence of injury definition on injury prevalence, incidence, and severity in preprofessional ballet and contemporary dancers. Methods Dancers registered in full-time preprofessional ballet (n = 85; 77 female; median age, 15 years; range, 11-19 years) and contemporary (n = 60; 58 female; median age, 19 years; range, 17-30 years) training completed weekly online questionnaires (modified Oslo Sports Trauma Research Centre questionnaire on health problems) using 3 injury definitions: (1) time loss (unable to complete 1 or more classes/rehearsals/performances for 1 or more days beyond onset), (2) medical attention, and (3) any complaint. Physical therapists completed injury report forms to capture dance-related medical attention and time-loss injuries. Percent agreement between injury registration methods was estimated. Injury prevalence (seasonal proportion of dancers injured), incidence rates (count of new injuries per 1000 dance-exposure hours), and severity (total days lost) were examined across each definition, registration method, and dance style. Results Questionnaire response rate was 99%. Agreement between registration methods ranged between 59% (time loss) and 74% (injury location). Depending on definition, registration, and dance style, injury prevalence ranged between 9.4% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 4.1%, 17.7%; time loss) and 82.4% (95% CI: 72.5%, 89.8%; any complaint), incidence rates between 0.1 (95% CI: 0.03, 0.2; time loss) and 4.9 (95% CI: 4.1, 5.8; any complaint) injuries per 1000 dance-hours, and days lost between 111 and 588 days. Conclusion Time-loss and medical-attention injury definitions underestimate the injury burden in preprofessional dancers. Accordingly, injury

Recontextualizing Dance Skills: Overcoming Impediments to Motor Learning and Expressivity in Ballet Dancers

OpenAIRE

Karin, Janet

2016-01-01

The process of transmitting ballet’s complex technique to young dancers can interfere with the innate processes that give rise to efficient, expressive and harmonious movement. With the intention of identifying possible solutions, this article draws on research across the fields of neurology, psychology, motor learning, and education, and considers their relevance to ballet as an art form, a technique, and a training methodology. The integration of dancers’ technique and expressivity is a cor...

Anthropometry, somatotypes, and aerobic power in ballet, contemporary dance, and dancesport.

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Liiv, Helena; Wyon, Matthew A; Jürimäe, Toivo; Saar, Meeli; Mäestu, Jarek; Jürimäe, Jaak

2013-12-01

This study compared anthropometric variables, somatotypes, and aerobic capacity between three groups of dancers: classical ballet dancers (M 33, F 56), contemporary dancers (M 28, F 109), and dancesport dancers (M 30, F 30). The assumption was that different functional requirements should produce differences in the anthropometric and aerobic capacity variables among the three groups. Anthropometric data for body mass index (BMI) and somatotypes were measured. Body fat percentage was measured by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry. Maximal oxygen consumption and aerobic power were measured during an incremental treadmill test until exhaustion. Dancesport athletes were taller compared with same gender contemporary dancers (pballet dancers had a lower body mass and BMI compared with their contemporary dance and dancesport equivalents (pballet counterparts, while dancesport dancers are taller and heavier, less muscular, with slightly greater adioposity compared to the classical ballet dancers. Ballet dancers had the lowest body fat percentage, weight, and BMI values. Dancesport dancers had greater aerobic capacity than the ballet dancers. Based on this study, we conclude that dancers in these three styles differ in some aspects of anthropometric variables, somatotypes, and aerobic capacity, but we cannot say is it because of the training or selection or both.

Dance training intensity at 11–14 years is associated with femoral torsion in classical ballet dancers

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Hamilton, D; Aronsen, P; Løken, J H; Berg, I M; Skotheim, R; Hopper, D; Clarke, A; Briffa, N K

2006-01-01

Objective To examine in a cross sectional study the influence of femoral torsion (FT) and passive hip external rotation (PER) on turnout (TO). Starting age, years of classical ballet training, and current and past dance training intensity were assessed to determine their influence on FT, PER, and TO in pre‐professional female dancers. Methods Sixty four dancers (mean (SD) age 18.16 (1.80) years) were recruited from four different dance training programmes. They completed a dance history questionnaire. FT was measured using a clinical method. PER was measured with the subjects prone, and TO was measured with the subjects standing. Results Mean TO was 136°, mean unilateral PER was 49.4°, and mean FT was 18.4°. A positive correlation was observed between PER combined (PERC) and TO (r  =  0.443, pballet training and FTC, PERC, or TO. Dancers who trained for six hours a week or more during the 11–14 year age range had less FT than those who trained less (mean difference 6°, 95% confidence interval 1.4 to 10.3). Students currently training for longer had higher levels of TO (p<0.001) but comparable PERC and FTC. Conclusion FT is significantly associated with PERC. Dancers who trained for six hours a week or more at 11–14 years of age had significantly less FT. FTC had a significant influence on PERC, but no influence on the execution of TO. PMID:16556782

Comparison of Quantitative Cartilage T2 Measurements and Qualitative MR Imaging between Professional Ballet Dancers and Healthy Volunteers.

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Cha, Jang Gyu; Yi, Ji Sook; Han, Jong Kyu; Lee, Young Koo

2015-07-01

To compare qualitative magnetic resonance (MR) images and quantitative T2 measurements of the tibiotalar cartilage between ballerinas and healthy volunteers. Institutional review board approval for this study and informed consent (from all participants) were obtained. MR examinations were performed by using a 3-T MR imaging system with 21 professional female ballet dancers and 20 healthy female volunteers. Two musculoskeletal radiologists qualitatively measured tibiotalar cartilage T2 values in the anterior zones, middle zones, and posterior zones of cartilage. MR findings were also qualitatively analyzed in both groups. The tibial cartilage T2 values measured in the anterior and posterior zones and the talar cartilage T2 values measured in all three zones were significantly higher in the ballerina group than in the control group (P The posterior zones exhibited the highest T2 values among the three tibiotalar cartilage zones in both groups (P the presence of posterior soft-tissue edema (P = .001) and flexor hallucis longus tenosynovitis (P The findings showed a trend toward increasing cartilage T2 values in ballerinas when compared with control subjects, indicating that quantitative T2 measurement may potentially be used as a noninvasive imaging tool for early detection of cartilage lesions in the tibiotalar joint.

Ballet as a Career

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Sutherland, David Earl

1976-01-01

A reorganization and reanalysis of data gathered by Ronald Charles Frederico--who interviewed 146 dancers belonging to 12 ballet companies in the U.S.--to investigate the structural features of ballet as a profession. Four possibilities exist for a more general interpretative scheme for understanding ballet: social structural, phenomenological,…

Eating disorders among classic ballet dancers

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Mayara Freitas Monteiro

2014-05-01

Full Text Available Objective: To describe the prevalence of eating disorders symptoms among classical ballet dancers. Methods: This is an analytical, observational, cross-sectional study, conducted in 2009, that investigated eating disorder symptoms using the Eating Attitudes Test (EAT-26 and Bulimic Investigatory Test, Edinburgh (BITE. The body image of the study population was assessed by the Body Shape Questionnaire (BSQ. In addition, the anthropometric assessment was performed – measurement of weight, height and skin folds, calculation of body mass index (BMI and body fat percentage. Results: Of all the 139 emale adolescents assessed, 4.4% (n=6 had nutrition problems and 23% (n=23 presented abnormal values of body fat. The analysis of the EAT concluded that 12.3% (n=17 of the girls presented positive results for anorexia nervosa (AN. The BITE results showed that 13.7% (n=19 ofthe girls had unusual eating habits and 6.5% (n=9 presented subclinical bulimia nervosa (BN. As for severity, 3.6% (n=5 of the girls presented clinically significant results and 1.4% (n=2 were diagnosed with high severity. Concerning the results of the BSQ, 15.7% (n=21 of the girls were slightly concerned about body image; 5.2% (n=7 were moderately worried, and 6.7% (n=9 were severely concerned about it. Conclusion: This study did not diagnose the occurrence of eating disorders but found symptoms of AN (Anorexia Nervosa and BN (Bulimia Nervosa. Its main purpose was to alert about the prevalence of the possible development of eating disorders due to the influences of the environment where the teenagers are inserted – under a model defined by the classic ballet dance and the psychological turmoil of adolescence. doi:10.5020/18061230.2013.p396

Motivating and Evaluating Growth in Ballet Technique

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White, Julie Hammond

2012-01-01

In teaching young dancers ballet, the utilization of effective assessments in partnership with supportive and creative teaching strategies can transform not only the learning experience, but the dancer as well. In this article, the author shares a "growth grade rubric" that specifically addresses three areas in ballet training: (1) skills and…

Radiographic Evidence of Hip Microinstability in Elite Ballet.

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Mitchell, Ronald J; Gerrie, Brayden J; McCulloch, Patrick C; Murphy, Andrew J; Varner, Kevin E; Lintner, David M; Harris, Joshua D

2016-06-01

To determine prevalence, magnitude, and predisposing radiographic features of hip subluxation in elite ballet dancers. A cross-sectional investigation of professional male and female ballet dancers was performed using 5 plain radiographs. A "splits" anteroposterior (AP) radiograph was performed with legs abducted parallel to the trunk in the coronal plane (splits position; grand écart facial). Hip center position (HCP) was measured on standing AP pelvis and AP pelvis splits views and the difference calculated (subluxation distance) to determine prevalence and magnitude of femoral head subluxation. Student t test compared HCP on AP pelvis and splits radiographs. Pearson correlations were used to correlate splits HCP with radiographic measures of femoroacetabular impingement and dysplasia. Analyzing 47 dancers (21 men, 26 women; 23.8 ± 5.4 years), mean HCP on standing AP pelvis was 9.39 ± 3.33 mm versus 10.8 ± 2.92 mm on splits radiograph, with mean subluxation distance of 1.41 mm (P = .035). Forty-two dancers' femoral heads translated laterally with splits positioning, and 17 dancers (36%) exhibited a "vacuum sign" (bilateral in 71% of subjects with at least 1 hip vacuum sign). There was strong positive correlation (r = 0.461, P = .001) with splits HCP and alpha angle (Dunn 45°), and moderate negative correlation (r = -0.332, P = .022) with subluxation distance and neck-shaft angle. In men, splits HCP increased as lateral center edge angle (CEA) decreased (r = -0.437, P = .047), as anterior CEA decreased (r = -0.482, P = .027), as Tönnis angle increased (r = 0.656, P = .001), and as femoral head extrusion index increased (r = 0.511, P = .018). In women, there was moderate negative correlation (r = -0.389, P = .049) with subluxation distance and neck-shaft angle. Hip subluxation occurs during splits in most professional ballet dancers, with a significantly greater magnitude of subluxation in women than men. Subluxation magnitude

Re-Contextualizing Dance Skills: Overcoming Impediments to Motor Learning and Expressivity in Ballet Dancers

OpenAIRE

Janet eKarin; Janet eKarin; Janet eKarin

2016-01-01

The process of transmitting ballet’s complex technique to young dancers can interfere with the innate processes that give rise to efficient, expressive and harmonious movement. With the intention of identifying possible solutions, this article draws on research across the fields of neurology, psychology, motor learning, and education, and considers their relevance to ballet as an art form, a technique, and a training methodology. The integration of dancers’ technique and expressivity is a cor...

Social Physique Anxiety and Pressure to Be Thin in Adolescent Ballet Dancers, Rhythmic Gymnastics and Swimming Athletes

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Kosmidou, Evdoxia; Giannitsopoulou, Evgenia; Moysidou, Dimitra

2017-01-01

Participation in sports may influence negative body image and Social Physique Anxiety (SPA) as there is pressure by significant others to have a certain body image. The aim of the present study was to examine possible differences in SPA and perceived pressure to be thin between female preadolescent and adolescent ballet dancers, rhythmic…

Comparison of lower limb kinetics during vertical jumps in turnout and neutral foot positions by classical ballet dancers.

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Imura, Akiko; Iino, Yoichi

2017-03-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of hip external rotation (turnout) on lower limb kinetics during vertical jumps by classical ballet dancers. Vertical jumps in a turnout (TJ) and a neutral hip position (NJ) performed by 12 classical female ballet dancers were analysed through motion capture, recording of the ground reaction forces, and inverse dynamics analysis. At push-off, the lower trunk leaned forward 18.2° and 20.1° in the TJ and NJ, respectively. The dancers jumped lower in the TJ than in the NJ. The knee extensor and hip abductor torques were smaller, whereas the hip external rotator torque was larger in the TJ than in the NJ. The work done by the hip joint moments in the sagittal plane was 0.28 J/(Body mass*Height) and 0.33 J/(Body mass*Height) in the TJ and NJ, respectively. The joint work done by the lower limbs were not different between the two jumps. These differences resulted from different planes in which the lower limb flexion-extension occurred, i.e. in the sagittal or frontal plane. This would prevent the forward lean of the trunk by decreasing the hip joint work in the sagittal plane and reduce the knee extensor torque in the jump.

Oxygen consumption and heart rate responses to isolated ballet exercise sets.

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Rodrigues-Krause, Josianne; Dos Santos Cunha, Giovani; Alberton, Cristine Lima; Follmer, Bruno; Krause, Mauricio; Reischak-Oliveira, Alvaro

2014-01-01

Ballet stage performances are associated with higher cardiorespiratory demand than rehearsals and classes. Hence, new interest is emerging to create periodized training that enhances dancers' fitness while minimizing delayed exercise-induced fatigue and possible injuries. Finding out in what zones of intensity dancers work during different ballet movements may support the use of supplemental training adjusted to the needs of the individual dancer. Therefore, the main purpose of this study was to describe dancers' oxygen consumption (VO2) and heart rate (HR) responses during the performance of nine isolated ballet exercise sets, as correlated with their first and second ventilatory thresholds (VT1 and VT2). Twelve female ballet dancers volunteered for the study. Their maximum oxygen consumption (VO2max), VT1, and VT2 were determined by use of an incremental treadmill test. Nine sets of ballet movements were assessed: pliés, tendus, jetés, rond de jambes, fondus, grand adage (adage), grand battements, temps levés, and sautés. The sets were randomly executed and separated by 5 minute rest periods. ANOVA for repeated measurements followed by the Bonferroni Post-hoc test were applied (p ballet sets. This stratification followed closely, but not exactly, the variation in HR. For example, rond de jambes (156.8 ± 19 b·min(-1)) did not show any significant difference from all the other ballet sets, nor VT1 or VT2. It is concluded that the workloads of isolated ballet sets, based on VO2 responses, vary between low and moderate aerobic intensity in relation to dancers' VT1 and VT2. However, ballet set workloads may be higher when based on HR responses, due to the intermittent and isometric components of dance.

Association between coping skills, past injury and hip pain and function in adolescent elite female ballet dancers.

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Biernacki, Jessica L; Stracciolini, Andrea; Griffith, Kelsey L; D'Hemecourt, Pierre A; Owen, Michael; Sugimoto, Dai

2018-01-18

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between coping skills and current hip pain and function scores in ballet dancers. Secondly, we examined the relationship between coping skills and past injuries. Thirdly, we investigated the association between past injuries and current pain and function scores. This was a cross-sectional observational study. Twenty-six young elite female dancers (mean age 15.9 years, range 14-17 years) participated. Participants completed surveys indicating past injury history, rating pain and function on the short International Hip Outcome Tool (iHOT-12), and assessing coping skills on the Athletic Coping Skills Inventory Score (ACSI-28). Independent t-tests, Cohen's d, effect size, chi-square and correlation coefficient and determination analyses were conducted. There was no significant relationship between iHOT-12 scores and ACSI-28 scores (r = -0.250, p = 0.087). There was no significant difference (p = 0.289) in past injuries comparing those with ACSI-28 scores above and below the mean ACSI-28. A significant moderate negative correlation was detected between both iHOT-12 scores and total past injuries (r = -0.609, p < 0.001), and iHOT-12 scores and past non-hip injuries (r = -0.628, p < 0.001). Past injuries may influence current hip pain and function in young female dancers. Correlation determination (r 2 ) indicated that 37% of current pain and function scores were explained by total past injuries in a small group of young high-level ballet dancers. Further research should engage a prospective design to investigate the predictive ability of findings.

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.

Radiographic Prevalence of Dysplasia, Cam, and Pincer Deformities in Elite Ballet.

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Harris, Joshua D; Gerrie, Brayden J; Varner, Kevin E; Lintner, David M; McCulloch, Patrick C

2016-01-01

The demands of hip strength and motion in ballet are high. Hip disorders, such as cam and pincer deformities or dysplasia, may affect dance performance. However, the prevalence of these radiographic findings is unknown. To determine the prevalence of radiographic cam and pincer deformities, borderline dysplasia, and dysplasia in a professional ballet company. Cross-sectional study; Level of evidence, 3. An institutional review board-approved cross-sectional investigation of a professional ballet company was undertaken. Male and female adult dancers were eligible for inclusion. Four plain radiographs were obtained (standing anteroposterior pelvis, bilateral false profile, and supine Dunn 45°) and verified for adequacy. Cam and pincer deformities, dysplasia, borderline dysplasia, and osteoarthritis were defined. All plain radiographic parameters were measured and analyzed on available radiographs. Student t test, chi-square test (and Fisher exact test), and Spearman correlation analyses were performed to compare sexes, groups, and the effect of select radiographic criteria. A total of 47 dancers were analyzed (21 males, 26 females; mean age (±SD), 23.8 ± 5.4 years). Cam deformity was identified in 25.5% (24/94) of hips and 31.9% (15/47) of subjects, with a significantly greater prevalence in male dancers than females (48% hips and 57% subjects vs 8% hips and 12% subjects; P ballet company, a high prevalence of radiographic abnormalities was found, including cam and pincer deformity and dysplasia. The results also revealed several sex-related differences of these abnormalities in this unique population. The long-term implications of these findings in this group of elite athletes remain unknown, and this issue warrants future investigation. © 2015 The Author(s).

Psychological intervention programs for reduction of injury in ballet dancers.

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Noh, Young-Eun; Morris, Tony; Andersen, Mark B

2007-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of two psychological interventions designed to reduce injury among dancers by enhancing coping skills. Participants were 35 ballet dancers. They were assigned to three conditions: control (n = 12), autogenic training (n = 12), and a broad-based coping skills condition, including autogenic training, imagery, and self-talk (n = 11). The 12-week interventions were designed on the basis of results from previous studies. For the 12 weeks following the intervention, participants were asked to practice their respective interventions three times a week. During the 24-week period (12 weeks training plus 12 weeks practice), training staff at the dance academies recorded injuries on a record sheet each day. Participants wrote injury records by themselves for another 24 weeks. Multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) and univariate tests for each dependent variable showed that the broad-based coping skills condition enhanced coping skills, in particular, peaking under pressure, coping with adversity, having confidence and achievement motivation, and concentrating. Separate analyses of covariance (ANCOVA), one using preintervention injury frequency as the covariate and one using preintervention injury duration as the covariate, revealed that participants in the broad-based coping skills condition spent less time injured than participants in the control condition.

Injuries in classical ballet

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Adriana Coutinho de Azevedo Guimarães

2008-06-01

Full Text Available This study aimed to elucidate what injuries are most likely to occur due to classical ballet practice. The research used national and international bibliography. The bibliography analysis indicated that technical and esthetical demands lead to a practice of non-anatomical movements, causing the ballet dancer to suffer from a number of associated lesions. Most of the injuries are caused by technical mistakes and wrong training. Troubles in children are usually due to trying to force external rotation at hip level and to undue use of point ballet slippers. The commonest lesions are in feet and ankles, followed by knees and hips. The rarest ones are in the upper limbs. These injuries are caused by exercise excess, by repetitions always in the same side and by wrong and early use of point slippers. The study reached the conclusion that incorrect application of classical ballet technique predisposes the dancers to characteristic injuries.

Toward a Feminist Ballet Pedagogy: Teaching Strategies for Ballet Technique Classes in the Twenty-First Century

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Alterowitz, Gretchen

2014-01-01

Classical ballet technique is commonly taught through the use of authoritarian practices and normalizing aesthetic values, but the construction of the ballet dancer as a docile subject in opposition to an all-knowing instructor might impede ballet's progression. In this article I explore my development of a feminist or democratic ballet…

Hypermobility and joint hypermobility syndrome in Brazilian students and teachers of ballet dance.

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Sanches, S B; Oliveira, G M; Osório, F L; Crippa, J A S; Martín-Santos, R

2015-04-01

The current literature has been discussing the risks and benefits of joint hypermobility (JHM) for careers in ballet This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of JHM and joint hypermobility syndrome (JHS) in a group of ballet teachers and students, looking both at aspects related to the flexibility required to dance, as at the risk of injuries when hypermobility is associated with other symptoms, in the case of JHS. We evaluated ballet teachers and ballet students, with age ranging from 18 to 40 years. All participants completed identification and sociodemographic questionnaires and underwent a physical examination. JHM was assessed using the Beighton score with goniometry. Symptoms of JHS were evaluated according to the Brighton criteria. Final sample consisted of 77 participants, being 44 ballet students and 33 ballet teachers. The prevalence of JHM in the sample as a whole was 58 %. Teachers and students had no significant differences regarding the prevalence of JHM (p = 0.74) (OR 1.21; 95 % CI 0.48-3.07). However, the prevalence of JHS was significantly different (p = 0.04) between students (16 %) and teachers (36 %). Teachers were three times more likely than student to have JHS (OR 3.02; 95 % CI 1.03-8.85). Teachers and students also presented differences in the frequency of specific items of Beighton score and Brighton criteria. These data provide elements to discuss the relationship between hypermobility, ballet technique and selection for dance, suggesting that dancers with JHS could find in ballet teaching an alternative to maintain professional activity with dance, while remaining protected from the higher risk of injury that professional dancers may be exposed to.

The effect of a comprehensive injury audit program on injury incidence in ballet: a 3-year prospective study.

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Allen, Nick; Nevill, Alan M; Brooks, John H M; Koutedakis, Yiannis; Wyon, Matthew A

2013-09-01

The aim of this study was to determine whether an intervention with individualized conditioning program based on injury history and functional movement screening would be effective in reducing ballet injury incidence. Prospective 3-year epidemiological study. Professional ballet company and its in-house medical facility. Dancers from a professional ballet company over the 3-year study period. Participant numbers ranged from 52 to 58 (year 1: 52; year 2: 58; year 3: 53). The intervention consisted of individual conditioning programs developed using injury history and functional movement screening. Analysis was undertaken of the all dancers who were present in the company during the study period. The significance of change in injuries over a 3-year period was determined using a Poisson distribution model. To determine whether individual conditioning programs resulted in a decrease in injury incidence over the study period. The injury count reduced significantly in years 2 and 3 (P ballet. The implementation of well-structured injury surveillance programs can impact on injury incidence through its influence on intervention programs.

Prevalence of eating disorders amongst dancers: a systemic review and meta-analysis.

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Arcelus, Jon; Witcomb, Gemma L; Mitchell, Alex

2014-03-01

Eating disorders in dancers are thought to be common, but the exact rates remain to be clarified. The aim of this study is to systematically compile and analyse the rates of eating disorders in dancers. A literature search, appraisal and meta-analysis were conducted. Thirty-three relevant studies were published between 1966 and 2013 with sufficient data for extraction. Primary data were extracted as raw numbers or confidence intervals. Risk ratios and 95% confidence intervals were calculated for controlled studies. The overall prevalence of eating disorders was 12.0% (16.4% for ballet dancers), 2.0% (4% for ballet dancers) for anorexia, 4.4% (2% for ballet dancers) for bulimia and 9.5% (14.9% for ballet dancers) for eating disorders not otherwise specified (EDNOS). The dancer group had higher mean scores on the EAT-26 and the Eating Disorder Inventory subscales. Dancers, in general, had a higher risk of suffering from eating disorders in general, anorexia nervosa and EDNOS, but no higher risk of suffering from bulimia nervosa. The study concluded that as dancers had a three times higher risk of suffering from eating disorders, particularly anorexia nervosa and EDNOS, specifically designed services for this population should be considered. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and Eating Disorders Association.

MRI features of posterior ankle impingement syndrome in ballet dancers: a review of 25 cases

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Peace, K.A.L. E-mail: kalpeace@hotmail.com; Hillier, J.C.; Hulme, A.; Healy, J.C

2004-11-01

AIM: To describe the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) features of posterior ankle impingement syndrome (PAIS) in classical ballet dancers. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective review was undertaken of 25 MRI examinations of the ankle performed on 23 ballet dancers over a 26-month period. Images were examined for the presence of osseous and soft-tissue anatomical variants at the posterior ankle and imaging signs of PAIS. All patients presented with symptoms and signs suggestive of PAIS including posterior ankle pain, swelling and stiffness during plantar flexion. RESULTS: Anatomical variants predisposing to PAIS including as os trigonum and tuberosity arising from the superior calcaneum were clearly depicted. The most common imaging feature of PAIS in our series was high T2 signal posterior to the talocalcaneal joint indicating synovitis (n=25). Thickening of the posterior capsule (n=13) and tenosynovitis of flexor hallucis longus (n=17) were also common. An os trigonum was an infrequent finding (n=7). Bone marrow oedema, commonly in the posterior talus (n=10) or in a patchy distribution (n=10) was often noted. CONCLUSION: MRI is a useful diagnostic tool in PAIS, and in the present series, clearly demonstrates the anatomical variants and range of osseous and soft-tissue abnormalities associated with this condition. Prospective studies are needed to understand the significance and importance of individual MRI findings in producing the symptoms of PAIS.

MRI features of posterior ankle impingement syndrome in ballet dancers: a review of 25 cases

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Peace, K.A.L.; Hillier, J.C.; Hulme, A.; Healy, J.C.

2004-01-01

AIM: To describe the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) features of posterior ankle impingement syndrome (PAIS) in classical ballet dancers. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective review was undertaken of 25 MRI examinations of the ankle performed on 23 ballet dancers over a 26-month period. Images were examined for the presence of osseous and soft-tissue anatomical variants at the posterior ankle and imaging signs of PAIS. All patients presented with symptoms and signs suggestive of PAIS including posterior ankle pain, swelling and stiffness during plantar flexion. RESULTS: Anatomical variants predisposing to PAIS including as os trigonum and tuberosity arising from the superior calcaneum were clearly depicted. The most common imaging feature of PAIS in our series was high T2 signal posterior to the talocalcaneal joint indicating synovitis (n=25). Thickening of the posterior capsule (n=13) and tenosynovitis of flexor hallucis longus (n=17) were also common. An os trigonum was an infrequent finding (n=7). Bone marrow oedema, commonly in the posterior talus (n=10) or in a patchy distribution (n=10) was often noted. CONCLUSION: MRI is a useful diagnostic tool in PAIS, and in the present series, clearly demonstrates the anatomical variants and range of osseous and soft-tissue abnormalities associated with this condition. Prospective studies are needed to understand the significance and importance of individual MRI findings in producing the symptoms of PAIS

Changes in hip and ankle range of motion and hip muscle strength in 8–11 year old novice female ballet dancers and controls: a 12 month follow up study

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Bennell, K; Khan, K; Matthews, B; Singleton, C

2001-01-01

Objectives—To evaluate in a 12 month longitudinal study changes in hip and ankle range of motion and hip muscle strength in young female novice ballet dancers. Methods—Fifty three of the original 77 (69%) female dancers aged 8–11 years and 40 of the original 49 (82%) controls returned for follow up measurements one year later. Supine right active hip external (ER) and internal (IR) rotation were measured using an inclinometer. A turnout protractor was used to assess standing active turnout range. Range of right weight bearing ankle dorsiflexion and calf muscle length were measured in a standing lunge position using an inclinometer. A manual muscle tester was used to assess right hip flexor, IR, ER, abductor and adductor strength. Results—The mean (SD) 12 month change in hip ER did not differ between dancers (11.7 (11.3)°) and controls (8.1 (17.6)°). Dancers gained 12.5 (13.5)° hip IR which was significantly greater than controls (0.5 (13.9)°). Greater IR change was associated with improved IR strength (r = 0.34, pballet students and controls at this young age. However, ankle dorsiflexion did not, which is probably due to this movement being blocked by bony apposition, rather than soft tissue stretch. This has implications for ballet teachers, as it has long been accepted that this movement could be improved with training. Dancers had greater increases in hip strength after 12 months compared with controls in muscles specific for ballet, suggesting that hip strength can be trained at this young age. Whether these gains are permanent requires further study. Key Words: dance; ballet; range of motion; muscle strength PMID:11157464

Generalizable Aspects of the Development of Expertise in Ballet across Countries and Cultures: A Perspective from the Expert-Performance Approach

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Hutchinson, Carla U.; Sachs-Ericsson, Natalie J.; Ericsson, K. Anders

2013-01-01

The expert-performance approach guided the collection of survey data on the developmental history of elite professional ballet dancers from three different countries/cultures (USA, Mexico, and Russia). The level of ballet expertise attained by age 18 was found to be uniquely predicted by only two factors, namely the total number of accumulated…

A Case in Pointe: Romance and Regimentation at the New York City Ballet.

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Laemmli, Whitney E

2015-01-01

This article analyzes the ballet dancer's pointe shoe as a technology of artistic production and bodily discipline. Drawing on oral histories, memoirs, dance journals, advertisements, and other archival materials, it demonstrates that the shoe utilized by dancers at George Balanchine's New York City Ballet was not the quintessentially Romantic entity it is so often presumed to be. Instead, it emerged from uniquely twentieth-century systems of labor and production, and it was used to alter dancers' bodies and professional lives in particularly modern ways. The article explores not only the substance of these changes but also the ways in which Balanchine's artistic oeuvre was inextricably intertwined with the material technologies he employed and, more broadly, how the history of technology and the history of dance can productively inform one another. Fundamentally, this article recasts Balanchine, seeing him not as a disconnected artist but as an eager participant in the twentieth-century national romance with American technology.

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.

Laban Movement Analysis Approach to Classical Ballet Pedagogy

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Whittier, Cadence

2006-01-01

As a Certified Laban Movement Analyst and a classically trained ballet dancer, I consistently weave the Laban Movement Analysis/Bartenieff Fundamentals (LMA/BF) theories and philosophies into the ballet class. This integration assists in: (1) Identifying the qualitative movement elements both in the art of ballet and in the students' dancing…

Kinematic evaluation of the classical ballet step "plié".

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Gontijo, Kaanda Nabilla Souza; Candotti, Cláudia Tarragô; Feijó, Grace Dos Santos; Ribeiro, Lais Paixão; Loss, Jefferson Fagundes

2015-06-01

Lack of alignment between the lowerlimb structures, such as the hips, knees, and longitudinal arches of the feet, has been described as an important predisposing factor in musculoskeletal injury among classical ballet dancers. However, no studies were found that analyzed basic ballet movements with quantification of objective criteria of the movements. The purposes of this study were: 1. to establish a methodology to quantify, using kinematic evaluation, the technical criteria that guide the correct execution of all phases of the plié (simultaneous flexion of the hips, knees, and ankle joints); and 2. to explore whether experienced ballet dancers respect those criteria when performing the plié. The technical criteria considered were the following: 1. midfoot stability; 2. pelvic positioning in a neutral alignment; 3. pelvic stability, represented by pelvic angle variation; and 4. vertical alignment of the knee joint with the second toe of the ipsilateral foot. Twenty dancers from Porto Alegre, Brazil, with 18 years of uninterrupted ballet training, were filmed while performing plié using four synchronized cameras. The descriptive statistical analysis involved calculating the median, minimum, and maximum of each of the technical criteria. Results showed that for criterion 1, the 20 dancers showed great stabilization of the midfoot; for criteria 2 and 3, 18 dancers displayed pelvic instability tending toward retroversion throughout execution of the plié; and for criterion 4, 13 dancers presented with medial misalignment of the knees at all phases of the plié. Using these criteria, it was possible to characterize the plié from a kinematic point of view.

Ballet as Somatic Practice: A Case Study Exploring the Integration of Somatic Practices in Ballet Pedagogy

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Berg, Tanya

2017-01-01

This case study explores one teacher's integration of Alexander Technique and the work of neuromuscular retrainer Irene Dowd in ballet pedagogy to establish a somatic approach to teaching, learning, and performing ballet technique. This case study highlights the teacher's unique teaching method called IMAGE TECH for dancers (ITD) and offers…

Fatigue-Induced Changes in Movement Pattern and Muscle Activity During Ballet Releve on Demi-Pointe.

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Lin, Cheng-Feng; Lee, Wan-Chin; Chen, Yi-An; Hsue, Bih-Jen

2016-08-01

Fatigue in ballet dancers may lead to injury, particularly in the lower extremities. However, few studies have investigated the effects of fatigue on ballet dancers' performance and movement patterns. Thus, the current study examines the effect of fatigue on the balance, movement pattern, and muscle activities of the lower extremities in ballet dancers. Twenty healthy, female ballet dancers performed releve on demi-pointe before and after fatigue. The trajectory of the whole body movement and the muscle activities of the major lower extremity muscles were recorded continuously during task performance. The results show that fatigue increases the medial-lateral center of mass (COM) displacement and hip and trunk motion, but decreases the COM velocity and ankle motion. Moreover, fatigue reduces the activities of the hamstrings and tibialis anterior, but increases that of the soleus. Finally, greater proximal hip and trunk motions are applied to compensate for the effects of fatigue, leading to a greater COM movement. Overall, the present findings show that fatigue results in impaired movement control and may therefore increase the risk of dance injury.

Dancers' Body Esteem, Fitness Esteem, and Self-Esteem in Three Contexts

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Van Zelst, Laura; Clabaugh, Alison; Morling, Beth

2004-01-01

Sixty-two college-aged, ballet and modern dancers evaluated their bodies and themselves in different dance and non-dance settings. In a self-report survey design, dancers' body esteem, fitness esteem, and self-esteem (an overall self-evaluation) were measured in three different contexts. Dancers rated their body esteem, fitness esteem, and…

Raising the Bar: How a Teacher Built a Ballet-Centered Public School that Aces Standardized Tests

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Dalton, Aaron

2005-01-01

In this article, the author features Todd Eric Allen, an acclaimed ballet dancer, who returns home to Florida's so-called Redneck Riviera and opens a magnet school for dance. When asked the inevitable question of what an internationally known ballet dancer is doing teaching 3rd, 4th, and 5th graders in Fort Walton Beach, he simply replies in a way…

Dancing in pain: pain appraisal and coping in dancers.

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Anderson, Ruth; Hanrahan, Stephanie J

2008-01-01

This study investigated the relationships between the type of pain experienced (performance pain and injury pain), the cognitive appraisal of pain and pain coping styles in dancers. Fifty-one professional ballet and contemporary dancers (17 males and 34 females), with the mean age of 25.9 years, completed a general pain questionnaire, the Pain Appraisal Inventory, the Survey of Pain Attitudes Control Subscale, and the Sports Inventory for Pain. Multivariate analyses of variance indicated that both the cognitive appraisal of the pain and pain coping styles did not differ according to the type of pain experienced or the pain severity. However, it was found that dancers with performance pain of either low or high severity were more likely to dance in pain than dancers experiencing injury pain. Multiple regression analyses indicated that the appraisal of pain as threatening was predictive of the use of avoidance and catastrophizing pain coping styles. Overall, results indicated that dancers may not differentiate between performance pain and injury pain, or modify their appraisal and coping strategies according to the characteristics of the pain experienced. The study highlighted an opportunity for increased education for dancers in recognizing the difference between pain considered to be a routine aspect of training and pain which is a signal of serious injury.

Dance Talent Development: Case Studies of Successful Dancers in Finland and Singapore

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Chua, Joey

2014-01-01

Though anchored in cross-cultural comparisons, this study aims to identify the key factors that impacted the talent development of successful dancers from childhood through adulthood. Case studies of eight Finnish and Singaporean ballet and contemporary dancers exemplify the qualities of successful dancers in terms of their career achievements and…

The Relationship Between Range of Motion and Injuries in Adolescent Dancers and Sportspersons: A Systematic Review

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Joyce M. Storm

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Background: The frequent and intensive training and performance of pre-professional ballet dancers and sportspersons is offered at a time when young ballet dancers and young athletes may be vulnerable to injury due to the progress through adolescence and growth spurts.Hypothesis: There are changes in range of motion during the progress through adolescence and growth periods in dancers and sportspersons. These changes in ROM can be linked to the increase of injury.Objectives: The primary aim of this systematic review is to determine whether there are changes in ROM during the progress through adolescence and growth spurts in dancers and sportspersons. The secondary aim is to determine whether these changes can predict the risk of injuries for adolescent dancers and sportspersons.Search strategy: Pubmed, Cochrane Register of Controlled Trails (CENTRAL, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (CDSR, EBSCO Host databases: CINAHL Plus, MEDLINE, SPORTDiscus, Embase were searched using MeSH terms. Manual search in the Journal of Dance Medicine and Science and screening of the reference lists of identified studies and reviews was conducted.Selection criteria: Studies included adolescent dancers and sportspersons, aged 8–18, both sexes, growth spurt related to changes in ROM and injury incidence.Data collection and analysis: Search strategy was performed in the flow diagram of the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA. Two reviewers independently appraised each included study using Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (STROBE for methodological quality of the included studies. For data extraction, the following information was systematically extracted: first author and year of publication, study design, participants (sample size of mean age, age, maturation (if assessed, intervention, outcome(s, and some notes of each study. For evaluation of the risk of bias and precision the

Exercise intensities during a ballet lesson in female adolescents with different technical ability.

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Guidetti, L; Gallotta, M C; Emerenziani, G P; Baldari, C

2007-09-01

To investigate the exercise intensity during a typical grade five ballet lesson, thirty-nine dancers (13 - 16 yrs) were divided into three different technical proficiency groups: low level (n = 13), intermediate level (n = 14), and high level (n = 12). A progressively incremented treadmill test was administered to determine VO(2max), individual ventilatory threshold (IVT), and the individual anaerobic threshold (IAT). Oxygen uptake (VO(2)), heart rate (HR) and blood lactate (La) were then evaluated during a grade five ballet lesson. Oxygen uptake at IVT, IAT and maximal oxygen uptake were greater (p ballet lesson were similar among groups. During the ballet lesson, low technical level dancers had more V.O (2) and La values above (p < 0.05) the IAT than the other groups. Correlation analysis revealed that the number of exercises performed above IAT was positively related to anthropometric characteristics (BMI, %FM; r = 0.36, p < 0.05; r = 0.46, p < 0.01), negatively related to fitness parameters (VO(2IVT), VO(2IAT), VO(2max); r between - 0.43 and - 0.69; p < 0.001) and to technical level (r = - 0.70; p < 0.001). The subjects classified as having low technical abilities had lower fitness levels and performed more exercises above IAT than the more skilled dancers.

Differences in motor abilities between dancers in professional and amateur folklore ansambles

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Kocić Jadranka

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Differences in motor abilities between dancers in Serbinan professional folklore ansamble for dance and sing 'Kolo' in Belgrade and amateur folklore ansambles from coulture-arts society 'Vila' and 'Sonja Marinković' from Novi Sad had been tested on sample of 47 members. Motor area was examined by Provincial Governement Institute tests for Sport in Novi sad, and it was received 9 variables: single movement speed, explosivity below extremities (legs, endurance in jumping, absolutely strength backs' flexor muscule, relatively strength backs' flexor muscule, absolutely strength backs' extensor muscule, relatively strength backs' extensor muscule, absolutely strength backs' flexor muscule, relatively strength backs' flexor muscule. Relatively values obtained from absolutely values results using mathemathics. To determine differences between folklore dancers in whole variable system, it was used multivariante analysis variance (MANOVA. It was determined differences between sexes in motor abilities. Data was obtained by statistic packet SPSS 10.0. The aim was to find significant differences in nine mentioned variables between professional and amateur dancers and between sexes. Received results showed that there was not significant differences between professional and amateur dancers. Between sexes it was significant differences in man benefit, except one variable single movement speed. The conclusion is that for better, statisticaly significant results, professional dancers should enlarge contents and expend training intensity.

Single leg balancing in ballet: effects of shoe conditions and poses.

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Lobo da Costa, Paula H; Azevedo Nora, Fernanda G S; Vieira, Marcus Fraga; Bosch, Kerstin; Rosenbaum, Dieter

2013-03-01

The purpose of this study was to describe the effects of lower limb positioning and shoe conditions on stability levels of selected single leg ballet poses performed in demi-pointe position. Fourteen female non-professional ballet dancers (mean age of 18.4±2.8 years and mean body mass index of 21.5±2.8kg/m(2)) who had practiced ballet for at least seven years, without any musculoskeletal impairment volunteered to participate in this study. A capacitive pressure platform allowed for the assessment of center of pressure variables related to the execution of three single leg ballet poses in demi pointé position: attitude devant, attitude derriére, and attitude a la second. Peak pressures, contact areas, COP oscillation areas, anterior-posterior and medio-lateral COP oscillations and velocities were compared between two shoe conditions (barefoot versus slippers) and among the different poses. Barefoot performances produced more stable poses with significantly higher plantar contact areas, smaller COP oscillation areas and smaller anterior-posterior COP oscillations. COP oscillation areas, anterior-posterior COP oscillations and medio-lateral COP velocities indicated that attitude a la second is the least challenging and attitude derriére the most challenging pose. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Dancers' Perceived and Actual Knowledge of Anatomy.

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Kotler, Dana H; Lynch, Meaghan; Cushman, Daniel; Hu, Jason; Garner, Jocelyn

2017-06-15

Dancers are highly susceptible to musculoskeletal injuries and frequently require interaction with medical professionals. While many dancers have a finely tuned awareness of their bodies, their knowledge of the fundamentals of human anatomy is not uniform. There is a paucity of literature on the benefits of human anatomy education in dancers, though it seems intuitive that there should be a relationship. The purpose of this study was to assess dancers' perceived and actual knowledge of basic musculoskeletal anatomy and its relationship to function. Adult dancers at the undergraduate, pre-professional, and professional levels were surveyed through an anonymous online questionnaire. Questions included demographic information, dance techniques studied, anatomy training, and injury history. Subjects rated their perceived knowledge of anatomy and were tested with 15 multiple-choice questions on basic musculoskeletal anatomy. Four hundred seventy-five surveys were completed. Ordinal regression showed a correlation of perceived to actual knowledge of anatomy (p < 0.001). Factors that correlated with increases in both perceived and actual knowledge of anatomy included having taken an anatomy course of any type (p < 0.001) and increased age (p ≤ 0.001). Years of dance training and professional dancer status both significantly correlated with increased knowledge of anatomy (p < 0.001) but not perceived knowledge. Chi-square analysis showed that dancers with training in either modern or jazz dance had a significantly higher perceived, but not actual, knowledge when compared to those without training in those styles of dance (p < 0.001 and p = 0.011, respectively). In conclusion, dancers generally scored well on questions pertaining to basic musculoskeletal anatomy, and their perception correlated with their actual knowledge of anatomy. Factors that contribute to dancers' knowledge of anatomy include age, years of experience, professional dancer status, and anatomy training.

[Rehabilitation after occupational accidents in professional dancers: advice with due regard to dance specific aspects].

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

2012-08-01

The highly specialized occupation of professional dancers is a combination of sport and artistic expression. The exertion is only possible with a fully operative body. Although professional dancers may be compared with elite athletes and acute injuries frequently happen, dancers do not seem to be granted an appropriate therapy after accidents as compared with athletes. Although even minor injuries may potentially endanger the career of a professional dancer, physiotherapeutic or physical treatment methods are applied in every tenth case only. Alternative and holistic concepts such as Pilates or dance-specific re-integration that proved successful in professional dancers, are used in even fewer instances. The aim of this study is to develop a rehabilitation concept for professional dancers focusing on dance-medicine aspects. It has been taken into account that the best physical outcomes are reflected in an optimized, holistic, dance-specific therapy and rehabilitation. Intensifying and exploiting dance-specific methods of treatment can not only reduce costs in the end but can even contribute to reducing the duration of rehabilitation after injuries of dancers. Preconditions for realization of the rehabilitative model are a high qualification of all persons working in the rehabilitative field as well as a marked willingness to cooperate in the various dance fields. Both gender-specific and dance-style particularities are to be taken into account to ensure a successful rehabilitation. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Dancers Entrain More Effectively than Non-Dancers to Another Actor’s Movements

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Auriel eWashburn

2014-10-01

Full Text Available For many everyday sensorimotor tasks, trained dancers have been found to exhibit distinct and sometimes superior (more stable or robust patterns of behavior compared to non-dancers. Past research has demonstrated that experts in fields requiring specialized physical training and behavioral control exhibit superior interpersonal coordination capabilities for expertise-related tasks. To date, however, no published studies have compared dancers’ abilities to coordinate their movements with the movements of another individual—i.e., during a so-called visual-motor interpersonal coordination task. The current study was designed to investigate whether trained dancers would be better able to coordinate with a partner performing short sequences of dance-like movements than non-dancers. Movement time series were recorded for individual dancers and non-dancers asked to synchronize with a confederate during three different movement sequences characterized by distinct dance styles (i.e., dance team routine, contemporary ballet, mixed style without hearing any auditory signals or music. A diverse range of linear and nonlinear analyses (i.e., Cross-correlation, Cross-Recurrence Quantification Analysis (CRQA, and Cross-Wavelet analysis provided converging measures of coordination across multiple time scales. While overall levels of interpersonal coordination were influenced by differences in movement sequence for both groups, dancers consistently displayed higher levels of coordination with the confederate at both short and long time scales. These findings demonstrate that the visual-motor coordination capabilities of trained dancers allow them to better synchronize with other individuals performing dance-like movements than non-dancers. Further investigation of similar tasks may help to increase the understanding of visual-motor entrainment in general, as well as provide insight into the effects of focused training on visual-motor and interpersonal

Integration of a Professional Dancer into College

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Pulinkala, Ivan

2011-01-01

This paper evaluates the experience of integrating a professional dancer into a collegiate environment using a case study method of qualitative research. Interviews, focus groups, observation studies and document analysis techniques were used to gather qualitative data for this study. The innovation of diffusion theory was used to highlight the…

Arthroscopic Release of Flexor Hallucis Longus Tendon Sheath in Female Ballet Dancers: Dynamic Pathology, Surgical Technique, and Return to Dancing Performance.

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Funasaki, Hiroki; Hayashi, Hiroteru; Sakamoto, Kanako; Tsuruga, Rei; Marumo, Keishi

2015-12-01

Stenosing tenosynovitis of the flexor hallucis longus (FHL) tendon is known as a major overuse lesion in female dancers. We describe arthroscopic surgical techniques in relation to the dynamic pathology of the disease. Crepitus and pain on moving the great toe with the ankle in plantar flexion on preoperative examination confirm the diagnosis of FHL stenosing tenosynovitis even if the os trigonum is not evident. The ankle is approached through standard posterolateral and posteromedial portals. A 4.0-mm-diameter 30° arthroscope is used. Soft tissues around the talus are cleared with a motorized shaver and a radiofrequency device. The posterior aspects of the talus, os trigonum, and FHL tendon surrounded by the tendon sheath are visualized. The dynamic pathology of the FHL tendon is well observed on passive motion of the great toe. The prominent bone fragment of the talus is removed and the tendon sheath is cut with a retrograde knife and a motorized shaver from the superior border down to the entrance of the fibro-osseous tunnel. Arthroscopic release of the FHL tendon sheath is a useful and easy method to directly approach the dynamic pathology of FHL tenosynovitis in female ballet dancers.

Association Between the Female Athlete Triad and Endothelial Dysfunction in Dancers

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Hoch, Anne Z.; Papanek, Paula; Szabo, Aniko; Widlansky, Michael E.; Schimke, Jane E.; Gutterman, David D.

2013-01-01

Objective To determine the prevalence of the 3 components of the female athlete triad [disordered eating, menstrual dysfunction, low bone mineral density (BMD)] and their relationships with brachial artery flow-mediated dilation in professional dancers. Design Prospective study. Setting Academic institution in the Midwest. Participants Twenty-two professional ballet dancers volunteered for this study. Interventions The prevalence of the female athlete triad and its relationship to endothelial dysfunction. Main Outcome Measures Subjects completed questionnaires to assess disordered eating and menstrual status/history. They also completed a 3-day food record and wore an accelerometer for 3 days to determine energy availability. Serum baseline thyrotropin, prolactin, and hormonal concentrations were obtained. Bone mineral density and body composition were measured with a GE Lunar Prodigy dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Endothelial function was determined as flow-mediated vasodilation measured by high-frequency ultrasound in the brachial artery. An increase in brachial diameter <5% to hyperemic flow stimulus was defined a priori as endothelial dysfunction. Results Seventeen dancers (77%) had evidence of low/negative energy availability. Thirty-two percent had disordered eating (EDE-Q score). Thirty-six percent had menstrual dysfunction and 14% were currently using hormone contraception. Twenty-three percent had evidence of low bone density (Z-score < −1.0). Sixty-four percent had abnormal brachial artery flow-mediated dilation (<5%). Flow-mediated dilation values were significantly correlated with serum estrogen and whole-body and lumbar BMD. All the 3 components of the triad plus endothelial dysfunction were present in 14% of the subjects. Conclusions Endothelial dysfunction was correlated with reduced BMD, menstrual dysfunction, and low serum estrogen. These findings may have profound implications for cardiovascular and bone health in professional women dancers

Body weight, exercise and menstrual status among ballet dancers in training.

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Abraham, S F; Beumont, P J; Fraser, I S; Llewellyn-Jones, D

1982-07-01

A prospective study of the menstrual pattern and weight changes was made in the first year of training of 29 new female entrants to a professional ballet school. Seventy-nine per cent of the student girls had menstrual disturbances at entry: primary amenorrhoea, four; secondary amenorrhoea, 11; irregular menses, eight. The incidence of secondary amenorrhoea increase substantially by the end of the year (20), but was not associated with any significant change in body weight. Only three students menstruated regularly during the year. Menstrual regularity improved during periods of injury and long vacation and it appears that deterioration of the menstrual pattern during dancing periods was related to strenuous physical exercise rather than to any change in body weight.

The Effects of 17 Weeks of Ballet Training on the Autonomic Modulation, Hormonal and General Biochemical Profile of Female Adolescents

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da Silva Carla Cristiane

2015-09-01

Full Text Available This study aimed to examine the alterations in physiological and biochemical markers, after 17 weeks of ballet training in high level ballet dancers. Twenty four female ballet dancers from 12 to 15 years old took part in the study. The study followed 17 weeks of ballet training and analyzed changes in body composition, the autonomic nervous system and biochemical variables before and after (post training. The internal training load was obtained using the session rating of perceived exertion (session-RPE method, calculated as the mean weekly session-RPE, monotony and strain. After 17 weeks of training there were significant increases in body mass, height, lean body mass, total protein, urea, hemoglobin concentration, testosterone and thyroxine. During this period, decreases in relative body fat, uric acid, red blood cells, C-reactive protein, and ferritin were also found. After the training period, the autonomic modulation demonstrated significant positive alterations, such as increases in parasympathetic related indices. Based on the results obtained we concluded that ballet training led to improvements in body composition and autonomic modulation. In general hematological and biochemical variables demonstrated that the training did not have adverse effects on the health state of the adolescents.

Noise exposure of musicians of a ballet orchestra

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Cheng Liang Qian

2011-01-01

Full Text Available With over 70 dancers and its own orchestra, The National Ballet of Canada ranks amongst the world′s top dance companies. It performs three seasons annually: fall, winter and summer, plus many shows of Tchaikovsky′s Nutcracker. The 70-strong orchestra plays an average of 360 hours/year including rehearsals and performances. Rehearsals are held at two locations: one in a ballet rehearsal room with little or no absorption, and the other in an acoustically treated location. Performances are held in the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts in Toronto. The present survey was done at the request of the National Ballet, since the musicians complained of excessive sound levels and were concerned about possible hearing losses. The survey was performed using five dosimeters Quest Mod 300 during 10 performances of the ballet Romeo and Juliet by Sergei Prokofiev, deemed as the noisiest in the whole repertoire. Results of the survey indicate that the noise exposure levels from only the orchestra′s activities do not present risk of hearing loss. Exposure due to other musical activities was, however, not included.

Ballet and Dance

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... this site from a secured browser on the server. Please enable scripts and reload this page. Turn ... week of preprofessional training (Instructors who have trained professional dancers can usually determine when a dancer has ...

Does physical fitness affect injury occurrence and time loss due to injury in elite vocational ballet students?

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Twitchett, Emily; Brodrick, Anna; Nevill, Alan M; Koutedakis, Yiannis; Angioi, Manuela; Wyon, Matthew

2010-01-01

Most ballet dancers will suffer at least one injury a year. There are numerous causes of injury in dance, and while many investigators have documented risk factors such as anatomical characteristics, past medical history, menstrual history, dance experience, length of dance training, fatigue, and stress, risk factors related to body characteristics and nutrient intake, levels of conditioning, or physical fitness parameters have only recently received the same amount of attention. The aim of the present study was, therefore, to investigate correlations between ballet injury and body fat percentage, active and passive flexibility, lower limb power, upper body and core endurance, and aerobic capacity. Low levels of aerobic fitness were significantly associated with many of the injuries sustained over a 15-week period (r=.590, p=0.034), and body fat percentage was significantly associated with the length of time a dancer was forced to modify activity due to injury (r=-.614, p=0.026). This information may be of benefit to dancers, teachers, physical therapists and physicians in dance schools and companies when formulating strategies to prevent injury.

Proprioception of foot and ankle complex in young regular practitioners of ice hockey, ballet dancing and running.

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Li, Jing Xian; Xu, Dong Qing; Hoshizaki, Blaine

2009-01-01

This study examined the proprioception of the foot and ankle complex in regular ice hockey practitioners, runners, and ballet dancers. A total of 45 young people with different exercise habits formed four groups: the ice hockey, ballet dancing, running, and sedentary groups. Kinesthesia of the foot and ankle complex was measured in plantarflexion (PF), dorsiflexion (DF), inversion (IV), and eversion (EV) at 0.4 degrees /s using a custom-made device. The results showed the following: (1) significantly better perceived passive motion sense in PF/DF was found as compared with the measurements in IV/EV within each group (P ballet groups perceived significantly better passive motion sense in IV/EV than the running (P ballet dancing on proprioception may be associated with their movement characteristics.

Physiological profiles of young boys training in ballet.

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Pekkarinen, H; Litmanen, H; Mahlamäki, S

1989-01-01

In order to evaluate physiological characteristics in young male ballet dancers, 27 boys (aged 9 to 16 years) who participated in a boys' dance course during the Kuopio Dance and Music Festival in June 1988 were studied. In general, the boys had started dancing at the age of 8.6 years and had been training for 4.1 years. They had, on average, three dancing sessions per week and the mean time spent on dancing was four hours per week. In the study, some anthropometric measurements were taken, the maximal oxygen uptake (VO2 max) was measured by a cycle ergometer test and the explosive strength and the mechanical power of lower extremities were evaluated by a jumping test. The results indicate that boys who train in ballet are in general moderately lean, have relatively small body size and a high degree of flexibility. The younger boys especially have only moderate aerobic power, but both explosive strength and mechanical power in leg muscles are good in ballet trained boys. PMID:2630002

BALLET FOR CHILDREN AT THE SERBIAN NATIONAL THEATRE IN NOVI SAD (1972-2017

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Svenka Savić

2018-02-01

Full Text Available Ballets for children have been recognized as a unique genre of the dance art. From the point of children ballet production of the Yugoslav ballet assembly very little was documented, and this particularly referred to the Serbian production. Children‘s ballets aim to provide an experience for young people, to educate on dance art and to attract, engage and sustain children as an audience for major ballet houses. They challenge a whole range of difficultes and problems that have to be solved by the choreographers and dancers. For example, the first major challenge in taking children to the ballet is that the story is told entirely through dance, and many children find this aspect of the ballet difficult to appreciate. The author examined the representations of the ballet body and analyzed how this and some other difficulties have been solved in children‘s ballet production of the Serbian National Theatre Ballet (SNP in Novi Sad during the long period of forty five years, from the first performances in 1972 up to now, namely to 2017. In addition, the author has made an inventory by listing repertoir, choreografies, and stories. She was tracking the number of performances for each production and the number of audience to conclude on the impact of the children‘s ballet. The implication of the paper is that the possibile solutions referred to in the paper could be seen as a suggestion for the future opportunities of the production, particularly in the case of the future premieres.

Musculoskeletal injuries in break-dancers.

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Cho, Chul Hyun; Song, Kwang Soon; Min, Byung Woo; Lee, Sung Moon; Chang, Hyuk Won; Eum, Dae Seup

2009-11-01

Since no epidemiologic studies have been reported about musculoskeletal injuries in break-dancers, there are no data on the rates and patterns of musculoskeletal injuries in this population that clinicians can use to find ways to decrease injury rate. We believe that the incidence of injuries in break-dancers is higher than assumed and that injury rates and patterns differ between professional and amateur dancers. Descriptive epidemiologic study. Of a total of 42 study subjects, 23 were professional dancers and 19 were amateur dancers. Injury frequency, site and type, along with the presence of supervised training, the use of protective devices and warm-up exercises done were recorded. Of the 42 study subjects, excluding two amateur dancers, 40 (95.2%) had had musculoskeletal injuries at more than one site. The mean number of sites per dancer was 4.60. The frequency of injury depended on the site and was as follows: wrist (69.0%), finger (61.9%), knee (61.9%), shoulder (52.4%), lumbar spine (50.0%), elbow (42.9%), cervical spine (38.1%), ankle (38.1%), foot (28.6%) and hip (16.7%). Sprain, strain and tendinitis were the most common injuries, accounting for the most cases. Of the 42 dancers, 13 (31%) had had fractures or dislocations. Eight (19.1%) learned break-dancing under supervised instruction, 17 (40.5%) used protective devices and 28 (66.7%) performed warm-up exercises before dancing. There were significant differences in age, dance career length, amount of dance training, mean number of injury sites and the presence of supervised training between professionals and amateurs (Pnature of the activities that result in both unusual and common injuries in break-dancers and educate them about safety. Careful screening, instruction and supervised training of break-dancers will help to prevent injuries.

Generation of vertical angular momentum in single, double, and triple-turn pirouette en dehors in ballet.

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Kim, Jemin; Wilson, Margaret A; Singhal, Kunal; Gamblin, Sarah; Suh, Cha-Young; Kwon, Young-Hoo

2014-09-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate the vertical angular momentum generation strategies used by skilled ballet dancers in pirouette en dehors. Select kinematic parameters of the pirouette preparation (stance depth, vertical center-of-mass motion range, initial shoulder line position, shoulder line angular displacement, and maximum trunk twist angle) along with vertical angular momentum parameters during the turn (maximum momentums of the whole body and body parts, and duration and rate of generation) were obtained from nine skilled collegiate ballet dancers through a three-dimensional motion analysis and compared among three turn conditions (single, double, and triple). A one-way ('turn') multivariate analysis of variance of the kinematic parameters and angular momentum parameters of the whole body and a two-way analysis of variance ('turn' × 'body') of the maximum angular momentums of the body parts were conducted. Significant 'turn' effects were observed in the kinematic/angular momentum parameters (both the preparation and the turn) (p <  0.05). As the number of turns increased, skilled dancers generated larger vertical angular momentums by predominantly increasing the rate of momentum generation using rotation of the upper trunk and arms. The trail (closing) arm showed the largest contribution to whole-body angular momentum followed by the lead arm.

Risk factors for musculoskeletal injury in preprofessional dancers: a systematic review.

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Kenny, Sarah J; Whittaker, Jackie L; Emery, Carolyn A

2016-08-01

Preprofessional dancers partake in rigorous training and have high injury prevalence. Attempts to identify risk factors for dance injuries have focused on a diversity of intrinsic and extrinsic factors. To identify and evaluate the evidence examining risk factors for musculoskeletal injury in preprofessional ballet and modern dancers. Fifteen electronic databases were systematically searched to October 2015. Studies selected met a priori inclusion criteria and investigated musculoskeletal injury risk factors in preprofessional (elite adolescent, student, young adult) ballet and modern dancers. Two reviewers independently assessed the quality and level of evidence using the Downs and Black (DB) criteria and a modified Oxford Centre of Evidence-Based Medicine 2009 model, respectively. Of 1364 potentially relevant studies, 47 were included and scored. Inconsistent injury definition and methodology precluded meta-analysis. The most common modifiable risk factors investigated were anthropometrics (ie, body mass index, adiposity), joint range of motion (ie, lower extremity), dance exposure (ie, years training, exposure hours) and age. The median DB score across studies was 8/33 (range 2-16). The majority of studies were classified as level 3 evidence and few considered risk factor inter-relationships. There is some level 2 evidence that previous injury and poor psychological coping skills are associated with increased injury risk. Because of the lack of high-quality studies, consensus regarding risk factors for musculoskeletal injury in preprofessional dancers remains difficult. There is a need for injury definition consensus and high-quality prospective studies examining the multifactorial relationship between risk factors and injury in preprofessional dance. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/

The Ballet-Pantomime Technique of Passions: Constructing Knowledge of Dance during the 17th and 18th Centuries

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Juan Ignacio VALLEJOS

2015-05-01

Full Text Available This article examines the fundamentals of the pantomime-ballet dance technique, which was characteristic of the eighteenth century. In particular, it explores how knowledge developed with regard to the representation of passions and expressive gestures. Our hypothesis proposes the existence of a correlation between the regulation of the theatrical practice of dance in the seventeenth century, during the reign of Louis XIV, and the discourses on the dancing-body that accompanied the zenith of the pantomime-ballet project between 1760 and 1776. In this way, we show that the passage from baroque ballet to pantomimeballet represents a breakthrough in body encoding as well as a development of the aesthetic framework for the theatrical expression of the dancer.

MODELO DE COMUNICACIÓN NO VERBAL EN DEPORTE Y BALLET NON-VERBAL COMMUNICATION MODELS IN SPORTS AND BALLET

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Gloria Vallejo

2010-12-01

Full Text Available Este estudio analiza el modelo de comunicación que se genera en los entrenadores de fútbol y de gimnasia artística a nivel profesional, y en los instructores de ballet en modalidad folklórica, tomando como referente el lenguaje corporal dinámico propio de la comunicación especializada de deportistas y bailarines, en la que se evidencia lenguaje no verbal. Este último se estudió tanto en prácticas psicomotrices como sociomotrices, para identificar y caracterizar relaciones entre diferentes conceptos y su correspondiente representación gestual. Los resultados indican que el lenguaje no verbal de los entrenadores e instructores toma ocasionalmente el lugar del lenguaje verbal, cuando este último resulta insuficiente o inapropiado para describir una acción motriz de gran precisión, debido a las condiciones de distancia o de interferencias acústicas. En los instructores de ballet se encontró una forma generalizada de dirigir los ensayos utilizando conteos rítmicos con las palmas o los pies. De igual forma, se destacan los componentes paralingüísticos de los diversos actos de habla, especialmente, en lo que se refiere a entonación, duración e intensidad.This study analyzes the communication model generated among professional soccer trainers, artistic gymnastics trainers, and folkloric ballet instructors, on the basis of the dynamic body language typical of specialized communication among sportspeople and dancers, which includes a high percentage of non-verbal language. Non-verbal language was observed in both psychomotor and sociomotor practices in order to identify and characterize relations between different concepts and their corresponding gestural representation. This made it possible to generate a communication model that takes into account the non-verbal aspects of specialized communicative contexts. The results indicate that the non-verbal language of trainers and instructors occasionally replaces verbal language when the

The relationship between passion and the psychological well-being of professional dancers.

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Padham, Melissa; Aujla, Imogen

2014-03-01

The Dualistic Model of Passion defines passion as an intense desire or enthusiasm for a self-defining activity that people love, consider important, and devote significant amounts of time and energy to. The model proposes two distinct types of passion, harmonious (HP) and obsessive (OP). HP occurs when the activity is autonomously internalized into the individual's life and identity, while OP is a result of a controlled internalization of the activity. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence and type of passion professional dancers have for dance in relation to their psychological well-being, specifically eating attitudes, self-esteem, and perfectionism. Participants were 92 professional dancers, aged 19 to 35 years (M = 27.03, SD = 3.84), and mostly from the United States, the United Kingdom, and Canada. Results revealed that HP positively predicted self-esteem (SE), while OP positively predicted self-evaluative perfectionism (SEP), conscientious perfectionism (CP), and disordered eating attitudes (EAT-26). Additionally, SEP was found to mediate the relationship between OP and EAT-26, suggesting that OP may lead to SEP, which could in turn motivate disordered eating. Overall, the results of this study have supported and extended previous research suggesting that the two types of passion can have divergent effects on aspects of psychological well-being. Findings indicate that HP should be encouraged and OP discouraged among dancers, for example, via autonomy supportive behaviors of teachers.

Influences of Patellofemoral Pain and Fatigue in Female Dancers during Ballet Jump-Landing.

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Peng, H-T; Chen, W C; Kernozek, T W; Kim, K; Song, C-Y

2015-08-01

This study investigated the influence of patellofemoral pain (PFP) and fatigue on lower-extremity joint biomechanics in female dancers during consecutive simple ground échappé. 3-dimensional joint mechanics were analyzed from the no-fatigue to fatigue conditions. 2-way mixed ANOVAs were used to compare the differences of the kinematic and kinetic variables between groups and conditions. Group main effects were seen in increased jump height (p=0.03), peak vertical ground reaction force (p=0.01), knee joint power absorption (p=0.04), and patellofemoral joint stress (PFJS, p=0.04) for PFP group. Fatigue main effects were found for decreased jump height (pballet dancers with PFP sustained great ground impact and loads on the knee probably due to higher jump height compared to the controls. All dancers presented diminished knee joint loading for the protective mechanism and endurance of ankle joint musculature required for the dissipation of loads and displayed a distal-to-proximal dissipation strategy after fatigue. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

My Body and Its Reflection: A Case Study of Eight Dance Students and the Mirror in the Ballet Classroom

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Radell, Sally Anne; Keneman, Margaret Lynn; Adame, Daniel D.; Cole, Steven P.

2014-01-01

This qualitative study investigated the impact of the mirror on a dancer's body image. Two groups of students enrolled in beginner ballet classes were taught the same classroom material; one group was taught with mirrors, the other, without. At the end of the semester four students from each class were randomly selected to participate in a private…

Athletes Doing Arabesques: Important Considerations in the Care of Young Dancers.

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Wilson, Julie C; Quinn, Bridget J; Stratton, Corinne W; Southwick, Heather; MacDonald, James P

2015-01-01

Dance is as much a sport as an art form. Sports medicine clinicians seeing dancers in their practice will need to be familiar with the unique characteristics of dance in order to provide proper care. Dance encompasses different forms, which vary in equipment and terminology. The epidemiology of dance injuries has historically focused on ballet, but there is increasing research on other dance forms. Lower extremity and back injuries predominate. Injury prevention, both primary and secondary, is at the heart of dance medicine. Primary prevention includes preseason conditioning, identifying risk factors for injury, and recognizing the female athlete triad. Secondary prevention includes a comprehensive approach to injury rehabilitation, an appreciation for the unique demands of dance, and an understanding of the particulars of the injury being treated. Dancers may have difficulty accessing medical care or following prescribed advice; the proactive clinician will anticipate these situations.

Tracking Plasticity: Effects of Long-Term Rehearsal in Expert Dancers Encoding Music to Movement

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Bar, Rachel J.; DeSouza, Joseph F. X.

2016-01-01

Our knowledge of neural plasticity suggests that neural networks show adaptation to environmental and intrinsic change. In particular, studies investigating the neuroplastic changes associated with learning and practicing motor tasks have shown that practicing such tasks results in an increase in neural activation in several specific brain regions. However, studies comparing experts and non-experts suggest that experts employ less neuronal activation than non-experts when performing a familiar motor task. Here, we aimed to determine the long-term changes in neural networks associated with learning a new dance in professional ballet dancers over 34 weeks. Subjects visualized dance movements to music while undergoing fMRI scanning at four time points over 34-weeks. Results demonstrated that initial learning and performance at seven weeks led to increases in activation in cortical regions during visualization compared to the first week. However, at 34 weeks, the cortical networks showed reduced activation compared to week seven. Specifically, motor learning and performance over the 34 weeks showed the typical inverted-U-shaped function of learning. Further, our result demonstrate that learning of a motor sequence of dance movements to music in the real world can be visualized by expert dancers using fMRI and capture highly significant modeled fits of the brain network variance of BOLD signals from early learning to expert level performance. PMID:26824475

Utilization of Routine Primary Care Services Among Dancers.

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Alimena, Stephanie; Air, Mary E; Gribbin, Caitlin; Manejias, Elizabeth

2016-01-01

This study examines the current utilization of primary and preventive health care services among dancers in order to assess their self-reported primary care needs. Participants were 37 dancers from a variety of dance backgrounds who presented for a free dancer health screening in a large US metropolitan area (30 females, 7 males; mean age: 27.5 ± 7.4 years; age range: 19 to 49 years; mean years of professional dancing: 6.4 ± 5.4 years). Dancers were screened for use of primary care, mental health, and women's health resources using the Health Screen for Professional Dancers developed by the Task Force on Dancer Health. Most dancers had health insurance (62.2%), but within the last 2 years, only approximately half of them (54.1%) reported having a physical examination by a physician. Within the last year, 54.1% of dancers had had a dental check-up, and 56.7% of female dancers received gynecologic care. Thirty percent of female participants indicated irregular menstrual cycles, 16.7% had never been to a gynecologist, and 16.7% were taking birth control. Utilization of calcium and vitamin D supplementation was 27.0% and 29.7%, respectively, and 73.0% were interested in nutritional counseling. A high rate of psychological fatigue and sleep deprivation was found (35.1%), along with a concomitant high rate of self-reported need for mental health counseling (29.7%). Cigarette and recreational drug use was low (5.4% and 5.4%); however, 32.4% engaged in binge drinking within the last year (based on the CDC definition). These findings indicate that dancers infrequently access primary care services, despite high self-reported need for nutritional, mental, and menstrual health counseling and treatment. More studies are warranted to understand dancers' primary health care seeking behavior.

Acute ankle sprain in dancers.

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Russell, Jeffrey A

2010-01-01

Ankle sprain is a common injury in dancers. Because of the relative frequency of this injury and its wide acceptance as a likely part of an active lifestyle, in many individuals it may not receive the careful attention it deserves. An extreme ankle range of motion and excellent ankle stability are fundamental to success in dance. Hence, following a proper treatment protocol is crucial for allowing a dancer who suffers an ankle sprain to return to dance as soon as possible without impaired function. This article reviews the basic principles of the etiology and management of ankle sprain in dancers. Key concepts are on-site examination and treatment, early restoration, dance-specific rehabilitation, and a carefully administered safe return to dance. Additionally, injuries that may occur in conjunction with ankle sprain are highlighted, and practical, clinically relevant summary concepts for dance healthcare professionals, dance scientists, dance teachers, and dancers are provided.

Influence of turnout on foot posture and its relationship to overuse musculoskeletal injury in professional contemporary dancers: a preliminary investigation.

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Cimelli, Sonja N; Curran, Sarah A

2012-01-01

The angle of turnout is thought to predispose professional dancers to overuse musculoskeletal injuries of the lower limb; yet, the influence of angle of turnout on foot posture is currently unknown. Twelve professional contemporary dancers (five women and seven men; mean age, 26.8 years) were recruited. The angle of gait and angle of turnout were measured using a quasi-static clinical tracing method. Foot posture was assessed in the base of gait and angle of turnout using the Foot Posture Index. Each dancer completed a dance history and injury questionnaire. The results show a tendency toward a pronated foot posture (mean, 9°) in the angle of turnout position. A significant relationship was noted between the Foot Posture Index and angle of turnout (ρ = 0.933-0.968, P history of injury to the spine or lower limb, and 9 of the 12 reported an injury within the previous 12 months. Turnout is one of the most fundamental aspects of dance technique. This study suggests a trend toward pronation in angle of turnout and a link to lower-limb musculoskeletal injury.

Ka sisaliku tee kivil jätab jälje. Tantsuteatri uurimise metodoloogiast Rahel Olbrei pärandi näitel / Even a Lizard’s Path on Stone Leaves a Trace: Methodological Issues on Dance Research from the Example of Rahel Olbrei's Legacy

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Heili Einasto

2014-12-01

Full Text Available The article is dedicated to dance research methodology, using Rahel Olbrei’s legacy as an example. Rahel Olbrei (1898—1983 was an Estonian choreographer and founder of the Estonia Theatre Dance Company. A choreographer’s work, when not on stage, becomes invisible, though it leaves its trace in the cultural memory. Olbrei’s legacy exists in the memory of the people who met her personally, but also of those who have obtained their memories from them – together they form a collective memory, Tamm and Halla (2008 present five major memory transmission channels: oral narratives, written (memoirs, diaries, autobiographies, history books, etc., visual (photos in Olbrei’s case, actional (the Rahel Olbrei Annual Award and spatial channels.  Memories are not fixed; they are records of how events have been experienced. We draw key elements out of our experience and save them, and later create or form that experience anew. Remembering as a process also needs information about how something is remembered: hints, directions and any triggers that wake up some of the information saved in the brain. Oral history is a process of relation building: relations are built between narrators and listeners, between past events and present dialogue – thus, when making oral history interviews, it is essential to also record aspects outside of the interview.  Choreography will stay alive only when it is being taught from one dancer to another. This paper describes the processes of making, saving and passing on movement texts using examples by Olbrei. In a situation where Olbrei’s choreography is lost forever, we can ask: what is her legacy in Estonia theatre and ballet? This legacy is perhaps strongest in dancers trained by her who were carriers of a pre-war work ethic and Olbrei’s vision of dancers as dancing actors. Olbrei’s views on dance education and art are alive today. She was convinced that a professional dancer should be able to perform

Dance and the Athlete: An Interview

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Simpson, James L.

1978-01-01

Edward Villella, principal dancer of the New York City Ballet, has attempted to make professionals in physical education as well as athletes more aware of the great potential possessed within the interrelationship of dance and sport. (MM)

Positioning Ballet.

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Kassing, Gayle, Ed.; And Others

1981-01-01

A series of articles discusses the development of ballet instruction in secondary and higher education, beginning ballet in high school and in college, teaching techniques, ballet for visually handicapped students, and methods for the prevention of injuries in beginning students. (JN)

Job satisfaction of professional Irish dancers: implications for performer health and well-being.

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Cahalan, Roisin; O'Sullivan, Kieran

2013-12-01

This study investigates for the first time whether experienced former and current professional Irish dancers (PIDs) would recommend a career in Irish dance, and their perceived positive and negative attitudes toward this occupation. One hundred and sixty-five (71 current, 94 retired) PIDs participated in an online survey. Additional focus group interviews of six current and three retired PIDs were conducted to validate survey findings. PID comments were examined independently by the two investigators using thematic analysis and then cross-indexed and coded into the most common positive and negative themes. Ninety-four percent of surveyed PIDs and 100% of focus group participants stated that they would recommend a career in professional Irish dance. The main positive attributes identified included the opportunity to travel and experience diverse cultures, the development of enduring friendships, the pursuit of a hobby as a financially lucrative career, evolving personal life skills, and the maintenance of good physical health and fitness. The main negative themes included the insecure and short-term nature of the career, physical consequences in terms of pain and injury, potentially damaging psychological consequences, and practical difficulties inherent in a touring lifestyle. The effects of dancer job satisfaction on health, wellbeing, and performance are discussed, and recommendations for company managers and dance captains are developed based on findings.

An anthropometric comparison between young female spanish and brazilian dancers

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Eduardo Henrique De Rose

2000-12-01

Full Text Available Not much is known about the influence of dance on the morphological and anthropometric development of young and teenager dancers. Bibliography on the subject is almost nonexistent, given the difficulty to find studies about this type of population. It is very important to control the morphological development of girls that study dance in order to quantify, qualify and achieve better results. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to compare the anthropometric characteristics of two populations: one group of classical ballet dancers, average age 11.12 ± 1.00, from Porto Alegre, Brazil, and the other group including dancers of Spanish dance and classical ballet, with an average age of 11.50 ± 0.94, from Cordoba, Spain. A parallel was established between the populations, comparing and relating the data obtained. Fifty anthropometrical variables were measured, including body weight, stature, height, skinfolds, girths, breadths and lengths, based on the ISAK (International Society of the Advancement of kinanthropometry protocol, proposed by Ross and Marfell-Jones (1991. Descriptive statistical methodology was used in order to obtain a database for the two samples studied and the t test was used to compare their data. The conclusion was that the two groups are very similar despite the fact that a few statistically different variables were found. These differences were mainly related to breadths. RESUMO Pouco se sabe a respeito da influência da dança no desenvolvimento morfológico e antropométrico de meninas e adolescentes – meninas-bailarinas. A bibliografia referente a esse tema é quase inexistente, tendo-se grande dificuldade de encontrar estudos realizados acerca de populações desse tipo. É muito importante poder controlar o desenvolvimento morfológico de meninas que estudam dança, para poder quantificar, qualificar e, conseqüentemente, alcançar melhores resultados. Portanto, o objetivo deste estudo foi analisar, por meio de um

Hip and ankle range of motion and hip muscle strength in young female ballet dancersand controls

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Bennell, K.; Khan, K. M.; Matthews, B.; De Gruyter, M.; Cook, E.; Holzer, K.; Wark, J. D.

1999-01-01

OBJECTIVES: To compare the hip and ankle range of motion and hip muscle strength in 8-11 year old novice female ballet dancers and controls. METHODS: Subjects were 77 dancers and 49 controls (mean (SD) age 9.6 (0.8) and 9.6 (0.7) years respectively). Supine right active hip external rotation (ER) and internal rotation (IR) were measured using an inclinometer. A turnout protractor was used to assess standing active turnout range. The measure of ER achieved from below the hip during turnout (non-hip ER) was calculated by subtracting hip ER range from turnout range, and hip ER:IR was derived by dividing ER range by IR range. Range of right weight bearing ankle dorsiflexion was measured in a standing lunge using two methods: the distance from the foot to the wall (in centimetres) and the angle of the shank to the vertical via an inclinometer (in degrees). Right calf muscle range was measured in weight bearing using an inclinometer. A manual muscle tester was used to assess right isometric hip flexor, internal rotator, external rotator, abductor, and adductor strength. RESULTS: Dancers had less ER (pballetic training. 


 PMID:10522638

Hip joint mobility in dancers: preliminary report.

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Drężewska, Marlena; Gałuszka, Renata; Sliwiński, Zbigniew

2012-01-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of dancing on hip joint mobility and to assess the relationship between active movements of the hips and injuries among dancers, which may be important in planning rehabilitation in this group. The sample comprised 49 dancers (37 women and 12 men) aged 15 to 32 years. The participants were the professional dancers of the Kielce Dance Theatre and members of two youth jazz dance teams from the Kielce Dance Theatre. The active range of motion of the hips was measured in three planes using a goniometer in order to assess the influence of dance training on hip joint mobility. A questionnaire-based survey was also conducted. The range of flexion, extension and external rotation was significantly greater in the group of long-time dancers (p <0.05). There was a significantly greater range of flexion, abduction and external rotation in previously injured hip joints (p<0.05). 1. Injuries to hip joints in dancers may result in increased ranges of motion, which may lead to disturbances of joint stability. 2. Being a long-time dancer and the female gender were associated with an increased range of hip joint motion.

Characterising the proximal patellar tendon attachment and its relationship to skeletal maturity in adolescent ballet dancers

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rudavsky, Aliza; Cook, Jillianne; Magnusson, Stig Peter

2017-01-01

gain an understanding of how and when the tendon attachment matures. Methods: Sixty adolescent elite ballet students (ages 11-18) and eight mature adults participated. Peak height velocity (PHV) estimated skeletal maturity. Ultrasound tissue characterisation (UTC) scan was taken of the left knee...

Dynamism of Ballet in Isan

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Sirimongkol Natayakul

2015-11-01

Full Text Available Isan is a region with diverse dancing art forms, such as Fon (Northertern-Thai-style-dance, Serng (Northestern-Thai-style-dance, and Ram (Central-Thai-style-dance which are attached to important traditions associated with Buddhism and spiritual beliefs. Ballet is a unique cross-cultural dance that has spread into Isan society over a long period of time. This qualitative research aims to study the history of ballet in Isan from 1976 to 2012 and the factors that have led to the dynamism of ballet in Isan. Research methods used for data collection include document study, fieldwork and researcher experience. In this study, the population and area samples are in seven provinces: Khon Kaen, Nakhon Ratchasima, Udon Thani, Ubon Ratchathani, Maha Sarakham, Chaiyaphum and Buriram. Ballet first appeared in Isan in 1976 when Khunying Genevieve Damon, a French national, Ekachai Kaikaew and Kanoknat Homasawin set up as ballet teachers. Ballet schools are found in 12 public schools, 21 private schools and one school of the local administrative organization. Ballet shows take two forms, which are either Conventional Ballet and Non-Conventional Ballet. Seven factors affect the dynamism of ballet in Isan: government policy, education, economy, ballet teachers, parents of ballet students, communications and overseas organizations. Ballet teachers have a multidimensional role in educational society and are thus very important to the ballet shows in the Isan area. Moreover, ballet teachers in the Northeast also create, design, choreograph and direct the shows. The dynamism of education and economy are the second and the third most important factors

Effect of teaching with or without mirror on balance in young female ballet students.

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Notarnicola, Angela; Maccagnano, Giuseppe; Pesce, Vito; Di Pierro, Silvia; Tafuri, Silvio; Moretti, Biagio

2014-07-04

In literature there is a general consensus that the use of the mirror improves proprioception. During rehabilitation the mirror is an important instrument to improve stability. In some sports, such as dancing, mirrors are widely used during training. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of the use of a mirror on balance in young dancers. Sixty-four young dancers (ranging from 9-10 years) were included in this study. Thirty-two attending lessons with a mirror (mirror- group) were compared to 32 young dancers that attended the same lessons without a mirror (non-mirror group). Balance was evaluated by BESS (Balance Error Scoring System), which consists of three stances (double limb, single limb, and tandem) on two surfaces (firm and foam). The errors were assessed at each stance and summed to create the two subtotal scores (firm and foam surface) and the final total score (BESS). The BESS was performed at recruitment (T0) and after 6 months of dance lessons (T1). The repeated measures ANOVA analysis showed that for the BESS total score there is a difference due to the time (F = 3.86; p  0.05). The analysis of the multiple regression model showed the influence of the values at T0 for every BESS items and the dominance of limb for stability on an unstable surface standing on one or two legs. These preliminary results suggest that the use of a mirror in a ballet classroom does not improve balance acquisition of the dancer. On the other hand, improvement found after 6 months confirms that at the age of the dancers studied motor skills and balance can easily be trained and improved.

Effect of teaching with or without mirror on balance in young female ballet students

Science.gov (United States)

2014-01-01

Background In literature there is a general consensus that the use of the mirror improves proprioception. During rehabilitation the mirror is an important instrument to improve stability. In some sports, such as dancing, mirrors are widely used during training. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of the use of a mirror on balance in young dancers. Sixty-four young dancers (ranging from 9–10 years) were included in this study. Thirty-two attending lessons with a mirror (mirror- group) were compared to 32 young dancers that attended the same lessons without a mirror (non-mirror group). Balance was evaluated by BESS (Balance Error Scoring System), which consists of three stances (double limb, single limb, and tandem) on two surfaces (firm and foam). The errors were assessed at each stance and summed to create the two subtotal scores (firm and foam surface) and the final total score (BESS). The BESS was performed at recruitment (T0) and after 6 months of dance lessons (T1). Results The repeated measures ANOVA analysis showed that for the BESS total score there is a difference due to the time (F = 3.86; p  0.05). The analysis of the multiple regression model showed the influence of the values at T0 for every BESS items and the dominance of limb for stability on an unstable surface standing on one or two legs. Conclusions These preliminary results suggest that the use of a mirror in a ballet classroom does not improve balance acquisition of the dancer. On the other hand, improvement found after 6 months confirms that at the age of the dancers studied motor skills and balance can easily be trained and improved. PMID:24996519

Femoral Shaft Torsion in Injured and Uninjured Ballet Dancers and Its Association with Other Hip Measures: A Cross-sectional Study.

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Hafiz, Eliza; Hiller, Claire E; Nicholson, Leslie L; Nightingale, Elizabeth J; Grimaldi, Alison; Refshauge, Kathryn M

2016-03-01

Low range femoral torsion, termed "lateral shaft torsion," has been associated with greater range of hip external rotation and turnout in dancers. It is also hypothesized that achieving greater turnout at the hip minimizes torsion at the knee, shank, ankle, and foot, and consequently reduces incidence of lower limb injuries. The primary aims of this study were to investigate: 1. differences in range of femoral shaft torsion between dancers with and without lower limb injuries; and 2. the relationship between femoral shaft torsion, hip external rotation range, and turnout. A secondary aim was to examine the relationship between femoral shaft torsion and other hip measures: hip strength, lower limb joint hypermobility, hip stability, and foot progression angle, as explanatory variables. Demographic, dance, and injury data were collected, along with physical measures of femoral shaft torsion, hip rotation range of motion, and turnout. Hip strength, control, lower limb hypermobility, and foot progression angle were also measured. Eighty female dancers, 50 with lower limb injury (20.7 ± 4.8 years of age) and 30 without lower limb injury (17.8 ± 4.1 years of age), participated in the study. There was no difference in range of femoral shaft torsion between the groups (p = 0.941). Femoral shaft torsion was weakly correlated with range of hip external rotation (r = -0.034, p = 0.384) and turnout (r = -0.066, p = 0.558). Injured dancers had a significantly longer training history than non-injured dancers (p = 0.001). It was concluded that femoral shaft torsion does not appear to be associated with the overall incidence of lower limb injury in dancers or to be a primary factor influencing extent of turnout in this population.

TREATMENT OF SUBACUTE POSTERIOR KNEE PAIN IN AN ADOLESCENT BALLET DANCER UTILIZING TRIGGER POINT DRY NEEDLING: A CASE REPORT

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Tansey, Kimberly A.; Westrick, Richard B.

2014-01-01

Study Design: Case Report. Background and Purpose: Dry needling (DN) is an increasingly popular intervention used by clinicians as a treatment of regional neuromusculoskeletal pain. DN is an invasive procedure that involves insertion of a thin monofilament needle directly into a muscle trigger point (MTP) with the intent of stimulating a local twitch response. Current evidence is somewhat limited, but recent literature supports the use of this intervention in specific neuromusculoskeletal conditions. The purpose of this case report is to present the outcomes of DN as a primary treatment intervention in an adolescent subject with subacute posterior knee pain. Case Description: The subject was a 16‐year‐old female competitive ballet dancer referred to physical therapy with a two month history of right posterior knee pain. Palpation identified MTPs which reproduced the patient’s primary symptoms. In addition to an exercise program promoting lower extremity flexibility and hip stability, the subject was treated with DN to the right gastrocnemius, soleus, and popliteus muscles. Outcomes: The subject reported being pain free on the Numerical Pain Scale and a +7 improvement in perceived change in recovery on the Global Rating of Change at final follow‐up. Physical examination demonstrated no observed impairments or functional limitations, including normal mobility, full strength, and unrestricted execution of dance maneuvers. Discussion: The patient was able to return to high level dance training and competition without physical limitations and resumed pre‐injury dynamic movement activities including dancing, running, jumping, and pivoting without pain. DN can be an effective and efficient intervention to assist patients in decreasing pain and returning to high intensity physical activity. Additional research is needed to determine if DN is effective for other body regions and has long‐term positive outcomes. Level of Evidence: Level 4 PMID:24567862

Differences in the occurrence and characteristics of injuries between full-time and part-time dancers.

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

2018-01-01

Professional dancers are at significant risk of injury due to the physical demands of their career. Despite their high numbers, the experience of injury in freelance or part-time dancers is not well understood. Therefore, the aim of this study was to examine the occurrence and characteristics of injury in part-time compared with full-time Australian professional dancers. Data were collected using a cross-sectional survey distributed to employees of small and large dance companies and freelance dancers in Australia. Statistical comparisons between full-time and part-time dancer demographics, dance training, injury prevalence and characteristics were made using χ 2 , two-tailed Fisher's exact tests, independent t-tests and Mann-Whitney U tests. A total of 89 full-time and 57 part-time dancers were included for analysis. A higher proportion of full-time dancers (79.8%) than part-time dancers (63.2%) experienced an injury that impacted on their ability to dance in the past 12 months (p=0.035). Injuries characteristics were similar between groups with fatigue being the most cited contributing factor. Part-time dancers took longer to seek treatment while a higher proportion of full-time dancers were unable to dance in any capacity following their injury. More full-time dancers sustained an injury in the past 12 months, and were unable to dance in any capacity following their injury. However injuries still commonly occurred in part-time dancers without necessarily a large volume of dance activity. Part-time dancers often access general community clinicians for treatment, who may need additional education to practically advise on appropriate return to dance.

Ethnicity and Classicism: A Beautiful Connection.

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Mitchell, Arthur

1984-01-01

The founder of the Dance Theater of Harlem describes his own professional development and discusses how Martin Luther King's assassination led him to make a commitment to the people of Harlem, to the untapped talents of Black artists, and to breaking the traditional barrier against Black dancers in classical ballet. (CMG)

Effect of Reduced Stiffness Dance Flooring on Lower Extremity Joint Angular Trajectories During a Ballet Jump.

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Hackney, James; Brummel, Sara; Newman, Mary; Scott, Shannon; Reinagel, Matthew; Smith, Jennifer

2015-09-01

We carried out a study to investigate how low stiffness flooring may help prevent overuse injuries of the lower extremity in dancers. It was hypothesized that performing a ballet jump (sauté) on a reduced stiffness dance floor would decrease maximum joint flexion angles and negative angular velocities at the hips, knees, or ankles compared to performing the same jump on a harder floor. The participants were 15 young adult female dancers (age range 18 to 28, mean = 20.89 ± 2.93 years) with at least 5 years of continuous ballet experience and without history of serious lower body injury, surgery, or recent pain. They performed sautés on a (low stiffness) Harlequin ® WoodSpring Floor and on a vinyl-covered hardwood on concrete floor. Maximum joint flexion angles and negative velocities at bilateral hips, knees, and ankles were measured with the "Ariel Performance Analysis System" (APAS). Paired one-tailed t-tests yielded significant decreases in maximum knee angle (average decrease = 3.4° ± 4.2°, p = 0.026) and angular negative velocity of the ankles (average decrease = 18.7°/sec ± 27.9°/sec, p = 0.009) with low stiffness flooring. If the knee angle is less acute, then the length of the external knee flexion moment arm will also be shorter and result in a smaller external knee flexion moment, given an equal landing force. Also, high velocities of eccentric muscle contraction, which are necessary to control negative angular velocity of the ankle joint, are associated with higher risk of musculotendinous injury. Hence, our findings indicate that reduced floor stiffness may indeed help decrease the likelihood of lower extremity injuries.

Dynamic evaluation method of lower limbs joint alignment (MADAAMI for dancers during the plié

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Kaanda Nabilla Souza Gontijo

Full Text Available Abstract In classical ballet, the joint misalignments during the plié can generate various injuries. To evaluate potential misalignments during the plié the aim of this study was to present a method for dynamic evaluation of lower limb alignment articulation (called MADAAMI. MADAAMI was validated by 12 experts, and for the evaluation of its reproducibility and for agreement with 3D kinematics, 20 dancers were assessed using a video recording of their plié. For statistical analysis we used the Kappa coefficient (k (p 0.40 and C > 80%, and it is a suitable and valid method for use by the same examiner.

Comparison of Balance Performance Between Thai Classical Dancers and Non-Dancers.

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Krityakiarana, Warin; Jongkamonwiwat, Nopporn

2016-01-01

Thai classical dance is a traditional dramatic art, the technique of which has many features in common with South East Asian performing art. The choreographic patterns consist of various forms of balance control together with limb movements in slow rhythm. The grace and beauty of the dancer are dependent on how well the limb movements curve and angle. The relationship of whole body proportion and balance control in various patterns of support base is also important. The purpose of this study was to compare balance abilities between Thai classical dancers and non-dancers in different balance conditions. Twenty-five Thai classical dancers and 25 non-dancers performed the modified Sensory Organization Test (mSOT) and were further challenged by adding dynamic head tilts (DHTs) in four different directions during mSOT. Mixed model ANOVA was applied to determine the equilibrium score in each balance condition and also the interaction between dancer and non-dancer groups. It was found that Thai classical dancers achieved better equilibrium scores in all mSOT conditions except the least challenging one. Moreover, additional multitask conditions (mSOT+DHT) were revealed to profoundly affect differences between dancers and controls. In conclusion, Thai classical dancers demonstrated a better ability to maintain postural stability during different challenging postural tests. This information suggests various ways of putting the practice of Thai classical dance to use in the future.

Comparison of landing biomechanics between male and female dancers and athletes, part 1: Influence of sex on risk of anterior cruciate ligament injury.

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Orishimo, Karl F; Liederbach, Marijeanne; Kremenic, Ian J; Hagins, Marshall; Pappas, Evangelos

2014-05-01

The incidence of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries among dancers is much lower than among team sport athletes, and no clear disparity between sexes has been reported in the dance population. Although numerous studies have observed differences in landing biomechanics of the lower extremity between male and female team sport athletes, there is currently little research examining the landing biomechanics of male and female dancers and none comparing athletes to dancers. Comparing the landing biomechanics within these populations may help explain the lower overall ACL injury rates and lack of sex disparity. The purpose was to compare the effects of sex and group (dancer vs team sport athlete) on single-legged drop-landing biomechanics. The primary hypothesis was that female dancers would perform a drop-landing task without demonstrating typical sex-related risk factors associated with ACL injuries. A secondary hypothesis was that female team sport athletes would display typical ACL risk factors during the same task. Controlled laboratory study. Kinematics and kinetics were recorded as 40 elite modern and ballet dancers (20 men and 20 women) and 40 team sport athletes (20 men and 20 women) performed single-legged drop landings from a 30-cm platform. Joint kinematics and kinetics were compared between groups and sexes with a group-by-sex multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) followed by pairwise t tests. Dancers of both sexes and male team sport athletes landed similarly in terms of frontal-plane knee alignment, whereas female team sport athletes landed with a significantly greater peak knee valgus (P = .007). Female dancers were found to have a lower hip adduction torque than those of the other 3 groups (P = .003). Dancers (male and female) exhibited a lower trunk side flexion (P = .002) and lower trunk forward flexion (P = .032) compared with team sport athletes. In executing a 30-cm drop landing, female team sport athletes displayed a greater knee valgus

Estudio descriptivo del morfotipo raquídeo sagital en bailarinas de flamenco. Descriptive study of sagittal spinal morphotype in female flamenco dancers.

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Sebastián Gómez-Lozano

2013-05-01

Full Text Available Resumen Son escasos los estudios que analizan la morfología de la espalda en bailaoras de flamenco, si bien, en estilos como el ballet clásico, es conocido el mito de la espalda plana flat back, en el baile flamenco podemos pensar que la sociedad tiene una percepción general de una pose corporal más desdibujada y pasional. Se valoró que tipo de adaptación existe sobre el morfotipo raquídeo en bipedestación después de una década bailando flamenco. Se estudió una muestra de 66 mujeres, 33 bailaoras y 33 estudiantes, no bailarinas, que practicaban actividad física de mantenimiento. La edad media de las bailaoras era de 22.12 + 4.21 años, la talla de 162 + 5.35 cm y el peso de 53.5 + 4.07 Kg. La media de años de entrenamiento era de 15.48 + 4.25. Las curvas raquídeas lumbar y dorsal fueron medidas en bipedestación con un inclinómetro tanto de forma relajada como activa, maniobra de autocorrección que valora el componente flexible de las curvas. Se realizó una estadística descriptiva de cada una de las variables. También se utilizó un análisis de contingencia con la prueba de la Chi-cuadrado de Pearson complementada con un análisis de residuos para extracción de casos procedentes de las variables cuantitativas. Los resultados reflejaron, en relación a las bailaoras que la cifosis dorsal tiende a la reducción de la curvatura o rectificación pero no a la estructuración. La parte baja de la espalda muestra valores de normalidad. Por lo que, en conocimiento de sus antecedentes, recomendamos a cualquier persona que se inicie en el baile flamenco, la práctica de la técnica clásica como complemento funcional preventivo, sobre todo, en los primeros años de entrenamiento.There are few studies examining the morphology of flamenco dancers' back. Whereas in styles like ballet, the “back flat” myth is well known, flamenco dance is seen in a different way: like a blurred, passionate body posture. This study assessed what kind

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

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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).

Persistent osteopenia in ballet dancers with amenorrhea and delayed menarche despite hormone therapy: a longitudinal study.

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Warren, Michelle P; Brooks-Gunn, Jeanne; Fox, Richard P; Holderness, Claire C; Hyle, Emily P; Hamilton, William G; Hamilton, Linda

2003-08-01

To investigate the role of estrogen deprivation and replacement in amenorrheic and nonamenorrheic dancers on hormone therapy and calcium. Clinical, placebo-controlled, randomized trial study.Healthy volunteers in an academic research environment. Fifty-five dancers (mean age: 22.0 +/- 4.6, age at menarche: 14.7 +/- 2.3 years), including 24 amenorrheics. Amenorrheics were randomized in a controlled trial to receive placebo or Premarin, 0.625 mg for 25 days monthly, with Provera, 10 mg, for 10 of these 25 days (hormone therapy) for 2 years. These women were compared to normally menstruating controls. The study participants also received 1250 mg of calcium per day. Bone mineral density (BMD) measured at the foot, wrist, and lumbar spine. Our overall results showed no difference in BMD between the treated or placebo groups, indicating that hormone therapy did not change or normalize BMD when compared to normals. Five patients (all on placebo) who resumed menses during the study showed an increase in BMD without normalization. These findings suggest that mechanisms other than hypoestrogenism may be involved with the osteopenia associated with exercise-induced amenorrhea.

Single-leg squats can predict leg alignment in dancers performing ballet movements in “turnout”

OpenAIRE

Hopper,Luke S; Sato,Nahoko; Weidemann,Andries L

2016-01-01

Luke S Hopper,1 Nahoko Sato,2 Andries L Weidemann1 1Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts, Edith Cowan University, Mt Lawley, WA, Australia; 2Department of Physical Therapy, Nagoya Gakuin University, Seto, Japan Abstract: The physical assessments used in dance injury surveillance programs are often adapted from the sports and exercise domain. Bespoke physical assessments may be required for dance, particularly when ballet movements involve “turning out” or external...

Moving Is Like Making Out: Developing Female University Dancers' Ballet Technique and Expression through the Use of Metaphor

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Spohn, Cydney; Prettyman, Sandra Spickard

2012-01-01

This qualitative study explored the use of metaphor within a somatic context as a means to bridge the divide between technique and expression in two undergraduate advanced intermediate ballet classes. Data included surveys, classroom observations, student journal responses and student work, as well as surveys and journal responses, one year after…

Postural stability in a population of dancers, healthy non-dancers, and vestibular neuritis patients.

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Martin-Sanz, Eduardo; Ortega Crespo, Isabel; Esteban-Sanchez, Jonathan; Sanz, Ricardo

2017-09-01

Several studies have indicated better balance control in dancers than in control participants, but some controversy remains. The aim of our study is to evaluate the postural stability in a cohort of dancers, non-dancers, compensated, and non-compensated unilateral vestibular neuritis (VN). This is a prospective study of control subjects, dancers, and VN patients between June 2009 and December 2015. Dancers from the Dance Conservatory of Madrid and VN patients were referred to our department for analysis. After the clinical history, neuro-otological examination, audiogram, and caloric tests, the diagnosis was done. Results from clinical examination were used for the categorization of compensation situation. A computerized dynamic posturography was performed to every subject. Forty dancers and 38 women formed both 'dancer' and 'normal' cohorts. Forty-two compensated and 39 uncompensated patients formed both 'compensated' and 'uncompensated' cohorts. Dancers had significantly greater antero-posterior (AP) body sway than controls during condition 5 and 6 in the Sensory Organization Test (SOT) (p body sway in every SOT studied condition (p body say in SOT 5 and 6, showed greater values in compensated patients than the control group, the mean analysis did not show any statistical difference between the compensated and dancer groups, in such SOT conditions. Dancers demonstrated greater sways than non-dancers when they relied their postural control on vestibular input alone. Compensated patients had a similar posturographic pattern that the dancers cohort, suggesting a similar shift from visual to somatosensory information.

The Red Shoes : Motion picture (1948)

OpenAIRE

Lauri Lucente, Gloria; Buhagiar, Celaine

2011-01-01

Black Swan : A ballet dancer wins the lead in "Swan Lake" and is perfect for the role of the delicate White Swan - Princess Odette - but slowly loses her mind as she becomes more and more like Odile, the Black Swan. The Red Shoes : A young ballet dancer is torn between the man she loves and her pursuit to become a prima ballerina.

Kinematic analysis of hip and knee rotation and other contributors to ballet turnout.

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Quanbeck, Amy E; Russell, Jeffrey A; Handley, Sara C; Quanbeck, Deborah S

2017-02-01

Turnout, or external rotation (ER) of the lower extremities, is essential in ballet. The purpose of this study was to utilise physical examination and a biomechanical method for obtaining functional kinematic data using hip and knee joint centres to identify the relative turnout contributions from hip rotation, femoral anteversion, knee rotation, tibial torsion, and other sources. Ten female dancers received a lower extremity alignment assessment, including passive hip rotation, femoral anteversion, tibial torsion, weightbearing foot alignment, and Beighton hypermobility score. Next, turnout was assessed using plantar pressure plots and three-dimensional motion analysis; participants performed turnout to ballet first position on both a plantar pressure mat and friction-reducing discs. A retro-reflective functional marker motion capture system mapped the lower extremities and hip and knee joint centres. Mean total turnout was 129±15.7° via plantar pressure plots and 135±17.8° via kinematics. Bilateral hip ER during turnout was 49±10.2° (36% of total turnout). Bilateral knee ER during turnout was 41±5.9° (32% of total turnout). Hip ER contribution to total turnout measured kinematically was less than expected compared to other studies, where hip ER was determined without functional kinematic data. Knee ER contributed substantially more turnout than expected or previously reported. This analysis method allows precise assessment of turnout contributors.

Ballet, why and how? On the role of classical ballet in dance education

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Brown, D.D.; Vos, M.

2013-01-01

Classical ballet is no longer the sole stimulus for today's audiences, as a fluid fusion of everything from ballet to Bollywood and from breakdancing to Latin represents how dance is consumed today. With the emergence of modern choreographers and new teaching styles, debate on the benefits of

Private Speech in Ballet

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Johnston, Dale

2006-01-01

Authoritarian teaching practices in ballet inhibit the use of private speech. This paper highlights the critical importance of private speech in the cognitive development of young ballet students, within what is largely a non-verbal art form. It draws upon research by Russian psychologist Lev Vygotsky and contemporary socioculturalists, to…

Goltsman Ballet hakkab lapsi õpetama

Index Scriptorium Estoniae

2014-01-01

Tantsutrupp Goltsman Ballet asutaja, kunstilise juhi ja tänapäevase balletikunsti pedagoog Maria Goltsmani sõnul hakkab tantsutrupp andma tantsutunde 5-7-aastastele lastele, esialgu Tallinnas. Detsembri lõpus esitles Goltsman Ballet uut tantsuetendust "Blue", lavastajaks Krista Köster

Dynamic postural control and associated attentional demands in contemporary dancers versus non-dancers.

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Sirois-Leclerc, Geneviève; Remaud, Anthony; Bilodeau, Martin

2017-01-01

Postural control is not a fully automatic process, but requires a certain level of attention, particularly as the difficulty of the postural task increases. This study aimed at testing whether experienced contemporary dancers, because of their specialized training involving the control of posture/balance, would present with a dual-task performance suggesting lesser attentional demands associated with dynamic postural control compared with non-dancers. Twenty dancers and 16 non-dancers performed a dynamic postural tracking task in both antero-posterior and side-to-side directions, while standing on a force platform. The postural task was performed, in turn, 1) as a stand-alone task, and concurrently with both 2) a simple reaction time task and 3) a choice reaction time task. Postural control performance was estimated through variables calculated from centre of pressure movements. Although no overall group difference was found in reaction time values, we found a better ability to control the side to side movements of the centre of pressure during the tracking task in dancers compared with non-dancers, which was dependent on the secondary task. This suggests that such increased ability is influenced by available attentional resources.

Dynamic postural control and associated attentional demands in contemporary dancers versus non-dancers.

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Geneviève Sirois-Leclerc

Full Text Available Postural control is not a fully automatic process, but requires a certain level of attention, particularly as the difficulty of the postural task increases. This study aimed at testing whether experienced contemporary dancers, because of their specialized training involving the control of posture/balance, would present with a dual-task performance suggesting lesser attentional demands associated with dynamic postural control compared with non-dancers. Twenty dancers and 16 non-dancers performed a dynamic postural tracking task in both antero-posterior and side-to-side directions, while standing on a force platform. The postural task was performed, in turn, 1 as a stand-alone task, and concurrently with both 2 a simple reaction time task and 3 a choice reaction time task. Postural control performance was estimated through variables calculated from centre of pressure movements. Although no overall group difference was found in reaction time values, we found a better ability to control the side to side movements of the centre of pressure during the tracking task in dancers compared with non-dancers, which was dependent on the secondary task. This suggests that such increased ability is influenced by available attentional resources.

The Relationship between Mental and Somatic Practices and Wisdom.

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Patrick B Williams

Full Text Available In this study we sought to explore how experience with specific mental and somatic practices is associated with wisdom, using self-report measures of experience and wisdom. We administered standard surveys to measure wisdom and experience among four groups of practitioners of mental and somatic practices, namely, meditators, practitioners of the Alexander Technique, practitioners of the Feldenkrais Method, and classical ballet dancers. We additionally administered surveys of trait anxiety and empathy to all participants to explore possible mediating relationships of experience and wisdom by characteristics thought to be components of wisdom. Wisdom was higher on average among meditation practitioners, and lowest among ballet dancers, and this difference held when controlling for differences in age between practices, supporting the view that meditation is linked to wisdom and that ballet is not. However, we found that increased experience with meditation and ballet were both positively associated with wisdom, and that lowered trait anxiety mediated this positive association among meditation practitioners, and, non-significantly, among ballet dancers. These results suggest that not all practices that are purported to affect mental processing are related to wisdom to the same degree and different kinds of experience appear to relate to wisdom in different ways, suggesting different mechanisms that might underlie the development of wisdom with experience.

Long-term training modifies the modular structure and organization of walking balance control

OpenAIRE

Sawers, Andrew; Allen, Jessica L.; Ting, Lena H.

2015-01-01

How does long-term training affect the neural control of movements? Here we tested the hypothesis that long-term training leading to skilled motor performance alters muscle coordination during challenging, as well as nominal everyday motor behaviors. Using motor module (a.k.a., muscle synergy) analyses, we identified differences in muscle coordination patterns between professionally trained ballet dancers (experts) and untrained novices that accompanied differences in walking balance proficie...

Feasibility Study for Ballet E-Learning: Automatic Composition System for Ballet "Enchainement" with Online 3D Motion Data Archive

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Umino, Bin; Longstaff, Jeffrey Scott; Soga, Asako

2009-01-01

This paper reports on "Web3D dance composer" for ballet e-learning. Elementary "petit allegro" ballet steps were enumerated in collaboration with ballet teachers, digitally acquired through 3D motion capture systems, and categorised into families and sub-families. Digital data was manipulated into virtual reality modelling language (VRML) and fit…

Prevalence of chronic ankle instability and associated symptoms in university dance majors: an exploratory study.

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Simon, Janet; Hall, Emily; Docherty, Carrie

2014-01-01

Previous investigations have established that dancers suffer a large number of injuries to the lower leg, foot, and ankle, with a portion of these being significant time loss injuries or in some cases career ending. Lateral ankle sprain is a common injury in dancers and can often lead to recurrent instability and repetitive injuries. Research in other active populations has linked ankle sprains to the development of chronic ankle instability (CAI). Therefore, the purpose of this study was to identify the prevalence of CAI and related symptoms of ankle sprain in a student dance population. Individuals were included if they were currently a modern or ballet dance major at the investigators' university (exclusion criterion: a history of fracture or surgery in the lower extremities). A self-reported demographic questionnaire and the Identification of Functional Ankle Instability survey were used to identify the presence and characteristics of CAI. A total of 83 questionnaires were collected, and after exclusions, 77 participants remained: 43 modern dancers and 34 ballet dancers (10 males and 67 females, mean age 19.61 ± 2.53 years, mean dance experience 13.61 ± 3.16 years). Of all dancers surveyed, 41 (53.2%) had CAI, and of those 24 (58.5%) were modern dancers, and 17 (41.5%) were ballet dancers. When looking only at those dancers who had a previous lateral ankle sprain, 75.9% were identified as having CAI. Chronic Ankle Instability can create long-term problems for anyone but especially female dancers, who place extreme stress on their feet and ankles from being en pointe or demi-pointe. It is important to educate dancers, instructors, and medical staff of the importance of recognizing CAI and seeking medical care for ankle sprains and their residual symptoms.

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

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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

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.

РУССКИЕ МАСТЕРА БАЛЕТА НА БЕЛГРАДСКОЙ СЦЕНЕ В XX – НАЧАЛЕ XXI ВВ.

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Viktor Ivanovich Kosik

2017-02-01

Full Text Available The main goal of the article is to outline significant contribution to the history of Belgrade ballet of those Russian dancers who came to the Kingdom of Serbia after leaving Russia in 1917, and to monitor the contribution of the next generations of Russian masters who came to Belgrade, the capital of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia, later the Socialistic Federative Republic of Yugoslavia. They have invested a lot of their effort, talent, and time, laid the foundations and provided very fast development of Belgrade ballet so that it caught up step with European ballet scene. The article, based on numerous sources and literature, including unpublished memoirs, confirmed that dancers who came after Bolshevik revolution contributed to the establishment of the national ballet center at the Belgrade National Theater and the ballet school where the first dancers of the Serbian origin were formed under the tutelage of Elena Poljakova, Nina Kirsanova, Xenia Grundt-Dumet. Celebrated ballerinas Anna Pavlova and Tamara Karsavina performed at the Belgrade stage in the twenties of the last century. In addition, unlike previously common approaches to this subject limited to the role and activity of the Russian emigration in the interwar period, the article is extended from the period during and after the Second World War to the present days. Accordingly, the paper includes the renowned Soviet masters such as Leonid Lavrovsky, Maya Plisetskaya, Natalia Dudinskaya, and those who have played important role in the contemporary ballet life in Serbia, to name Hmela, Pilipenko, Kasatkin, Logunov, and Kostjukov.

Establishing Rapport with a Virtual Dancer

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Nijholt, Antinus; Reidsma, Dennis; van Welbergen, H.; Sheridan, J.G.; Bayliss, A.

We discuss an embodied agent that acts as a dancer and invites human partners to dance with her. The dancer has a repertoire of gestures and moves obtained from inverse kinematics and motion capturing that can be combined in order to dance both on the beat of the music that is provided to the dancer

"Whole" Ballet Education: Exploring Direct and Indirect Teaching Methods

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Choi, Euichang; Kim, Na-ye

2015-01-01

The purpose of this study was to explore teaching methods for whole ballet in Korean ballet education. This study built upon a first phase of research that identified the educational content of "whole" ballet. Four dimensions were identified as the educational content: "physical," "cognitive," "emotional"…

Finger-to-beat coordination skill of non-dancers, street dancers, and the world champion of a street-dance competition

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Akito eMiura

2016-04-01

Full Text Available The coordination of body movements to a musical beat is a common feature of many dance styles. However, the auditory-motor coordination skills of dancers remain largely uninvestigated. The purpose of this study was to examine the auditory-motor coordination skills of non-dancers, street dancers, and the winner of a celebrated international street dance competition, while coordinating their rhythmic finger movements to a beat. The beat rate of a metronome increased from 1.0 to 3.7 Hz. The participants were asked to either flex or extend their index fingers on the beat in each condition. Under the extend-on-the-beat condition, both the dancers and non-dancers showed a spontaneous transition from the extend-on-the-beat to the flex-on-the-beat or to a phase wandering pattern. However, the critical frequency at which the transition occurred was significantly higher in the dancers (3.3 Hz than in the non-dancers (2.6 Hz. Under the flex-on-the-beat condition, the dancers were able to maintain their coordination pattern more stably at high beat rates compared to the non-dancers. Furthermore, the world champion matched the timing of movement peak velocity to the beat across the different beat rates. This may give a sense of unity between the movement and the beat for the audience because the peak velocity of the rhythmic movement works as a temporal cue for the audiovisual synchrony perception. These results suggest that the skills of accomplished dancers lie in their small finger movements and that the sensorimotor learning of street dance is characterized by a stabilization of the coordination patterns, including the inhibition of an unintentional transition to other coordination patterns.

Bilateral anterior tarsal tunnel syndrome variant secondary to extensor hallucis brevis muscle hypertrophy in a ballet dancer: a case report.

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Tennant, Joshua N; Rungprai, Chamnanni; Phisitkul, Phinit

2014-12-01

We present a case of bilateral anterior tarsal tunnel syndrome secondary EHB hypertrophy in a dancer, with successful treatment with bilateral EHB muscle excisions for decompression. The bilateral presentation of this case with the treatment of EHB muscle excision is the first of its type reported in the literature. Copyright © 2014 European Foot and Ankle Society. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

INVITATION Replay of the Rudra-Béjart Ballet for the CERN Staff

CERN Multimedia

Luciano Maiani

2000-01-01

Most of you couldn't attend the ballet performance given by the Rudra-Béjart School at the LEP Ministerial Ceremony on 9 October due to the limited space on the seating - and I felt that was a great pity. But I am very happy to announce now, prompted by the quality of the show and the unanimous enthusiasm of those present, that I have asked the Rudra-Béjart School to repeat the show for you - not on CERN Site this time - but nonetheless in excellent conditions. Not only has Maurice Béjart accepted, but this second performance also gives great joy to the young dancers of his School, who felt so proud to perform at CERN. A private performance will be given for you at the Geneva ARENA on Tuesday 5 December at 8.00 pm sharp, and will last longer than the original performance at CERN: 1 hour 20 instead of 35 minutes. I encourage you all to attend this performance-bring in great numbers yourselves, members of your family, and your friends. 2,020 places are available, for which tick...

Precision Teaching, Frequency-Building, and Ballet Dancing

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Lokke, Gunn E. H.; Lokke, Jon A.; Arntzen, Erick

2008-01-01

This article reports the effectiveness of a brief intervention aimed at achieving fluency in basic ballet moves in a 9-year-old Norwegian girl by use of frequency-building and Precision Teaching procedures. One nonfluent ballet move was pinpointed, and instructional and training procedures designed to increase the frequency of accurate responding…

Obsessive passion: a dependency associated with injury-related risky behaviour in dancers.

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Akehurst, Sally; Oliver, Emily J

2014-01-01

Grounded in self-determination theory, obsessive passion for an activity has been associated with increased risky behaviour and rigid persistence, both symptomatic of dependence. However, it is unknown whether obsessive passion may predict the development of dependence, and furthermore, theoretically important relationships between basic need satisfaction, passion, exercise dependence and subsequent risky behaviour have not been fully explored. A sample of 100 professional dancers (50(fs); 50(ms); Mage = 20.88; SD = 2.69) completed self-ratings of risk-related behaviours (doctor visits; following treatment, and warming up), passion for dance and dance dependence. Findings supported the maladaptive nature of obsessive passion in relation to risky behaviour and as predicted dance dependence mediated this relationship. Interestingly, need satisfaction was positively related to both obsessive passion and harmonious passion. Results are discussed in the light of self-determination theory and dysfunctions of obsessive passion, suggesting that professional dancers are at risk of employing maladaptive behaviours if high in obsessive passion, which may be detectable via symptoms of dance dependence.

Survey of Musculoskeletal Disorders Among Indian Dancers in Mumbai and Mangalore.

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Nair, Shruti Prabhakaran; Kotian, Shruti; Hiller, Claire; Mullerpatan, Rajani

2018-06-15

Classical Indian dance has earned recognition across the globe; however, the health of dancers who are carrying forth this heritage has not received due attention. Therefore, this study aimed to explore musculoskeletal pain and injury prevailing among Indian dancers in Mumbai and Mangalore. A secondary aim was to compare pain tolerance levels between dancers and non-dancers. Fifty-one dancers trained in different traditional Indian and Western dance forms and 164 recreational dancers were recruited as participants. An indigenous questionnaire was designed and validated by physical therapists across various levels of experience and dancers across various training levels. The questionnaire recorded dance, pain, and injury profiles. Additionally, pain tolerance was evaluated using the Pain Sensitivity Questionnaire among dancers and healthy age- and gender-matched controls (N = 200). Descriptive statistical analysis was performed to present results of the site of current pain, site of past injury, perceived causes of injury, and exercise routine. The Student's t-test was used to compare Pain Sensitivity Questionnaire scores between dancers and non-dancers, and independent one-way ANOVA was used to compare scores among dancers practicing different dance forms. For both current pain and past injury, dancers reported the back (42.5%) followed by the knee (28.3%) and ankle (18.6%) as the most common sites. Stress was the most commonly perceived cause of injury (34.4%), followed by over work (24.7%), tiredness (17.2%), and falls (13.5%). Warm-up exercises were always performed by 43.30% of dancers, whereas only 20% performed stretching after dance. Almost 60% of dancers participated in forms of exercise other than dance, e.g., swimming, yoga, and aerobics. Pain sensitivity was not significantly different between dancers and non-dancers (p = 0.159). Level of training and gender did not influence pain.

Lumbosacral pain in ballet school students. Pilot study.

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Drężewska, Marlena; Śliwiński, Zbigniew

2013-01-01

The unique biomechanical demands placed on ballet students predispose to injury and pain. The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of lumbosacral pain in ballet school students and to identify possible risk factors for the pain. The study group comprised 71 ballet school students, including 45 females and 26 males, aged 15-18 years (mean 16.5 years). In order to identify possible risk factors for pain, a survey was conducted, the angle of sacral bone inclination was measured using a mechanical inclinometer and the BMI was calculated. A VAS scale was used for a subjective assessment of pain intensity. Low back pain was reported by 44 patients (62%). A comparison of sacral inclination angles in a position with the feet placed parallel and in the turnout position showed statistically significant changes in the angle among respondents reporting pain (p ballet school stu dents can increase the risk of lumbosacral pain.

Somatotype analysis of students who will be trained for classical ballet

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Ayse Gul Kabakci

2016-12-01

Material and Methods: In the 2013-2014 academic year Cukurova University State Conservatory Ballet Main Art Branch recieved 8-11-year-old students admitted to study ballet training, compared to students who were not accepted by the accepted students. Convenient and inconvenient students for ballet education were identified as two study groups. While conevient experimental group, inconvenient students were evaluated as control group. This study ballet students determine their body type and includes anthropometric measurements to evaluate objectively the criteria for ballet training. In determining the Heath-Carter body type classification is used. Results: In our study, Cukurova University State Conservatory accepted applicants for training in ballet, for 51 female students were enrolled. As 31 girls were convenient for ballet education, 20 girls were not. While the average of age, height and weight measurements of convenient students were 9.51+/-0.67, 1.38+/-0.07 m and 30.03+/-4.85kg respectively, the same dimensions in inconvenient students, 10.20+/-0.89, 1.43+/-0.10 m and 39.06+/-6.94 kg respectively. Measurements of diameter, circumference and subcutaneous fat thickness were found less for convenient students. Major body type of convenient students was identified as mesomorph, whereas major body type of inconvenient students was identified as endomorphy. Conclusion: These parameters used in convenience for classical ballet education were evaluated objectively. The observations presented in this study have defined physical features and need to be taken into consideration for evaluate and guidelines for determine the deficiency in literature. [Cukurova Med J 2016; 41(4.000: 744-753

Lumbar lordosis in female collegiate dancers and gymnasts.

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Ambegaonkar, Jatin P; Caswell, Amanda M; Kenworthy, Kristen L; Cortes, Nelson; Caswell, Shane V

2014-12-01

Postural deviations can predispose an individual to increased injury risk. Specifically, lumbar deviations are related to increased low back pain and injury. Dancers and gymnasts are anecdotally suggested to have exaggerated lumbar lordosis and subsequently may be at increased risk of lumbar pathologies. Our objective was to examine lumbar lordosis levels in dancers and gymnasts. We examined lumbar lordosis in 47 healthy collegiate females (17 dancers, 29 gymnasts; mean age 20.2 ± 1.6 yrs) using 2-dimensional sagittal plane photographs and the Watson MacDonncha Posture Analysis instrument. Participants' lordosis levels were cross-tabulated and a Mann-Whitney U-test compared lumbar lordosis between groups (plordosis deviations. The distribution of lordosis was similar across groups (p=0.22). Most dancers and gymnasts had moderate or marked lumbar lordosis. The extreme ranges of motion required during dancing and gymnastics may contribute to the participants' high lumbar lordosis. Instructors should be aware that there may be links between repetitive hyperextension activities and lumbar lordosis levels in dancers and gymnasts. Thus, they should proactively examine lumbar lordosis in their dancers and gymnasts. How much age of training onset, regimens, survivor bias, or other factors influence lumbar lordosis requires study. Longitudinal studies are also needed to determine if lumbar lordosis levels influence lumbar injury incidence in dancers and gymnasts.

Ballet-Related Content in Music Education in the First Cycle of Primary Education

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Stergulec Tjaša

2013-09-01

Full Text Available This paper deals with the integration of ballet-related content into music lessons in the first cycle of primary education. It seeks to outline some current findings concerning the positive impact of dance and classical ballet on integrated child development and the results of an empirical research study the objective of which was to compare the ability of primary school pupils aged six to nine years to perform a simple ballet choreography against that of ballet school pupils and to examine pupils’ attitude towards classical ballet. For this end, we prepared additional ballet-related content in 2011 and incorporated it into classroom practice with students attending Fran Korun Koželjski Music School in Velenje and pupils attending the first and the third grades of Franc Rozman Stane Primary School in Maribor. To compare the performance of one and the other we used specific evaluation criteria, while we obtained pupils’ feedback on ballet lessons by means of a short questionnaire. It was established that children did possess the ability as well as the desire to practice classical ballet. The executions of the ballet choreography by both groups were comparable, and the only difference noticed regarded the physical ability, body coordination, and spatial coordination criteria, which were not fully achieved by the primary school pupils. Due to the positive influence of the activity on the integrated development of children and the children’s positive reaction, it is necessary to incorporate as many ballet-related subject matter as possible into music education.

Investigation the exercise dependence symptoms among dancers

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Özhan Bavlı

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Aim: The aim of this study was to investigate the exercise addiction symptoms among dancers. Material and Methods: Totally 99 dancers (48 female and 51 male minimum 2 years licensed in dance (Folk dance, Modern dance, Latin dance participated in to the study voluntary. Demographic survey and Exercise Dependence Scale-21 which was developed by Hausenblas HA. and Downs DS. (2002 and adapted in to Turkish by Yeltepe H. and Ikizler H.C. (2007 used to collect data. Kruskal-Wallis test in SPSS was used to analyze data. Results: Analysis showed that %20.4 of participants was asymptomatic, %69.4 of was symptomatic and %10.2 was exercise addiction. Besides it is found that dancers had University level education majority (%80.6. Symptomatic (%48.1 and addicts (%8.1 were Folk dancers mostly. Symptomatic had statistically higher exercise age than asymptomatic and addicts had statistically higher daily exercise duration than the others were found. Conclusion: According to findings It is possible to say that; the high frequency of daily exercise and the high exercise age can be effective to appear the exercise dependence among dancers.

Comparative analysis of substance use in ballet, dance sport, and synchronized swimming: results of a longitudinal study.

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Zenic, Natasa; Peric, Mia; Zubcevic, Nada Grcic; Ostojic, Zdenko; Ostojic, Ljerka

2010-06-01

There have been few studies comparing substance use and misuse (SU&M) in different performing arts forms. Herein, we identified and compared SU&M in women studying an art (ballet, n = 21), a non-Olympic sport (dance sport, n = 25), and an Olympic sport (synchronized swimming, n = 23). The sample of variables comprised general, educational, and sport factors, as well as SU&M data, including consumption of opiates, cigarettes, alcohol, nutritional supplements, doping behaviors, and beliefs. Using the Kruskal-Wallis test, we found no significant differences between study groups in potential doping behaviors. Most of the examinees reported that they did not rely on physicians' and/or coaches' opinions regarding doping. Only sport dancers recognized their consumption of cannabis as a violation of anti-doping rules. Those more convinced that doping habits are present in their sport (or art) have a certain tendency toward doping usage. In conclusion, a strong anti-doping campaign within the studied arts is suggested, focusing on the health-related problems of SU&M.

Mechanics of jazz shoes and their effect on pointing in child dancers.

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Fong Yan, Alycia; Smith, Richard; Vanwanseele, Benedicte; Hiller, Claire

2012-07-01

There has been little scientific investigation of the impact of dance shoes on foot motion or dance injuries. The pointed (plantar-flexed) foot is a fundamental component of both the technical requirements and the traditional aesthetic of ballet and jazz dancing. The aims of this study were to quantify the externally observed angle of plantar flexion in various jazz shoes compared with barefoot and to compare the sagittal plane bending stiffness of the various jazz shoes. Sixteen female recreational child dancers were recruited for 3D motion analysis of active plantar flexion. The jazz shoes tested were a split-sole jazz shoe, full-sole jazz shoe, and jazz sneaker. A shoe dynamometer measured the stiffness of the jazz shoes. The shoes had a significant effect on ankle plantar flexion. All jazz shoes significantly restricted the midfoot plantar flexion angle compared with the barefoot condition. The split-sole jazz shoe demonstrated the least restriction, whereas the full-sole jazz shoe the most midfoot restriction. A small restriction in metartarsophalangeal plantar flexion and a greater restriction at the midfoot joint were demonstrated when wearing stiff jazz shoes. These restrictions will decrease the aesthetic of the pointed foot, may encourage incorrect muscle activation, and have an impact on dance performance.

Reflective Practice in the Ballet Class: Bringing Progressive Pedagogy to the Classical Tradition

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Zeller, Jessica

2017-01-01

This research seeks to broaden the dialogue on progressive ballet pedagogy through an examination of reflective practices in the ballet class. Ballet's traditional model of instruction has long required students to quietly comply with the pedagogue's directives, and it has thus become notorious for promoting student passivity. Despite strong…

The Relationship Between Muscular Strength and Dance Injuries: A Systematic Review.

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Moita, João P; Nunes, Alexandre; Esteves, José; Oliveira, Raul; Xarez, Luis

2017-03-01

The physical demands placed on dancers put them at significant risk for injury, with rates similar to ones sustained by athletes in sports at the same level of performance. Muscle strength has been suggested to play a preventative role against injury in dancers. To systematically search and examine the available evidence on the protective role of muscle strength in dance injuries. Five electronic databases and two dance-specific science publications were screened up to September 2015. Study selection was based on a priori inclusion criteria on the relation between muscle strength components and injuries. Methodologic quality and level of evidence were assessed using the Downs and Black (DB) checklist and the Oxford Centre of Evidence-Based Medicine (OCEBM) 2011 model. From 186 titles found, only 8 studies met the inclusion criteria and were considered for review. Because of the significant heterogeneity of the included studies, meta-analysis was deemed inappropriate. The DB quality assessment results ranged from 18.7% to 75% (mean 42.3±16.9) and the OCEBM between 2b and 4. Some level 2b evidence from 2 studies suggested that pre-professional ballet dancers who get injured exhibit lower overall muscle strength scores on the lower extremity, and that lower extremity power gains may be associated with decreased bodily pain but not injury rate. Although there might be an association trend toward low muscle strength and dance injuries, the nature of that relation remains unclear, and presently the state of knowledge does not provide a solid basis for designing interventions for prevention.

Kinematics analysis technique fouettes 720° classic ballet.

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Li Bo

2011-07-01

Full Text Available Athletics practice proved that the more complex the item, the more difficult technique of the exercises. Fouettes at 720° one of the most difficult types of the fouettes. Its implementation is based on high technology during rotation of the performer. To perform this element not only requires good physical condition of the dancer, but also requires possession correct technique dancer. On the basis corresponding kinematic theory in this study, qualitative analysis and quantitative assessment of fouettes at 720 by the best Chinese dancers. For analysis, was taken the method of stereoscopic images and the theoretical analysis.

The Influences of an Exemplary Ballet Teacher on Students' Motivation: "The Finnish Way"

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Chua, Joey

2017-01-01

This ethnographic case story aims to illuminate the instructional practices and decisions of an exemplary ballet teacher, Minna Stenvall at the Finnish National Opera Ballet School. Minna is considered to be exemplary in her field because she received the Best Ballet Pedagogue Award in 2014. Spurred on by the literature on the significant role…

Body Mass Index and Menstrual Patterns in Dancers.

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Stracciolini, Andrea; Quinn, Bridget J; Geminiani, Ellen; Kinney, Susan; McCrystal, Tara; Owen, Michael; Pepin, Michael J; Stein, Cynthia J

2016-04-18

Questionnaires were distributed to investigate body mass index (BMI) and menstrual patterns in female dancers aged 12 to 17 years. The study cohort consisted of 105 dancers, mean age 14.8 ± 1.1 years, and mean BMI 19.5 ± 2.3 kg/m 2 In all, 92% were healthy weight for height. First menses age ranged from 10 to 15 years (mean 12.9 ± 1.1 years). A total of 44% reported irregular menses; of those, 14% described irregularity as "every other month," 37% as "every 3 months," and 49% as "skips a month occasionally." A total of 36% of the dancers stop getting their menses during times of increased activity/dance, and 30% have gone >3 months at any time without getting their menses. A significant negative correlation between BMI and age of first menses was found with lower BMI associated with increased age of first menses (linear regression, β = -0.49,P= .021). This study supports an association between BMI and age of menarche among young female dancers. Given bone health reliance on hormonal milieu in female dancers, future research is warranted. © The Author(s) 2016.

Public Participation in Classical Ballet: A Special Analysis of the Ballet Data Collected in the 1982 and 1985 Survey of Public Participation in the Arts.

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Keegan, Carol

The 1982 and 1985 Survey of Public Participation in the Arts (SPPA) produced a national audience profile for classical ballet and explored factors that predispose participation in this art form. This monograph analyzed data from these surveys in terms of: (1) audience size and composition for live ballet performances; (2) television's role in…

Time motion and video analysis of classical ballet and contemporary dance performance.

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Wyon, M A; Twitchett, E; Angioi, M; Clarke, F; Metsios, G; Koutedakis, Y

2011-11-01

Video analysis has become a useful tool in the preparation for sport performance and its use has highlighted the different physiological demands of seemingly similar sports and playing positions. The aim of the current study was to examine the performance differences between classical ballet and contemporary dance. In total 93 dance performances (48 ballet and 45 contemporary) were analysed for exercise intensity, changes in direction and specific discrete skills (e. g., jumps, lifts). Results revealed significant differences between the 2 dance forms for exercise intensity (pBallet was characterised by longer periods at rest (38 s x min(-1)) and high to very high exercise intensities (9 s x min(-1)), whilst contemporary dance featured more continuous moderate exercise intensities (27 s x min(-1)). These differences have implications on the energy systems utilised during performance with ballet potentially stressing the anaerobic system more than contemporary dance. The observed high rates in the discrete skills in ballet (5 jumps x min(-1); 2 lifts x min(-1)) can cause local muscular damage, particularly in relatively weaker individuals. In conclusion, classical ballet and contemporary dance performances are as significantly different in the underlying physical demands placed on their performers as the artistic aspects of the choreography. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

THE CLASSICAL BALLET METHODOLOGY AND THEIR POSSIBLE DIALOGUE WITH LABANIANAS THEORIES

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Lanusse Sousa Jaime

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Establish a dialogue between a codified technique with other body techniques becomes a challenge when it comes to a tradition. Moths new avenues for the ballet teaching may move several problems found with respect to a hierarchy of knowledge. Ballet with its tradition and its stroked paths can be reorganized to build thinking and conscious bodies? The traditional classical technique transits other body language? Often there are more complex issues to think today in teaching and learning ballet . These issues translate my need to research and experiment with new ways to teach this technique.

Balance Comparisons between Female Dancers and Active Nondancers

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Ambegaonkar, Jatin P.; Caswell, Shane V.; Winchester, Jason B.; Shimokochi, Yohei; Cortes, Nelson; Caswell, Amanda M.

2013-01-01

Purpose: Female dancers have lower anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury rates compared with physically active women. Enhanced balance can decrease musculoskeletal injury risk. Dancers are proposed to have superior balance compared with physically active nondancers, and this may reduce their risk for ACL injury. However, whether female dancers…

Wellness Education for Dancers: A 15-Year Retrospective

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Cardinal, Marita K.

2009-01-01

The health and well-being of dancers is a critical but often neglected issue. Dancers face the pressure of extreme physical and emotional demands and lean body weight, which can result in musculoskeletal injuries, disordered eating behaviors, endangered health, and diminished artistic performance. Unfortunately, many do not receive adequate…

The Mind/Body Connection and the Practice of Classical Ballet

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Dixon, Emma

2005-01-01

This paper examines two very different approaches to dance training, ballet technique and the somatic discipline of Topf technique ("TT"). It explores and evaluates the application of TT to ballet training. Initially, what is meant by the term "mind/body connection" is discussed, and then the paper examines, in a theoretical and a practical sense,…

Bedraggled Ballerinas on a Bus Back to Bow: The ‘Fairy Business’

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Anne Witchard

2011-09-01

Full Text Available This paper begins to explore cultural connections between mid-Victorian music hall and dance modernism by looking at the role of the female dancer and her traverse of the socio-geographical space between the East End and the West End. I argue that by examining the ‘lost’ history of music-hall ballet we might find an indigenous performative tradition that presupposes the impact of the Ballets Russes on the London stage.

Dancers with achilles tendinopathy demonstrate altered lower extremity takeoff kinematics.

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Kulig, Kornelia; Loudon, Janice K; Popovich, John M; Pollard, Christine D; Winder, Brooke R

2011-08-01

Controlled laboratory study using a cross-sectional design. To analyze lower extremity kinematics during takeoff of a "saut de chat" (leap) in dancers with and without a history of Achilles tendinopathy (AT). We hypothesized that dancers with AT would demonstrate different kinematic strategies compared to dancers without pathology, and that these differences would be prominent in the transverse and frontal planes. AT is a common injury experienced by dancers. Dance leaps such as the saut de chat place a large demand on the Achilles tendon. Sixteen female dancers with and without a history of AT (mean ± SD age, 18.8 ± 1.2 years) participated. Three-dimensional kinematics at the hip, knee, and ankle were quantified for the takeoff of the saut de chat, using a motion analysis system. A force platform was used to determine braking and push-off phases of takeoff. Peak sagittal, frontal, and transverse plane joint positions during the braking and push-off phases of the takeoff were examined statistically. Independent samples t tests were used to evaluate group differences (α = .05). The dancers in the tendinopathy group demonstrated significantly higher peak hip adduction during the braking phase of takeoff (mean ± SD, 13.5° ± 6.1° versus 7.7° ± 4.2°; P = .046). During the push-off phase, dancers with AT demonstrated significantly more internal rotation at the knee (13.2° ± 5.2° versus 6.9° ± 4.9°; P = .024). Dancers with AT demonstrate increased peak transverse and frontal plane kinematics when performing the takeoff of a saut de chat. These larger displacements may be either causative or compensatory factors in the development of AT.

'The moment when it al comes together': embodied experiences in ballet

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Aalten, A.

2004-01-01

This article is both an elaborated critique on the one-sided analysis of the misogynist nature of ballet as a cultural practice, and a contribution to a more embodied feminist theory. Based on empirical material, that was brought together by observing the body practices in ballet and listening to

Pre-Professional Ideologies and Career Trajectories of the Allied Professional Undergraduate Student

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Hosein, Anesa; Rao, Namrata

2017-01-01

Undergraduate students sometimes pursue degrees that are aimed at allied jobs. This research examines how students in one allied professional degree, education studies, conceptualise their pre-professional ideology and how these ideologies relate to their intended career trajectory. The research draws upon a year-long qualitative survey of over 70…

System Attraction of Visual and Iconographic Material as a Development Thrustof Modern Ballet Theater

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Tatiana Portnova

2015-08-01

Full Text Available The article deals with the issues of artwork impact on ballet artists’ and ballet masters’ creativity – creation of choreographic works based on artworks. Facts (examples demonstrating such borrowing are involved, but more significantly, the range of potential opportunities, which may enrich modern ballet theater, is outlined. The matter of figurative material takes on particular importance, i.e. the issue to what extent a choreographic work reflects the essence of an artwork accurately, deeply, and adequately. The article considers the connection and mutual benefit of the processes of creative interpenetration of graphics, art, sculpture, arts and crafts, and ballet theater. Different techniques of figurative sources are studied: illustration, statement, demonstration, comparison, event localization, generalization, stylistic device, and their visualization by means of choreographic dynamics. It’s concluded the synthetic nature of ballet theatergives rise to new polygenre structures that can intensify both expressive and semantic content of choreographic image, create original stage solutions.

A cross-sectional study of elite adult Irish dancers: biopsychosocial traits, pain, and injury.

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Cahalan, Roisin; Purtill, Helen; O'Sullivan, Peter; O'Sullivan, Kieran

2015-03-01

Despite its growing popularity, scant research exists concerning musculoskeletal pain and injury in Irish dancing (ID). This study aimed to record the biopsychosocial characteristics of elite adult Irish dancers and to investigate potential relationships between these characteristics and musculoskeletal pain and injury. One hundred and four professional Irish dancers, elite competitive Irish dancers, and dancers in full time education studying ID completed a questionnaire providing data on dance and activity levels, physical and psychological health, and pain and injury history. Of these subjects, 84 underwent 1. a physical screening of lower limb flexibility, which involved balance and endurance; 2. a number of functional tests; and 3. anthropometric, biomechanical, and anatomical assessments. Subjects were divided into "significantly injured (SI)" and "not significantly injured (NSI)" categories based on the severity and impact of self-reported pain and injury. Thirty-three (31.7%) subjects were classified as SI and 71 (68.3%) as NSI. The factors significantly associated with being SI were female sex (p = 0.036), higher number of subjective general health (p = 0.001) and psychological (p = 0.036) complaints, low mood (p = 0.01), heightened catastrophizing (p = 0.047), and failure always to complete a warm-up (p = 0.006). A self-reported injury rate of 76.9% over the previous 5 years was reported. The mean number of injuries sustained to all body parts over the previous 5 years was 1.49, with a mean of 126.1 days lost annually to injury. Foot and ankle injuries were most prevalent. It was concluded that there is a significant level of musculoskeletal pain and injury in elite adult ID. A complex combination of biopsychosocial factors appears to be associated with pain and injury.

Kinematic repeatability of a multi-segment foot model for dance.

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Carter, Sarah L; Sato, Nahoko; Hopper, Luke S

2018-03-01

The purpose of this study was to determine the intra and inter-assessor repeatability of a modified Rizzoli Foot Model for analysing the foot kinematics of ballet dancers. Six university-level ballet dancers performed the movements; parallel stance, turnout plié, turnout stance, turnout rise and flex-point-flex. The three-dimensional (3D) position of individual reflective markers and marker triads was used to model the movement of the dancers' tibia, entire foot, hindfoot, midfoot, forefoot and hallux. Intra and inter-assessor reliability demonstrated excellent (ICC ≥ 0.75) repeatability for the first metatarsophalangeal joint in the sagittal plane. Intra-assessor reliability demonstrated excellent (ICC ≥ 0.75) repeatability during flex-point-flex across all inter-segmental angles except for the tibia-hindfoot and hindfoot-midfoot frontal planes. Inter-assessor repeatability ranged from poor to excellent (0.5 > ICC ≥ 0.75) for the 3D segment rotations. The most repeatable measure was the tibia-foot dorsiflexion/plantar flexion articulation whereas the least repeatable measure was the hindfoot-midfoot adduction/abduction articulation. The variation found in the inter-assessor results is likely due to inconsistencies in marker placement. This 3D dance specific multi-segment foot model provides insight into which kinematic measures can be reliably used to ascertain in vivo technical errors and/or biomechanical abnormalities in a dancer's foot motion.

Goltsman Ballet avab oma hooaja Jõhvis / Irina Kiviselg

Index Scriptorium Estoniae

Kiviselg, Irina, 1961-

2013-01-01

Tantsutrupp Goltsman Ballet avab oma teise hooaja Jõhvi kontserdimajas tantsuetendusega "Siddhartha", mille idee toetub Hermann Hesse samanimelisele romaanile. Tantsutrupi juhendaja on Maria Goltsman

Musculoskeletal injuries and pain in dancers: a systematic review update.

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Jacobs, Craig L; Hincapié, Cesar A; Cassidy, J David

2012-01-01

The objective of this study was to assemble and synthesize the best available literature from 2004 to 2008 on musculoskeletal injury and pain in dancers. MEDLINE and CINAHL were the primary sources of data. Indexed terms such as dance, dancer, dancing, athletic injuries, occupational injuries, sprains and strains, musculoskeletal diseases, bone density, menstruation disturbances, and eating disorders were used to search the databases. Citations were screened for relevance using a priori criteria, and relevant studies were critically reviewed for scientific merit by the best-evidence synthesis method. After screening, 19 articles were found to be scientifically admissible. Data from accepted studies were abstracted into evidence tables relating to: prevalence and associated factors; incidence and risk factors; intervention; and injury characteristics and prognosis of musculoskeletal injury and pain in dancers. Principal findings included: a high prevalence and incidence of lower extremity, hip and back injuries; preliminary evidence that psychosocial and psychological issues such as stress and coping strategies affect injury frequency and duration; history of a previous lateral ankle sprain is associated with an increased risk of ankle sprain in the contralateral ankle in dance students; fatigue may play a role in ACL injury in dancers; acute hamstring strains in dancers affect tendon more than muscle tissue, often resulting in prolonged absence from dance. It is concluded that, while there are positive developments in the literature on the epidemiology, diagnosis, prognosis, treatment, and prevention of MSK injuries and pain in dancers, much room for improvement remains. Suggestions for future research are offered.

Ballet Doesn't Have to Be Boring: Engaging Students in the Creative Process

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Scheff, Helene

2005-01-01

For many years, the author has incorporated creative process into the way she teaches ballet class. The author shares the philosophical, practical, and artistic reasons for the creative process in ballet classes. She also shares the rationale and how this practice developed over time.

Hypermobility in Adolescent Athletes: Pain, Functional Ability, Quality of Life, and Musculoskeletal Injuries.

Science.gov (United States)

Schmidt, Heidi; Pedersen, Trine Lykke; Junge, Tina; Engelbert, Raoul; Juul-Kristensen, Birgit

2017-10-01

Study Design Cross-sectional. Background Generalized joint hypermobility (GJH) may increase pain and likelihood of injuries and also decrease function and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in elite-level adolescent athletes. Objective To assess the prevalence of GJH in elite-level adolescent athletes, and to study the association of GJH with pain, function, HRQoL, and musculoskeletal injuries. Methods A total of 132 elite-level adolescent athletes (36 adolescent boys, 96 adolescent girls; mean ± SD age, 14.0 ± 0.9 years), including ballet dancers (n = 22), TeamGym gymnasts (n = 57), and team handball players (n = 53), participated in the study. Generalized joint hypermobility was classified by Beighton score as GJH4 (4/9 or greater), GJH5 (5/9 or greater), and GJH6 (6/9 or greater). Function of the lower extremity, musculoskeletal injuries, and HRQoL were assessed with self-reported questionnaires, and part of physical performance was assessed by 4 postural-sway tests and 2 single-legged hop-for-distance tests. Results Overall prevalence rates for GJH4, GJH5, and GJH6 were 27.3%, 15.9%, and 6.8%, respectively, with a higher prevalence of GJH4 in ballet dancers (68.2%) and TeamGym gymnasts (24.6%) than in team handball players (13.2%). There was no significant difference in lower extremity function, injury prevalence and related factors (exacerbation, recurrence, and absence from training), HRQoL, or lengths of hop tests for those with and without GJH. However, the GJH group had significantly larger center-of-pressure path length across sway tests. Conclusion For ballet dancers and TeamGym gymnasts, the prevalence of GJH4 was higher than that of team handball players. For ballet dancers, the prevalence of GJH5 and GJH6 was higher than that of team handball players and the general adolescent population. The GJH group demonstrated larger sway in the balance tests, which, in the current cross-sectional study, did not have an association with injuries or HRQo

Audio-Visual Feedback for Self-monitoring Posture in Ballet Training

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Knudsen, Esben Winther; Hølledig, Malte Lindholm; Bach-Nielsen, Sebastian Siem

2017-01-01

An application for ballet training is presented that monitors the posture position (straightness of the spine and rotation of the pelvis) deviation from the ideal position in real-time. The human skeletal data is acquired through a Microsoft Kinect v2. The movement of the student is mirrored......-coded. In an experiment with 9-12 year-old dance students from a ballet school, comparing the audio-visual feedback modality with no feedback leads to an increase in posture accuracy (p

The Presentation of Self in the Classical Ballet Class: Dancing with Erving Goffman

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Whiteside, Bethany; Kelly, John

2016-01-01

This article analyses the social interactions and behaviours evident within an adult, amateur ballet class in one of Scotland's cities. Using an ethnographic empirical approach, the study utilises Erving Goffman's model of dramaturgy to explore the impression management of participants from the ballet class. Evidence (data) was generated through a…

The Invisible Injury: Supporting the Recovery of Dancers with Concussions

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Kish, Robin L.; Koutures, Chris G.

2016-01-01

Dancers are "artistic athletes." They must possess the strength, agility, power and flexibility of any athlete and perform with perfect musicality and emotion, demonstrating the artistry of the dance. As an art form dance continues to push the physical boundaries of the human body, increasing the inherent risks to the dancers. Most…

Surgical treatment of refractory tibial stress fractures in elite dancers: a case series.

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Miyamoto, Ryan G; Dhotar, Herman S; Rose, Donald J; Egol, Kenneth

2009-06-01

Treatment of tibial stress fractures in elite dancers is centered on rest and activity modification. Surgical intervention in refractory cases has important implications affecting the dancers' careers. Refractory tibial stress fractures in dancers can be treated successfully with drilling and bone grafting or intramedullary nailing. Case series; Level of evidence, 4. Between 1992 and 2006, 1757 dancers were evaluated at a dance medicine clinic; 24 dancers (1.4%) had 31 tibial stress fractures. Of that subset, 7 (29.2%) elite dancers with 8 tibial stress fractures were treated operatively with either intramedullary nailing or drilling and bone grafting. Six of the patients were followed up closely until they were able to return to dance. One patient was available only for follow-up phone interview. Data concerning their preoperative treatment regimens, operative procedures, clinical union, radiographic union, and time until return to dance were recorded and analyzed. The mean age of the surgical patients at the time of stress fracture was 22.6 years. The mean duration of preoperative symptoms before surgical intervention was 25.8 months. Four of the dancers were male and 3 were female. All had failed nonoperative treatment regimens. Five patients (5 tibias) underwent drilling and bone grafting of the lesion, and 2 patients (3 tibias) with completed fractures or multiple refractory stress fractures underwent intramedullary nailing. Clinical union was achieved at a mean of 6 weeks and radiographic union at 5.1 months. Return to full dance activity was at an average of 6.5 months postoperatively. Surgical intervention for tibial stress fractures in dancers who have not responded to nonoperative management allowed for resolution of symptoms and return to dancing with minimal morbidity.

The effect of first ballet classes in the community on various postural parameters in young girls.

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Moller, Anna; Masharawi, Youssef

2011-11-01

To examine the effect of first season ballet classes in the community on the thoracic kyphosis (TK), lumbar lordosis (LL), hip external rotation (ER) and joint flexibility in young girls. Longitudinal single blinded cohort control study. Institutional. 30 girls aged 6-9, recruited from the same primary school were divided equally into 2 groups: a group bi-weekly community ballet class and a sedentary control group. All girls were assessed prior to ballet classes (t(0)), at the conclusion (t(1)) (6 months), and approximately one year later (t(fu)). Beighton score for joint hyper-flexibility, peak of TK and LL, range of hip ER, ratio TK/LL, and individual's height, weight and BMI. LL at t1 became greater in the ballet girls' group (23.7°± 6) as opposed to the controls (19.5°±3.9) due to a decrease in LL in the controls from t0 to t1 (mean difference = -16.5°) (cut-off score = 3.45°) (p ballet girls' group (mean difference = -26.1°) and controls (mean difference = -31.3°) (cut-off score = 4.85°) (p ballet girls' group (6.1 ± 2.3) as opposed to the controls (4.4 ± 1.5) (p ballet classes for young girls in the community can be associated with relatively greater LL, and left hip ER and joint hyper-flexibility. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

VLADIMIR AXIONOV — RESEARCHER OF THE MUSIC STYLE OF MOLDOVAN BALLETS

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KOROLIOVA ELFRIDA

2015-03-01

Full Text Available This paper considers V. Axionov’s long-term perspective ideas about the style of musical works and the possibility of using the given ideas in the analysis of ballet productions. In the article there are examples about the interconnection between the music style and the stage treatment of the performance in the ballets „Old Story” by V. Poleakov, produced by Iu. Sidorenko and „Cross-roads” by V. Zagorsky, staged by C. Rusu.

Ballet in the Dark: A Critical Review of Black Swan by Darren Aronofsky

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Rina Angela Corpus

2011-12-01

Full Text Available Choreographing the life of a ballerina in an ominous psychological thriller is a highly gendered project that takes us to well-established suspects in the patriarchal schema of the ballet world. Black Swan’s filmmakers created a narrative out of a performance of the classic ballet Swan Lake, making it a mimicry of the life of the tragic heroine Nina Sayers (Natalie Portman. The symptomatic pathology of perfectionism haunts the lead character, revealing her manifest hubris while unmasking the systemic social conditioning of women in the ballet system. These women are driven to become tenacious competitors, pleasant and willing objects of a gaze and patronage that are traditionally male-defined and controlled.

On the Move: Transnational South Asian Dancers and the 'Flexible' Dancing Body

OpenAIRE

KEDHAR, ANUSHA LAKSHMI

2011-01-01

"On the Move" combines ethnography and political economy to explore the complex racial politics in which South Asian dancers are immersed as they move across national borders as well as on local stages. Focusing on key South Asian dancer-choreographers in the UK in the late 20th/early 21st century, including Shobana Jeyasingh, Nina Rajarani, Subathra Subramaniam, Mayuri Boonham, and Akram Khan, as well as the transnational dancers they employ, I examine the way in which race, citizenship, and...

La formación de estudiantes de ballet y el desarrollo de competencias emocionales Educating students of ballet and the development of emotional competencies

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Adonys Isidro Ordán Bolívar

2017-03-01

Full Text Available This article is aimed at characterizing the historical background of students of ballet education from the perspective of the process of emotional competencies. The study was carried out by examining written documentary about the few memories found. The prevailing trend that favors technical and physical elements at the expense of the emotional ones in educating ballet students justifies the need of the study and gives novelty to the findings herein described. The main finding is the description of characteristic features of antecedents of balletstudent’s formative process and the approach to emotional competencies development.

Testing legal assumptions regarding the effects of dancer nudity and proximity to patron on erotic expression.

Science.gov (United States)

Linz, D; Blumenthal, E; Donnerstein, E; Kunkel, D; Shafer, B J; Lichtenstein, A

2000-10-01

A field experiment was conducted in order to test the assumptions by the Supreme Court in Barnes v. Glen Theatre, Inc. (1991) and the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals in Colacurcio v. City of Kent (1999) that government restrictions on dancer nudity and dancer-patron proximity do not affect the content of messages conveyed by erotic dancers. A field experiment was conducted in which dancer nudity (nude vs. partial clothing) and dancer-patron proximity (4 feet; 6 in.; 6 in. plus touch) were manipulated under controlled conditions in an adult night club. After male patrons viewed the dances, they completed questionnaires assessing affective states and reception of erotic, relational intimacy, and social messages. Contrary to the assumptions of the courts, the results showed that the content of messages conveyed by the dancers was significantly altered by restrictions placed on dancer nudity and dancer-patron proximity. These findings are interpreted in terms of social psychological responses to nudity and communication theories of nonverbal behavior. The legal implications of rejecting the assumptions made by the courts in light of the findings of this study are discussed. Finally, suggestions are made for future research.

Choice of jumping strategy in two standard jumps, squat and countermovement jump--effect of training background or inherited preference?

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ravn, Susanne; Voigt, M; Simonsen, Erik Bruun

1999-01-01

. The jumps were recorded on highspeed film (500 Hz) combined with registration of ground reaction forces, and net joint moments were calculated by inverse dynamics. The purpose was to investigate the choice of strategy in two standard jumps, squat jump and countermovement jump. The volleyball jump...... was performed with a sequential strategy and the ballet jump was performed with a simultaneous strategy. In the two standard jumps, the choice of strategy was individual and not related to training background. This was additionally confirmed in a test of seven ballet dancers and seven volleyball players....

Cardiac Frequency and Caloric Cost of Aerobic Dancing in Young Women.

Science.gov (United States)

Nelson, Deborah J.; And Others

1988-01-01

A study of cardiac frequency during aerobic dancing indicated that it can sustain an elevated cardiac frequency in most cases. The caloric cost of aerobic dancing is approximately 50 percent greater than an equal duration of barre and center-floor exercise by elite ballet dancers. (JD)

Injuries among talented young dancers: findings from the U.K. Centres for Advanced Training.

Science.gov (United States)

Steinberg, N; Aujla, I; Zeev, A; Redding, E

2014-03-01

The aim of the present study was to characterize the injuries of young dancers attending Centres for Advanced Training. 806 dancers, ages 10-18 years responded to surveys regarding their biological profile, dance experience and injury history, and were examined for their anthropometric profile. Of the 806 dancers, 347 reported an injury. Based on 4 age groups, the total hours of practice per week increased significantly with increasing age. Incidence of injuries per 1000 h of dance practice for dancers ages 11-12 were found to be significantly higher compared to the incidence for dancers ages 13-18 (p<0.05). Foot and ankle and other lower extremities were the most common injury location, and muscle injuries were the most common type of injury. Total months in CAT training (OR=1.044, 95% CI=1.014-1.075) and hours per week in creative style practice (OR=1.282, 95% CI=1.068-1.539) were found to be significantly associated with injuries. In conclusion, both young and mature dancers are exposed to extensive risk of injury. The intensity of training (such as number of months and number of hours of training per week) is important factor that should be taken into account in order to decrease future injuries among young dancers. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

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.

Effects of ballet training of children in Turkey on foot anthropometric measurements and medial longitudinal arc development.

Science.gov (United States)

Ozdinc, Sevgi Anar; Turan, Fatma Nesrin

2016-07-01

To investigate the effects of ballet training on foot structure and the formation of the medial longitudinal arc in childhood, and the association of body mass index with structural change secondary to ballet training. This study was conducted at Öykü Ballet and Dance School and Trakya University, Edirne, Turkey, from September 2007 to November 2008, and comprised girl students who were taking ballet classes, and a group of those who were not taking such who acted as the controls. Static footprints of both feet of all participants were taken with an ink paedogram. Parameters evaluated from footprints included foot length, metatarsal width, heel width and medial longitudinal arch. The relationship between the parameters, the ballet starting age, training duration and body mass index was investigated. Of the 67 participants, there were 36(53.7%) in the experimental group and 31(48.3%) in the control group. The difference between age, height, weight and body mass index between the two groups was insignificant (p>0.05). The average ballet starting age was 6.47±1.55 years and duration was 4.36±2.002 years. Positive correlations were found between body mass index and foot length, metatarsal width, heel width, medial longitudinal arch contact width and halluxvalgus angle; between ballet starting age and metatarsal width, heel width; between duration of training and foot length, metatarsal width and hallux valgus angle (p?0.05 each). Evidence supporting the education in children on foot anthropometric measurements and medial longitudinal arc development could not be found.

Patient-based cultural competency curriculum for pre-health professionals.

Science.gov (United States)

Melamed, Esther; Wyatt, Lacey E; Padilla, Tony; Ferry, Robert J

2008-01-01

The diverse US population requires medical cultural competency education for health providers throughout their pre-professional and professional years. We present a curriculum to train pre-health professional undergraduates by combining classroom education in the humanities and cross-cultural communication skills with volunteer clinical experiences at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) hospital. The course was open to a maximum of 15 UCLA junior and senior undergraduate students with a pre-health or humanities major and was held in the spring quarters of 2002--2004. The change in students' knowledge of cultural competency was evaluated using the Provider's Guide to Quality and Culture Quiz (QCQ) and through students' written assignments and evaluations. Trainees displayed a statistically significant improvement in scores on the QCQ. Participants' written assignments and subjective evaluations confirmed an improvement in awareness and a high motivation to continue learning at the graduate level. This is the first evaluated undergraduate curriculum that integrates interdisciplinary cultural competency training with patient volunteering in the medical field. The didactic, volunteering, and writing components of the course comprise a broadly applicable tool for training future health care providers at other institutions.

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

78 FR 18664 - Culturally Significant Objects Imported for Exhibition Determinations: “Diaghilev and the Ballets...

Science.gov (United States)

2013-03-27

... Determinations: ``Diaghilev and the Ballets Russes, 1909-1929: When Art Danced With Music'' SUMMARY: Notice is... objects to be included in the exhibition ``Diaghilev and the Ballets Russes, 1909- 1929: When Art Danced... also determine that the exhibition or display of the exhibit objects at the National Gallery of Art...

My Dance and the Ideal Body: Looking at Ballet Practice from the Inside Out

Science.gov (United States)

Jackson, Jennifer

2005-01-01

This paper argues for a change of thinking about the "ideal body" in relation to ballet as a dance form and how it is studied. It distinguishes between spectator and practitioner perspectives on ballet, and draws on the practice of established dance artists and that of the author to write about the first-person experience--from the inside out.…

The role of psychological factors in the career of the independent dancer

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Imogen eAujla

2015-10-01

Full Text Available Previous research indicates that psychological factors such as motivation and mental skills play an important role in relation to performance and to negotiating talent development stages. However, little is known about these factors in dance, particularly with regard to the independent dancer whose career may involve multiple roles, varied work patterns and periods of instability. The aim of this study was to explore dancers’ motivation to work in an independent capacity, and the extent to which dancers’ psychological characteristics and skills enabled them to navigate a career in this demanding sector. In-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted with 14 dancers at different stages of their careers. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and content analyzed. Analysis revealed that the dancers were intrinsically motivated and highly committed to the profession. Working in the independent sector offered dancers opportunities for growth and fulfillment; they appreciated the autonomy, flexibility and freedom that the independent career afforded, as well as working with new people across roles and disciplines. In order to overcome the various challenges associated with the independent role, optimism, self-belief, social support and career management skills were crucial. The mental skills reported by the participants had developed gradually in response to the demands that they faced. Therefore, mental skills training could be invaluable for dancers to help them successfully negotiate the independent sector.

The Secret Talents of Fundraisers

Science.gov (United States)

Pulley, John

2010-01-01

A significant but unknown number of performing artists have redirected their creativity and passion into development. They are ballet and contemporary dancers, jazz and orchestral musicians, actors and comedians, opera divas and gospel belters. None of them set out to become fundraisers. Yet here they are, and they partly credit their success in…

Developing Pre-Professional Identity in Undergraduates through Work-Integrated Learning

Science.gov (United States)

Jackson, Denise

2017-01-01

Pre-professional identity is a complex phenomenon spanning awareness of and connection with the skills, qualities, behaviours, values and standards of a student's chosen profession, as well as one's understanding of professional self in relation to the broader general self. It is an important, yet under-explored, aspect of graduate employability…

Professional Mulatas: Race, Gender and Occupation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sonia Maria Giacomini

2006-01-01

Full Text Available Based on a research carried out with a group of black women enrolled in the II Course for Professional Formation of Mulatas, the article recovers and analyses the categories through which the students represent their condition of mulatta and their passing to the condition of professional mulata. The mulata, who represents and mediates a Brazilian way of being a woman, sensual and race-mixed, the professional mulata debates herself, permanently, between two poles which are both professional and moral: on the one hand, there is a positive pole, of being a dancer, on the other, there is a threatening and negative one, of being a prostitute.

Nutritional Considerations for the Vegetarian and Vegan Dancer.

Science.gov (United States)

Brown, Derrick D

2018-03-15

Vegetarianism provides a catchall term for a variety of diets that exclude the consumption of some or all animal products. Contrary to popular claims, appropriately designed and managed vegetarian diets contain foods nutritionally sufficient for health, well-being, and physical performance. Vegetarian dancers can meet their protein needs from primarily or exclusively (vegan) plant-based sources when a variety of these foods are consumed daily and energy intake is adequate. However, the quality and timing of dietary intake is of key importance to meet the physical demands typical of high intensity, intermittent types of dance styles. Poorly planned, calorically restrictive, and nutrient poor diets confer a host of deficiencies that diminish health and ultimately performance. The recommendation for dietary macronutrient composition of carbohydrate, fat, and protein of 55%, 20% to 30%, and 12% to 15%, respectively, offers an acceptable baseline for all dancers across different dance styles. Vegetarians, in particular vegans, should ensure sufficient caloric and adequate intake of Vitamin B12, Vitamin D, ω-3 fatty acids, calcium, and zinc. Many of these micronutrients are derived from animal products, but, with sufficient knowledge, can be obtained from plantbased sources. However, the diminished bioavailability of iron from plants and lack of plant sources of Vitamin B12 in vegan type diets can have detrimental effects on physical performance. Thus, to prevent long-term deficiencies, vegan dancers require more diligence when preparing and managing dietary intake. This article reviews literature on vegetarian diets with regard to dance, gleaning findings from epidemiologic, clinical, and sport nutrition research. It also highlights potential micronutrient deficiencies that may occur in some plant-based diets and presents potential strategies to improve nutrient and caloric intake for dancers who opt for a plant-based diet.

Body Image of Dancers in Los Angeles: The Cult of Slenderness and Media Influence among Dance Students

Science.gov (United States)

Heiland, Teresa L.; Murray, Darrin S.; Edley, Paige P.

2008-01-01

Body image and self-esteem are examined through personal stories among Los Angeles college dancers who grew up in the Hollywood culture of the cult of slenderness. The study incorporates a body image survey, eating disorder screen, and an interview process capturing dancers' lived experiences with daily pressures. Dancers reveal their experiences…

Pre-service teachers' professional learning experiences during rural ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The concept of student teaching practice is globally rooted in training pre-service teachers to work within diverse schools and learner populations, in dissimilar contexts. It is also a drive towards the development of knowledge, professionalism, sense of efficacy, and flexibility in their performance and interactions. There is ...

Body Learning: Examining the Processes of Skill Learning in Dance

Science.gov (United States)

Bailey, Richard; Pickard, Angela

2010-01-01

This paper was stimulated by the authors' attempt to understand the process of skill learning in dance. Its stimulus was a period of fieldwork based at the Royal Ballet School in London, and subsequent discussions with the school's teachers and with academic colleagues about how it was that the young dancers developed their characteristic set of…

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…

The Effects of Multimedia Computer- Assisted Instruction on Learning Basic Ballet Skills with Physical Education Students

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

El-Moneim Doaa Abd

2014-09-01

Full Text Available Computer technology has become an integral part of physical education, yet there have been few studies exploring the use of multimedia technology in the instruction of Physical Education. The purpose of this study was to investigate if multimedia technology affected the learning of basic ballet skills. A total of 32 female students, mean age 18.1 years, studying at the Faculty of Physical Education Zagazig university were divided into two groups. The experimental group comprised 16 students. Participants in this group participated in a ballet class with multimedia technology for six weeks. Group two participated in the ballet class with the traditional method as the control group. Parameters assessed height, weight, age, and academic level. All participants were free of any disorders known to affect performance, such as bone fractures, osteoporosis, diabetes, or cardiovascular disease. Participants reported no use of anti-seizure drugs or alcohol. In addition, all participants were fully informed of the aims of the study, and gave their voluntary consent prior to participation. The measurement procedures were in accordance with ethical human experimentation. All statistical analyses were calculated with the SPSS statistical package. Results indicated significant differences between the two groups in learning the basic skills and levels of knowledge of ballet. Applying the proposed educational program meant using multimedia to teach basic ballet skills to second-year female students enrolled in the Faculty of Physical Education

Associations Between Sedentary Behaviors, Sleep Patterns, and BMI in Young Dancers Attending a Summer Intensive Dance Training Program.

Science.gov (United States)

Stracciolini, Andrea; Stein, Cynthia J; Kinney, Susan; McCrystal, Tara; Pepin, Michael J; Meehan Iii, William P

2017-09-15

The purpose of this study was to investigate associations between sedentary behaviors, sleep hours, and body mass index (BMI) in 12- to 17-year-old dancers. This was a cross sectional survey in which bivariate correlation and simple linear regression were used to determine associations between self-reported components. One hundred fifteen dancers were queried, 91.3% of whom were female. The mean BMI was 19.6 ± 2.3 kg/m2. Two-thirds of dancers fell below the 50th percentile for age-adjusted BMI, and 30.4% fell below the 25th percentile. Better than 12% of dancers reported a history of anxiety, and 2.6% reported depression. Mean hours of sleep per night was 7.8 ± 0.9, with 58% of the dancers getting less than 8 hours of sleep per night. The mean total screen time for dancers was 3.4 ± 2.1 hours/day, which consisted of tablet and computer usage: 1.6 ± 1.1 hours/day; texting: 0.5 ± 1.1 hours/day; watching television: 1.2 ± 1.1 hours/day; and playing video games 1.2 ± 1.1 hours/ day. Total screen time was independently associated positively with BMI, explaining nearly 10% of the variability in BMI. Age, hours dancing per day, and hours of sleep per night were not independently associated with BMI. To summarize: screen time was associated with increased BMI in this young dancer cohort; the majority of dancers slept less than 8 hours per night; anticipatory guidance addressing media use and sleep hygiene in the adolescent dancer population is needed.

Boundary Crossing during Pre-service Teacher Training: empowering or hampering professional growth?

Science.gov (United States)

Harrison, Christine

2017-10-01

Yuli Rahmawati's paper presents an auto-ethnographic inquiry into her lived experiences as a science teacher in different countries. Through her reflections and analysis of events, Yuli captures and builds a model of her identity and explores the influence of inter- and intra-cultural perspectives in shaping how she recognizes herself and brings meaning to her professional life. Yuli's insights and explanations of teaching within different cultural contexts highlight the importance of personally relevant and meaningful knowledge, where expectations and accepted norms, that might fit well within one community, may be seen quite differently in another. While for Yuli, this led to professional growth as she inquired and made sense of her new context, my concern is that the social and cultural change could, in some instances, lead to disengagement rather than professional growth. My concern is that the conflict that arises from boundary crossing may be experienced even stronger by inexperienced professionals, such as pre-service teachers. The learning trajectory of pre-service teachers is steep; they need to gain stronger knowledge of curriculum and pedagogy and an awareness of how their students learn. They also need to build confidence in their professional self and what they can do to support and trigger student learning. For this to happen, in the tight time frames available on teacher education courses, pre-service teachers need to understand and engage with the new community that they are placed in very quickly, to make sense of both their role and that of others within the community. This paper suggests that pre-service providers should carefully consider the learning opportunities offered by school contexts, that may vary dramatically from the social and cultural contexts experienced by their teachers as part of their own education, to prevent disengagement or misunderstanding hampering professional growth.

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

Assessment of spine pain presence in children and young persons studying in ballet schools

OpenAIRE

W?jcik, Ma?gorzata; Siatkowski, Idzi

2015-01-01

[Purpose] Spine disorders affect various sections of the spine and have a variety of causes. Most pain occurs in the lumbo-sacral and cervical regions. Dance is associated with exercise. High levels of physical activity predispose to back pain occurrence. [Subjects and Methods] The subjects were 237 ballet learners; 80 children (primary school level), mean age 11.24?0.77, mean of years of training ballet 2.14?0.74; 93 students (junior high school level), mean age 14.01?0.84, mean of years of ...

The Influence of Field Teaching Practice on Pre-service Teachers’ Professional Identity: A Mixed Methods Study

Science.gov (United States)

Zhao, Hongyu; Zhang, Xiaohui

2017-01-01

The current study used mixed methods to research pre-service teachers’ professional identity. Ninety-eight pre-service teachers were investigated and twelve teachers were interviewed in China. The results were as follows: (1) The results of quantitative data showed that compared with before the field teaching practice, pre-service teachers’ professional identity increased after the field teaching practice—specifically, intrinsic value identity increased, and extrinsic value identity did not significantly change; (2) The results of qualitative data validated and elaborated the results of quantitative data in more detail with regard to changes in professional identity. Specifically, compared with before the field teaching practice, intrinsic value identity including work content, work pattern, etc., increased and extrinsic value identity including work environment, income, and social status, etc., did not significantly change after experiencing teaching practice; (3) The results of qualitative data also showed that mentor support at field school promoted the development of pre-service teachers’ professional identity. Moreover, the development of pre-service teachers’ professional identity during field teaching practice further promoted their professional commitment; that is, it promoted their emotional evaluation and belief in the teaching profession. The study discussed these results and proposed solutions and suggestions for future studies. PMID:28790956

Professional Identity and Burnout among Pre-School, Elementary, and Post-Elementary School Teachers in Israel

Science.gov (United States)

Fisherman, Shraga

2015-01-01

The novelty of the present study is its attempt to distinguish between pre-school, elementary, and post-elementary school teachers, regarding the relationship between professional identity and burnout. Two hundred and forty teachers responded to two questionnaires: professional identity and teacher burnout scales. Pre-school teachers were found to…

El proceso de selección natural en el campo social del ballet en Cuba

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hamlet Betancourt León

2010-09-01

Full Text Available El campo del ballet es un sistema social conflictivo donde se manifiesta gran competitividad -reflejada en continuas selecciones sociales y naturales- para cumplimentar la fantasía de todos los bailarines: bailar públicamente. El objetivo de esta investigación es demostrar la pertinencia del supuesto teórico darwinista de selección natural en la discriminación de belleza escénica de la figura del bailarín en el sistema piramidal de selección, formación y desempeño profesional del campo cubano del ballet. El campo del ballet se registra fácticamente en instituciones culturales pobladas por individuos que persiguen cotidianamente crear bailarines profesionales aptos -primera condición es ser revolucionario- que representen internacionalmente a la Revolución Cubana. El campo se estructura en un sistema piramidal de selección, formación y desempeño de bailarines profesionales que rige sus prácticas principales de exclusión/inclusión -puntos de corte- por el principio darwinista de selección natural. Los exámenes de capacidades físicas de ingreso y pase de nivel a la enseñanza de nivel medio y la aceptación a la compañía profesional Ballet Nacional de Cuba conforman los puntos de corte del sistema piramidal. Estos contienen prácticas sociales que valoran -empírica, pero sistemáticamente- las características morfo-funcionales de los participantes interesados respecto al deber ser del canon artístico de figura, para seleccionar siempre a los más bellos, los más aptos, bailarines de ballet.

Pre-season dietary intake of professional soccer players.

Science.gov (United States)

Raizel, Raquel; da Mata Godois, Allan; Coqueiro, Audrey Yule; Voltarelli, Fabrício Azevedo; Fett, Carlos Alexandre; Tirapegui, Julio; de Paula Ravagnani, Fabricio Cesar; de Faria Coelho-Ravagnani, Christianne

2017-12-01

Despite the well-documented importance of nutrition in optimizing performance and health, the dietary intake of soccer players has attracted little attention. We aimed to assess the pre-season dietary intake of professional soccer players and its adequacy in macro and micronutrients. The pre-season dietary intake of 19 male athletes was assessed using a semi-structured 3-day food record. To determine dietary adequacy and excess, energy and macronutrient intake were compared with the Brazilian dietary reference values for athletes, and micronutrients were compared with the Estimated Average Requirement - EAR (minimum recommendation) and Tolerable Upper Intake Level - UL (maximum recommendation). Mean daily energy intake (40.74±12.81 kcal/kg) was adequate. However, there was a low carbohydrate intake (5.44±1.86 g/kg/day) and a high amount of protein and fat (1.91±0.75 and 1.27±0.50 g/kg/day, respectively). Sodium intake (3141.77±939.76 mg/day) was higher than UL (2300 mg/day), while the majority of players showed daily intake of vitamin A (74%), vitamin D (100%), folate (58%), calcium and magnesium (68%) below the EAR (625, 10 and 320 µg/day, 800 and 330 mg/day, respectively). The dietary intake of professional soccer players was adequate in energy, but inadequate in macro and micronutrients, which suggests the need to improve nutritional practices to sustain the physical demands of soccer during pre-season.

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)

The effect of moderate glycemic energy bar consumption on blood glucose and mood in dancers

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Brown, D.D.; Wyon, M.

2014-01-01

Ingesting quality carbohydrates has been shown to be essential for dancers. Given that most dance classes take place in the morning, it has been recommended that dancers eat a well-balanced breakfast containing carbohydrates, fats, and protein as a means of fuelling this activity. The aim of this

Assessment of anorexia readiness syndrome and body image in female dancers from Poland and Germany

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marta Ołpińska-Lischka

2017-07-01

Full Text Available Introduction:In recent years eating disorders have become an increasingly common problem, both in the media and in the scientific world, and the most dangerous form of these disorders is anorexia. Amongst patients with Anorexia Readiness Syndrome (ARS, there is an excessive tendency for physical activity and affected persons are increasingly developing into athletes. Therefore it is very important to control such behavior in physically active individuals. In psychology, a new phenomenon is investigated - An Anorexia Readiness Syndrome (ARS, which is considered a disease stage of full-blown anorexia. The problem of anorexia readiness syndrome and dancers body perception is poorly researched and its significance to the health of this group of people is extremely important. Aim: The purpose of this research was to find out how big is the difference of anorexia readiness syndrome and to find out the differences in the perception of their bodies in Polish and German dancers. Material and methods: Questionnaires on anorexia readiness syndrome (ARS and body image were anonymously filled in by the dancers. The study was carried out on 156 dancers from Poland and Germany. Results: The results showed that most of the dancers were diagnosed with moderate to severe anorexia readiness syndrome. Only in the group of older Polish dancers didn’t occur an anorexic syndrome. The statistically significant differences in self-evaluation of body parameters were assessed in the assessment of: nose, face, breasts and physical condition. Conclusions: The results to determine the severity of anorexia readiness syndrome are not very optimistic and only data from the literature confirms that the dance environment is specific to the high risk of eating disorders.

Ahmad Tohari’s The dancer: Revisited

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dwi Setiawan

2017-01-01

Full Text Available As with many post-colonial countries, Indonesia has suffered from a long conflict between the military and civil society since its independence in 1945. This struggle is reflected in Ahmad Tohari’s novel entitled The dancer (2012, which has been largely credited as being critical towards the military regime. Using the theories of depoliticisation, I argue that the novel is 1 largely supportive of the military regime due to the oppressive situation as well as the author’s own political line, and 2 influenced by other powers besides the government. The fact that the novel dares to touch the once suppressed subjects of the Indonesian Communist Party (the arch enemy of the regime and the anti-communist persecution shows a drive for politicisation. Nevertheless, further analysis shows that, by portraying it as highly political, The dancer actually depoliticises the party in that it only reinforces what has been said of the party and removes any alternative points of view. It also represses and depoliticises the military’s persecution and killing of the suspected communists through the pretexts of self-defence, ignorance, and guilt.

Questionnaire of Executive Function for Dancers: An Ecological Approach

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Wong, Alina; Rodriguez, Mabel; Quevedo, Liliana; de Cossio, Lourdes Fernandez; Borges, Ariel; Reyes, Alicia; Corral, Roberto; Blanco, Florentino; Alvarez, Miguel

2012-01-01

There is a current debate about the ecological validity of executive function (EF) tests. Consistent with the verisimilitude approach, this research proposes the Ballet Executive Scale (BES), a self-rating questionnaire that assimilates idiosyncratic executive behaviors of classical dance community. The BES was administrated to 149 adolescents,…

Influences and Inspirations: The Ballet Designs of Sophie Fedorovitch

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McLean, Elizabeth

2012-01-01

Sophie Fedorovitch (1893-1953) had a formative influence on the designs of English ballet as it developed during the 1930s and 1940s. Trained as a painter, she was a Polish-born Russian who adopted England as her homeland. Reticent by nature, little is documented about Fedorovitch's life and work. This paper examines her sources of influence,…

The theatrical stage as accident site in professional dance.

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Wanke, Eileen M; Arendt, Michael; Mill, Helmgard; Koch, Franziska; Davenport, Jacqueline; Fischer, Axel; Groneberg, David A

2014-03-01

Reducing work-related health hazards at the different theatre workplaces is one aspect of preventive options in professional dance. This also applies to hazards on the highly variable theatrical stage areas. However, detailed information on these stages and their risks is not available. The aim of this study was to analyze and evaluate work-related traumatic injuries in the stage area. The basis for the evaluation was accident reports, from the German National Statutory Insurance, of work-related traumatic injuries occurring on stage in professional dancers (n=790: 407 males, 383 females) over a 17-year period (1995-2011). Most (79.4%) of the accidents on stage occurred during an ongoing performance (frequency: 10.1/100 performances), with only 19.7% occurring during rehearsals on stage (p<0.001). Due to the sustained injury, 30.2% of the dancers sustained a time-loss injury. Most (57.7%) of the injured dancers were older than 25 years. Of the accidents, 59.3% were initiated by a definably extrinsic cause, with 40.7% caused by intrinsic factors (p<0.001). Injuries were most commonly caused by the "partner" (21.7%) or "floor" (21.0%). The lower extremity was the most commonly affected body region (63.6%) (p<0.001). Stage performances seem to carry an increased injury risk compared to rehearsals. The "risk" of on-stage work is spread across various factors that seem to be stage-specific. There is a need for further qualitative and quantitative research to be able to classify the stage as workplace more precisely.

Expecting the Exceptional: Pre-Service Professional Development in Global Citizenship Education

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Appleyard, Natalie; McLean, Lorna R

2011-01-01

This case study analyses a professional development (PD) program in global citizenship education (GCE) that seeks to develop teacher education candidates’ knowledge and capacities as global citizens during a one-year Bachelor of Education program. In particular, we explore how pre-service teachers perceived and experienced PD in GCE as a component of their professional learning and how this knowledge related to their understanding of curricula and pedagogical practices. First, we explore a mo...

Big Five Personality Traits and Eating Attitudes in Intensively Training Dancers: The Mediating Role of Internalized Thinness Norms.

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Scoffier-Mériaux, Stéphanie; Falzon, Charlène; Lewton-Brain, Peter; Filaire, Edith; d'Arripe-Longueville, Fabienne

2015-09-01

Dancers are at high risk of developing disordered eating attitudes, notably because of internalized thinness norms. Although the big five personality traits have been shown to be associated with eating attitudes in daily life, in dancers where eating issues and thinness norms internalization could be salient little is known about these associations and the role of the internalization of thinness norms in this relationship. The main objectives of this study were thus to examine the relationships between the personality traits defined in the big five model and the self-regulation of eating attitudes, and to assess the role of internalized thinness norms in this association. The study included 180 intensively training dancers with an average age of 15.6 years (SD = 2.8). Dancers completed questionnaires measuring the big five personality traits, internalization of thinness norms and self-regulation of eating attitudes in sport. Bootstrapped mediation analyses showed that neuroticism was negatively associated with self-regulation of eating attitudes, both directly and indirectly through the mediating role of internalized thinness norms. This study suggested that: (a) neuroticism is a vulnerability factor for self-regulation of eating attitudes in dancers, as already evidenced in the general population, and (b) the internalization of thinness norms is a pathway through which neuroticism affects self-regulation of eating attitudes. The big five model is therefore partially related to the internalization of thinness norms and eating attitudes in dancers. Key pointsThe big five model relates to the internalization of thinness norms and eating attitudes in dancers.Neuroticism is negatively related to the self-regulation of eating attitudes.The internalization of thinness norms is correlated to the relationship between neuroticism and self-regulation of eating attitudes.

Big Five Personality Traits and Eating Attitudes in Intensively Training Dancers: The Mediating Role of Internalized Thinness Norms

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Stéphanie Scoffier-Mériaux, Charlène Falzon, Peter Lewton-Brain, Edith Filaire, Fabienne d’Arripe-Longueville

2015-09-01

Full Text Available Dancers are at high risk of developing disordered eating attitudes, notably because of internalized thinness norms. Although the big five personality traits have been shown to be associated with eating attitudes in daily life, in dancers where eating issues and thinness norms internalization could be salient little is known about these associations and the role of the internalization of thinness norms in this relationship. The main objectives of this study were thus to examine the relationships between the personality traits defined in the big five model and the self-regulation of eating attitudes, and to assess the role of internalized thinness norms in this association. The study included 180 intensively training dancers with an average age of 15.6 years (SD = 2.8. Dancers completed questionnaires measuring the big five personality traits, internalization of thinness norms and self-regulation of eating attitudes in sport. Bootstrapped mediation analyses showed that neuroticism was negatively associated with self-regulation of eating attitudes, both directly and indirectly through the mediating role of internalized thinness norms. This study suggested that: (a neuroticism is a vulnerability factor for self-regulation of eating attitudes in dancers, as already evidenced in the general population, and (b the internalization of thinness norms is a pathway through which neuroticism affects self-regulation of eating attitudes. The big five model is therefore partially related to the internalization of thinness norms and eating attitudes in dancers.

Artistry or Mere Technique? The Value of the Ballet Competition

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Morris, Geraldine

2008-01-01

In recent years there has been a remarkable proliferation of ballet competitions. This prompts a number of questions, in particular how much are they affecting current training and performance practice and, more fundamentally, whether the notion of competition may be antithetical to dance as art. Underlying these questions is the issue of…

Engaging the Borders: Empathy, Religious Studies, and Pre-Professional Fields

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Trothen, Tracy J.

2016-01-01

This article proposes that religious studies instructors can gain pedagogical insights regarding the value and teaching of empathy from pre-professional health care and counseling fields. I present research findings from these fields to support claims that empathic skills are teachable. I then show that empathy has been established within the…

Using Facebook as an E-Portfolio in Enhancing Pre-Service Teachers' Professional Development

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Kabilan, Muhammad Kamarul

2016-01-01

This study aims to determine if "Facebook," when used as an online teacher portfolio (OTP), could contribute meaningfully to pre-service teachers' professional development (PD) and in what ways the OTP can be meaningful. Pre-service teachers (n = 91) were asked to develop OTP using "Facebook" and engage in learning and…

Stravinsky: Symphonies, Concertos, Ballets and other works / David S. Gutman

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Gutman, David S.

1994-01-01

Uuest heliplaadist "Stravinsky: Symphonies, Concertos, Ballets and other works. Gabriele Schnaut (sop), Peter Svensson (ten), Franz Grundheber (bar), Günther von Kannen (bass), Jean Piat (narr), Lydia Mordkovitch (vn), Geoffrey Tozer, Boris Berman (pfs), Suisse Romande Chamber Choir, Lausanne Pro Arte Choir, Brassus Choral Society, Suisse Romande Ochestra, Neeme Järvi. Chandos CD CHAN 9240

Active Construction of Profession-Related Events: The Priming Effect among Pre-service Teachers with Different Professional Identity.

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Wang, Xin-Qiang; Zhu, Jun-Cheng; Liu, Lu; Chen, Xiang-Yu; Huo, Jun-Yu

2018-01-01

Pre-service teachers with different professional identity may actively construct different subjective profession-related events based on the same objective profession-related events. To explore the priming effect among pre-service teachers with different professional identity, this study examined the effect of positive, negative, or neutral priming sentences in an individualized narration of profession-related events through a priming paradigm. Forty-two female volunteers were asked to complete positive, negative, and neutral priming sentences describing profession-related events. The results showed that, relative to those with weak professional identity, participants with strong professional identity generated a higher number of positive items when primed with different stimuli and displayed greater positive priming bias for positive and neutral stimuli. In addition, relative to those with strong professional identity, participants with weak professional identity generated a higher number of neutral and negative items when primed with positive and negative stimuli, respectively, and displayed greater negative priming bias toward negative stimuli. These results indicate that pre-service teachers with strong professional identity were likely to have established positive self-schemas involving profession-related events, which facilitated active, positive construction of such events.

Active Construction of Profession-Related Events: The Priming Effect among Pre-service Teachers with Different Professional Identity

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Xin-qiang Wang

2018-02-01

Full Text Available Pre-service teachers with different professional identity may actively construct different subjective profession-related events based on the same objective profession-related events. To explore the priming effect among pre-service teachers with different professional identity, this study examined the effect of positive, negative, or neutral priming sentences in an individualized narration of profession-related events through a priming paradigm. Forty-two female volunteers were asked to complete positive, negative, and neutral priming sentences describing profession-related events. The results showed that, relative to those with weak professional identity, participants with strong professional identity generated a higher number of positive items when primed with different stimuli and displayed greater positive priming bias for positive and neutral stimuli. In addition, relative to those with strong professional identity, participants with weak professional identity generated a higher number of neutral and negative items when primed with positive and negative stimuli, respectively, and displayed greater negative priming bias toward negative stimuli. These results indicate that pre-service teachers with strong professional identity were likely to have established positive self-schemas involving profession-related events, which facilitated active, positive construction of such events.

Comparing the Attitudes of Pre-Health Professional and Engineering Students in Introductory Physics Courses

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McKinney, Meghan

2015-04-01

This talk will discuss using the Colorado Learning Attitudes about Science Survey (CLASS) to compare student attitudes towards the study of physics of two different groups. Northern Illinois University has two levels of introductory mechanics courses, one geared towards biology majors and pre-health professionals, and one for engineering and physics majors. The course for pre-health professionals is an algebra based course, while the course for engineering and physics majors is a calculus based course. We've adapted the CLASS into a twenty question survey that measures student attitudes towards the practice of and conceptions about physics. The survey is administered as a pre and post assessment to look at student attitudes before and after their first course in physics.

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.

A dance to the music of time: aesthetically-relevant changes in body posture in performing art.

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Daprati, Elena; Iosa, Marco; Haggard, Patrick

2009-01-01

In performing arts, body postures are both means for expressing an artist's intentions, and also artistic objects, appealing to the audience. The postures of classical ballet obey the body's biomechanical limits, but also follow strict rules established by tradition. This combination offers a perfect milieu for assessing scientifically how the execution of this particular artistic activity has changed over time, and evaluating what factors may induce such changes. We quantified angles between body segments in archive material showing dancers from a leading company over a 60-year period. The data showed that body positions supposedly fixed by codified choreography were in fact implemented by very different elevation angles, according to the year of ballet production. Progressive changes lead to increasingly vertical positions of the dancer's body over the period studied. Experimental data showed that these change reflected aesthetic choices of naïve modern observers. Even when reduced to stick figures and unrecognisable shapes, the more vertical postures drawn from later productions were systematically preferred to less vertical postures from earlier productions. This gradual change within a conservative art form provides scientific evidence that aesthetic change may arise from continuous interaction between artistic tradition, individual artists' creativity, and a wider environmental context. This context may include social aesthetic pressure from audiences.

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

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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.

"Goltsman Ballet" начинает обучать малышей

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2014-01-01

Tantsutrupp Goltsman Ballet asutaja, kunstilise juhi ja tänapäevase balletikunsti pedagoog Maria Goltsmani sõnul hakkab tantsutrupp andma tantsutunde 5-7-aastastele lastele, esialgu Tallinnas. Detsembri lõpus esitles Goltsman Ballet uut tantsuetendust "Blue", lavastajaks Krista Köster

Pre-Service Special Education Teachers' Professionalism and Preparation in Terms of Child Sexual Abuse

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Al-Zboon, Eman; Ahmad, Jamal

2016-01-01

This study aimed at examining Jordanian pre-service special education teachers' professionalism and preparation on the topic of child sexual abuse (CSA). Qualitative research data from interviews with 20 pre-service special education teachers were analysed using thematic analysis. The results showed that these participants generally hold avoiding…

Characteristics of Place Identity as Part of Professional Identity Development among Pre-Service Teachers

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Gross, Michal; Hochberg, Nurit

2016-01-01

How do pre-service teachers perceive place identity, and is there a connection between their formative place identity and the development of their professional teaching identity? These questions are probed among pre-service teachers who participated in a course titled "Integrating Nature into Preschool." The design of the course was…

Vividness and transformation of mental images in karate and ballet.

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Di Corrado, Donatella; Guarnera, Maria; Quartiroli, Alessandro

2014-12-01

While imagery research has become popular in recent years, little research has specifically investigated differences in imagery ability between open- and closed-skill sport activities. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether the type of task, open or closed, affects vividness and controllability differently. Thirty female classic dancers (closed skill), 30 female karate athletes (open skill), and 30 female non-athlete students, between 14 and 20 years of age (M = 17.0, SD = 1.6), participated. They completed the Vividness of Visual Imagery Questionnaire, the Vividness of Movement Imagery Questionnaire, and the Subtraction of Parts Task. There was no difference in imagery ability between open- and closed-skill sport groups. Furthermore, dancers and karatekas had higher mean scores on imagery ability than the non-athlete group. A positive correlation was observed between the two questionnaires, supporting findings on the componential basis of imagery. This study contributed to increase the research in the specific area of open- and closed-skill sports and imagery ability.

Occupational accidents in professional dance with focus on gender differences

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2013-01-01

Background Classical dance comprises gender specific movement tasks. There is a lack of studies which investigate work related traumatic injuries in terms of gender specific differences in detail. Objective To define gender related differences of occupational accidents. Methods Basis for the evaluation were occupational injuries of professional dancers from three (n = 785; f: n = 358, m: n = 427) state theatres. Results The incidence rate (0.36 per year) was higher in males (m: 0.45, f: 0.29). There were gender specific differences as to the localizations of injuries, particularly the spine region (m: 17.3%, f: 9.8%, p = 0.05) and ankle joint (m: 23.7%, f: 35.5%, p = 0.003). Compared to male dancers, females sustained more injuries resulting from extrinsic factors. Significant differences could specifically be observed with dance floors (m: 8.8%, f: 15.1%, p = 0.02). There were also significant gender differences observed with movement vocabulary. Conclusion The clearly defined gender specific movement activities in classical dance are reflected in occupational accidents sustained. Organisational structures as well as work environment represent a burden likewise to male and female dancers. The presented differences support the development of gender specific injury prevention measures. PMID:24341391

How Down is a Downbeat? Feeling Meter and Gravity in Music and Dance

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Jonathan Still

2015-09-01

Full Text Available The idea that metrical accent might be related to an embodied sense of "up" and "down" is implied by the terms "upbeat" and "downbeat," and is central to theories of meter as gravitational field, such as those evolved by Robert Hatten and Steve Larson. Yet as Hatten himself notes, upbeats and downbeats do not always map conveniently on to upward or downward movements in dance. Drawing on ethnographic research among trainee ballet teachers and recent theories of musical meter, this article discusses some practical and theoretical problems that arise when trying to teach about meter in the context of ballet training. It is suggested that empathic listening and perspective taking, rather than appeals to common embodied experiences of meter, may be key to developing better interdisciplinary understanding between musicians and dancers.

Learning and remembering strategies of novice and advanced jazz dancers for skill level appropriate dance routines.

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Poon, P P; Rodgers, W M

2000-06-01

This study examined the influence of the challenge level of to-be-learned stimulus on learning strategies in novice and advanced dancers. In Study 1, skill-level appropriate dance routines were developed for novice and advanced jazz dancers. In Study 2, 8 novice and 9 advanced female jazz dancers attempted to learn and remember the two routines in mixed model factorial design, with one between-participants factor: skill level (novice or advanced) and two within-participants factors: routine (easy or difficult) and performance (immediate or delayed). Participants were interviewed regarding the strategies used to learn and remember the routines. Results indicated that advanced performers used atypical learning strategies for insufficiently challenging stimuli, which may reflect characteristics of the stimuli rather than the performer. The qualitative data indicate a clear preference of novice and advanced performers for spatial compatibility of stimuli and response.

COMPARISON OF RANGE OF MOTION, STRENGTH, AND HOP TEST PERFORMANCE OF DANCERS WITH AND WITHOUT A CLINICAL DIAGNOSIS OF FEMOROACETABULAR IMPINGEMENT.

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Kivlan, Benjamin R; Carcia, Christopher R; Christoforetti, John J; Martin, RobRoy L

2016-08-01

Dancers commonly experience anterior hip pain caused by femoroacetabular impingement (FAI) that interrupts training and performance in dance. A paucity of literature exists to guide appropriate evaluation and management of FAI among dancers. The purpose of this study was to determine if dancers with clinical signs of FAI have differences in hip range of motion, strength, and hop test performance compared to healthy dancers. Quasi-experimental, cohort comparison. Fifteen dancers aged between 18- 21 years with clinical signs of FAI that included anterior hip pain and provocative impingement tests were compared to 13 age-matched dancers for passive hip joint range of motion, isometric hip strength, and performance of the medial triple hop, lateral triple hop, and cross-over hop tests. No statistically significant differences in range of motion were noted for flexion (Healthy = 145° + 7°; FAI = 147° + 10°; p=0.59), internal rotation (Healthy = 63° + 7°; FAI = 61° + 11°; p=0.50), and external rotation (Healthy = 37° + 9°; FAI = 34° + 12°; p=0.68) between the two groups. Hip extension strength was significantly less in the dancers with FAI (224 + 55 Newtons) compared to the healthy group (293 ± 58 Newtons; F(1,26) = 10.2; p=0.004). No statistically significant differences were noted for flexion, internal rotation, external rotation, abduction, or adduction isometric strength. The medial triple hop test was significantly less in the FAI group (354 ± 43 cm) compared to the healthy group (410 ± 50 cm; F(1,26) = 10.3; p = 0.004). Similar results were observed for the lateral hop test, as the FAI group (294 ± 38 cm) performed worse than the healthy controls (344 ± 54cm; F(1,26) = 7.8; p = 0.01). There was no statistically significant difference between the FAI group (2.7 ± 0.92 seconds) and the healthy group (2.5 ± 0.75 seconds) on the crossover hop

Framing Pre-Service Teachers' Professional Learning Using Web2.0 Tools: Positioning Pre-Service Teachers as Agents of Cultural and Technological Change

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Kidd, Warren

2013-01-01

This article addresses key issues in pre-service teachers' professional learning. The argument explores pre-service teachers' learning and practice, which is both informed by technology and which uses technologically enhanced practices in classrooms as learning and teaching strategies. The article is contextualized by current…

Regulation and registration as drivers of continuous professional competence for Irish pre-hospital practitioners: a discussion paper.

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Knox, S; Dunne, S S; Hughes, M; Cheeseman, S; Dunne, C P

2016-05-01

The regulatory body responsible for the registration of Irish pre-hospital practitioners, the Pre-Hospital Emergency Care Council (PHECC), identified the need to implement a continuing professional competence (CPC) framework. The first cycle of CPC (focused on emergency medical technicians) commenced in November 2013 creating for the first time a formal relationship between continuing competence and registration to practice. To review current literature and to describe benefits and challenges relevant to CPC, regulation, registration and their respective contributions to professionalism of pre-hospital practitioners: advanced paramedics, paramedics and emergency medical technicians. Online search of cumulative index to nursing and allied health literature (CINAHL Plus with Full Text), Allied and Complementary Medicine (AMED) and 'Pubmed' databases using: 'Continuous Professional Development'; 'Continuous Professional Development'; 'emergency medical technician'; 'paramedic'; 'registration'; 'regulation'; and "profession' for relevant articles published since 2004. Additional policy documents, discussion papers, and guidance documents were identified from bibliographies of papers found. Reports, governmental policies for other healthcare professions, and professional developments internationally for allied professions (e.g., nursing, physiotherapy and medicine) link maintenance of competence with requirements for registration to practice. We suggest that evolving professionalisation of Irish paramedics should be affirmed through behaviours and competencies that incorporate adherence to professional codes of conduct, reflective practice, and commitment to continuing professional development. While the need for ambulance practitioner CPD was identified in Ireland almost a decade ago, PHECC now has the opportunity to introduce a model of CPD for paramedics linking competence and professionalism to annual registration.

THE SWINGS OF SELENDANGIN RONGGENG DUKUH PARUK AND THE DANCER SCRUTINIZED THROUGH DECONSTRUCTION

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Suzana Maria L.A. Fajarini

2017-04-01

Full Text Available Known as an adornment and beautification for womenin dancing costume, a scarf (selendang – Javanese/Indonesian in RonggengDukuhParuk and The Dancer has two contradictory meanings. On the one hand, it represents the shackle of the dancer, Srintil. On the other hand, the scarf can be a symbol of Srintil‘s dominance againstthe patriarchal system. As far as patriarchal society is concerned, subjugation towards women tends to occur. Believed to be born as a ronggeng dancer, Srintilgoes through oppressions since her early adolescent. However, employing Derrida‘s deconstruction theory, this paper will argue that Srintil attempts veryhard to achieve her liberation and to overturn the control. The swings of the scarf during the dancing denote the domination of the dancer‘s fated life and her self-determination as a woman. Under a strong influence of Javanese female negotiation, Srintil endeavors to liberate herself – although she is rendered to be unsuccessful – yet, there are some efforts done by her. Through some discussionthe readers are supposed to observe that Srintil– who is treated unjustly by patriarchal society– manipulativelyresists and fights for her freedom.

The Ballet of the Streets: Teaching about Cities at Street Level

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McGuire, Patrick A.; Spates, James L.

2011-01-01

The urban scholar Jane Jacobs once described city life as "the ballet of the streets." In more than a quarter century of joint teaching, the authors have used Jacobs' metaphor to help their students understand that cities are living organisms created and maintained, for good or ill, by the people who live and work in them. At heart their…

Analysis of occupational accidents with biological material among professionals in pre-hospital services

OpenAIRE

Oliveira,Adriana Cristina de; Paiva,Maria Henriqueta Rocha Siqueira

2013-01-01

OBJECTIVE: To estimate the prevalence of accidents due to biological material exposure, the characteristics and post-accident conduct among professionals of pre-hospital services of the four municipalities of Minas Gerais, Brazil. METHOD: A cross-sectional study, using a structured questionnaire that was developed to enable the calculation of prevalence, descriptive analysis and analytical analysis using logistic regression. The study included 228 professionals; the prevalence of accidents du...

Analysis of a STEM Education Professional Development Conference for Pre-Service Educators

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Hardrict-Ewing, Gloria

2017-01-01

Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines are attracting increased attention in education. The iSTEM 2017 conference was a professional development program designed to acquaint pre-service teachers with interdisciplinary, research-based STEM instructional strategies that can transform traditional classroom instruction…

María de Ávila in the National Ballet of Spain: trajectory and legacy

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Ana Isabel Elvira Esteban

2017-09-01

Full Text Available During the years 1983-1986 María de Ávila played the work of director of the National Ballet of Spain, a period which can be considered special and characteristic, being the only time in its history in which one person exercised that position while did in Classic National Ballet. The aim of this paper is to examine this period using various documentary sources (texts and commemorative compilations, programs, dissertations, journals performing arts and media to proceed after your analysis and provide a rationale for the documentation compiled following a historical-temporal qualitative approach that allows better understand not only the legacy of María de Ávila, but its influence on the evolution and history of the BNE.

The Nutcracker Ballet: How To Use a Video as a Big Book.

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Mackin, Rosemary

2002-01-01

Presents three days of classroom activities for children 4 years and older in preschools using a videotape of Tchaikovsky's ballet "The Nutcracker" through which children explore storytelling through dance and music, learn the nuances of music, and become aware of the performing arts. Includes steps for teacher preparation, a script for…

Perceptions of Pre-Service Teachers as They Relate to Professional Practice

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Williams, Emily; Poel, Elissa; Licona, Miguel M.; Arroyos, Elsa C.; Meraz-Rodriguez, Alma

2014-01-01

The purpose of this study was to explore the beliefs and concerns of pre-service teachers as they relate to professional practice during their practicum experience. This study took place in a minority-serving university in the Southwest. All activities were conducted during one academic semester and held during the weekly on-campus seminars. The…

The role of professional education in developing compassionate practitioners: a mixed methods study exploring the perceptions xof health professionals and pre-registration students.

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Bray, Lucy; O'Brien, Mary R; Kirton, Jennifer; Zubairu, Kate; Christiansen, Angela

2014-03-01

Compassionate practice is a public expectation and a core health professional value. However, in the face of growing public and professional unease about a perceived absence of compassion in health care it is essential that the role of education in developing compassionate practitioners is fully understood. The aim of this study was to explore qualified health professionals' and pre-registration students' understanding of compassion and the role of health professional education in promoting compassionate care. A sequential explanatory mixed methods study collected data using surveys and qualitative semi-structured interviews from qualified health professionals (n=155) and pre-registration students (n=197). Participants were from a range of health and social care disciplines and registered at a UK university. The findings indicate a high level of consensus in relation to participants' understanding of compassion in health care. Acting with warmth and empathy, providing individualised patient care and acting in a way you would like others to act towards you, were seen as the most common features of compassionate care. However, ambiguities and contradictions were evident when considering the role of health professional education in promoting compassionate practice. This study adds to the debate and current understanding of the role of education in fostering compassionate health care practice. © 2013.

Sport Skill-Specific Expertise Biases Sensory Integration for Spatial Referencing and Postural Control.

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Thalassinos, Michalis; Fotiadis, Giorgos; Arabatzi, Fotini; Isableu, Brice; Hatzitaki, Vassilia

2017-09-15

The authors asked how sport expertise modulates visual field dependence and sensory reweighting for controlling posture. Experienced soccer athletes, ballet dancers, and nonathletes performed (a) a Rod and Frame test and (b) a 100-s bipedal stance task during which vision and proprioception were successively or concurrently disrupted in 20-s blocks. Postural adaptation was assessed in the mean center of pressure displacement, root mean square of center of pressure velocity and ankle muscles integrated electromyography activity. Soccer athletes were more field dependent than were nonathletes. During standing, dancers were more destabilized by vibration and required more time to reweigh sensory information compared with the other 2 groups. These findings reveal a sport skill-specific bias in the reweighing of sensory inputs for spatial orientation and postural control.

Atypical stress-avulsion fracture of the Lisfranc joint complex.

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

O'Neill, Barry J

2014-04-01

Antiphospholipid syndrome and systemic erythematosus have been associated with metatarsal stress fractures. Stress fractures of the Lisfranc joint complex are uncommon injuries but have been reported to occur most frequently in ballet dancers. We present a case of an avulsion fracture of the Lisfranc joint complex that occurred spontaneously. We have reviewed the association between systemic conditions and metatarsal fractures and proposed a series of hypothetical pathological events that may have contributed to this unusual injury.

Anam Cara, St Canice's Road, Glasnevin, Dublin 11.

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

O'Neill, Barry J

2014-04-01

Antiphospholipid syndrome and systemic erythematosus have been associated with metatarsal stress fractures. Stress fractures of the Lisfranc joint complex are uncommon injuries but have been reported to occur most frequently in ballet dancers. We present a case of an avulsion fracture of the Lisfranc joint complex that occurred spontaneously. We have reviewed the association between systemic conditions and metatarsal fractures and proposed a series of hypothetical pathological events that may have contributed to this unusual injury.

Perda de peso e consumo de bebidas durante sessões de treinamento de ballet clássico

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Cláudia Villela da Silva

2011-06-01

Full Text Available O objetivo do estudo foi analisar a perda de peso (PP e o consumo de líquidos durante sessões de treinamento de ballet clássico. A amostra foi composta por vinte e uma bailarinas, que foram avaliadas em três sessões de ballet: uma sessão sem oferta de líquidos, uma sessão com oferta de água e outra com oferta de bebida esportiva. Na sessão em que as bailarinas receberam água, a mediana de consumo foi 376,19 mL e a mediana de PP foi -190g. Na sessão com bebida esportiva, a mediana do consumo foi de 226,19 mL e a mediana da PP foi -150g. Observou-se diferença na ingestão de líquidos, mas não na PP, durante as sessões com consumo de líquidos (p=0,01 e p=0,79, respectivamente. As bailarinas, voluntariamente, beberam mais água do que bebida esportiva durante os treinos de ballet clássico.

MODELO DE COMUNICACIÓN NO VERBAL EN DEPORTE Y BALLET

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Gloria Vallejo

2010-12-01

Full Text Available Este estudio analiza el modelo de comunicación que se genera en los entrenadores de fútbol y de gimnasia artística a nivel profesional, y en los instructores de ballet en modalidad folklórica, tomando como referente el lenguaje corporal dinámico propio de la comunicación especializada de deportistas y bailarines, en la que se evidencia lenguaje no verbal. Este último se estudió tanto en prácticas psicomotrices como sociomotrices, para identificar y caracterizar relaciones entre diferentes conceptos y su correspondiente representación gestual. Los resultados indican que el lenguaje no verbal de los entrenadores e instructores toma ocasionalmente el lugar del lenguaje verbal, cuando este último resulta insuficiente o inapropiado para describir una acción motriz de gran precisión, debido a las condiciones de distancia o de interferencias acústicas. En los instructores de ballet se encontró una forma generalizada de dirigir los ensayos utilizando conteos rítmicos con las palmas o los pies. De igual forma, se destacan los componentes paralingüísticos de los diversos actos de habla, especialmente, en lo que se refiere a entonación, duración e intensidad.

Pre-service teacher professional development on climate change: Assessment of workshop success and influence of prior knowledge

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Veron, D. E.; Ad-Marbach, G.; Fox-Lykens, R.; Ozbay, G.; Sezen-Barrie, A.; Wolfson, J.

2017-12-01

As states move to adopt the next generation science standards, in-service teachers are being provided with professional development that introduces climate change content and best practices for teaching climate change in the classroom. However, research has shown that it is challenging to bring this information into the higher education curriculum in education courses for pre-service teachers due to curricular and programming constraints. Over two years, the Maryland and Delaware Climate Change Assessment and Research (MADE-CLEAR) project explored a professional development approach for pre-service teachers which employed paired workshops that resulted in participant-developed lesson plans based on climate change content. The workshops were designed to provide pre-service teachers with climate change content related to the carbon cycle and to model a variety of techniques and activities for presenting this information in the classroom. Lesson plans were developed between the first and second workshop, presented at the second workshop and discussed with peers and in-service teachers, and then revised in response to feedback from the second workshop. Participant climate change content knowledge was assessed before the first workshop, and after the final revision of the lesson plan was submitted to the MADE-CLEAR team. Climate content knowledge was also assessed using the same survey for additional pre-service teacher groups who did not participate in the professional development. Results show that while the paired workshop approach increased climate content knowledge, the amount of improvement varied depending on the participants' prior knowledge in climate change content. In addition, some alternate conceptions of climate change were not altered by participant involvement in the professional development approach. Revised lesson plans showed understanding of underlying climate change impacts and demonstrated awareness of appropriate techniques for introducing this

A Professional Experience Model for Primary Pre-Service Teachers Specialising in Mathematics

Science.gov (United States)

McMaster, Heather; Cavanagh, Michael

2016-01-01

Many primary pre-service teachers (PSTs) who are enthused by tertiary courses that espouse and model a socio-constructivist approach to teaching mathematics, revert to a traditional approach when they encounter mathematics teaching during professional experience. An intervention was designed to translate the initial pedagogical intent of four…

Mihail Jora, creator of Romanian ballet prototype

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Lava BRATU

2011-01-01

Full Text Available The idea to use in the ballet performances topics related to the Romanian music and life came through Mihail Jora’s creations: „La piaţă” (1928, „Demoazela Măriuţa” (1940, „Curtea Veche” (1948, „Când strugurii se coc” (1953, „Întoarcerea din adâncuri” (1959, „Hanul Dulcineea” (1966. His works are characterized by creative force, subtlety and staging gift that have turned the trivial into art. The dramatic sense, the picturesque force, the complex rhythm, the harmonious coloring, the conducting talent and the gentle use of sounds as well as the modern aesthetic vision - all speak about an artistic personality of an extraordinary originality.

Perda de peso e consumo de bebidas durante sessões de treinamento de ballet clássico

OpenAIRE

Silva, Cláudia Villela da; Fayh, Ana Paula Trussardi

2011-01-01

O objetivo do estudo foi analisar a perda de peso (PP) e o consumo de líquidos durante sessões de treinamento de ballet clássico. A amostra foi composta por vinte e uma bailarinas, que foram avaliadas em três sessões de ballet: uma sessão sem oferta de líquidos, uma sessão com oferta de água e outra com oferta de bebida esportiva. Na sessão em que as bailarinas receberam água, a mediana de consumo foi 376,19 mL e a mediana de PP foi -190g. Na sessão com bebida esportiva, a mediana do consumo ...

The Solar System Ballet: A Kinesthetic Spatial Astronomy Activity

Science.gov (United States)

Heyer, Inge; Slater, T. F.; Slater, S. J.; Astronomy, Center; Education ResearchCAPER, Physics

2011-05-01

The Solar System Ballet was developed in order for students of all ages to learn about the planets, their motions, their distances, and their individual characteristics. To teach people about the structure of our Solar System can be revealing and rewarding, for students and teachers. Little ones (and some bigger ones, too) often cannot yet grasp theoretical and spatial ideas purely with their minds. Showing a video is better, but being able to learn with their bodies, essentially being what they learn about, will help them understand and remember difficult concepts much more easily. There are three segments to this activity, which can be done together or separately, depending on time limits and age of the students. Part one involves a short introductory discussion about what students know about the planets. Then students will act out the orbital motions of the planets (and also moons for the older ones) while holding a physical model. During the second phase we look at the structure of the Solar System as well as the relative distances of the planets from the Sun, first by sketching it on paper, then by recreating a scaled version in the class room. Again the students act out the parts of the Solar System bodies with their models. The third segment concentrates on recreating historical measurements of Earth-Moon-Sun system. The Solar System Ballet activity is suitable for grades K-12+ as well as general public informal learning activities.

Pain education in pre-registration professional health courses: a protocol for a scoping review.

Science.gov (United States)

Thompson, Kate; Milligan, James; Johnson, Mark I; Briggs, Michelle

2016-07-18

Pain is a global health concern causing significant health and social problems with evidence that patients experiencing pain are receiving inadequate care. The content of pain education in pre-registration professional health courses is thought to be lacking both in the UK and internationally which is unacceptable considering the prevalence of pain. Evaluating the effect of education is complex in that the outcome (improved healthcare) is some distance from the educational approach. Best evidence medical education has been proposed as a continuum between 'opinion-based teaching' and 'evidence-based teaching'. Searching for evidence to inform best practice in health education is complex. A scoping review provides a practical and comprehensive strategy to locate and synthesise literature of varied methodology including reports from a variety of sources. The aim of this article is to describe a protocol for a scoping review that will locate, map and report research, guidelines and policies for pain education in pre-registration professional health courses. The extent, range and nature of reports will be examined, and where possible titles for potential systematic review will be identified. Reports will be included for review that are directly relevant to the development of the pain curriculum in pre-registration professional health courses, eg nursing, medicine, physiotherapy. The search strategy will identify reports that include [pain] AND [pre-registration education or curriculum] AND [health professionals] in the title or abstract. Two authors will independently screen retrieved studies against eligibility criteria. A numerical analysis regarding the extent, nature and distribution of reports will be given along with a narrative synthesis to describe characteristics of relevant reports. Formal ethical approval was not required to undertake this scoping review. Findings will be published in scientific peer-reviewed journals and via conference presentations

The Pilates Method and Ballet Technique: Applications in the Dance Studio

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Ahearn, Elizabeth Lowe

2006-01-01

There are many body therapies from which dancers may choose in order to gain and maintain strength, flexibility, and balance and to avoid injury or facilitate rehabilitation from injury. The questions are: which system is best for the given student, and how can educators incorporate the many somatic perspectives into their curriculums. This…

Healthcare professionals and managers' participation in developing an intervention: A pre-intervention study in the elderly care context

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Bergman Howard

2009-04-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background In order to increase the chances of success in new interventions in healthcare, it is generally recommended to tailor the intervention to the target setting and the target professionals. Nonetheless, pre-intervention studies are rarely conducted or are very limited in scope. Moreover, little is known about how to integrate the results of a pre-intervention study into an intervention. As part of a project to develop an intervention aimed at improving care for the elderly in France, a pre-intervention study was conducted to systematically gather data on the current practices, issues, and expectations of healthcare professionals and managers in order to determine the defining features of a successful intervention. Methods A qualitative study was carried out from 2004 to 2006 using a grounded theory approach and involving a purposeful sample of 56 healthcare professionals and managers in Paris, France. Four sources of evidence were used: interviews, focus groups, observation, and documentation. Results The stepwise approach comprised three phases, and each provided specific results. In the first step of the pre-intervention study, we gathered data on practices, perceived issues, and expectations of healthcare professionals and managers. The second step involved holding focus groups in order to define the characteristics of a tailor-made intervention. The third step allowed validation of the findings. Using this approach, we were able to design and develop an intervention in elderly care that met the professionals' and managers' expectations. Conclusion This article reports on an in-depth pre-intervention study that led to the design and development of an intervention in partnership with local healthcare professionals and managers. The stepwise approach represents an innovative strategy for developing tailored interventions, particularly in complex domains such as chronic care. It highlights the usefulness of seeking out the

Etiological and therapeutical observations in a case of belly dancer's dyskinesia.

Science.gov (United States)

Linazasoro, Girutz; Van Blercom, Nadège; Lasa, Asier; Fernández, José Manuel; Aranzábal, Inés

2005-02-01

We report on the case of a woman with belly dancer's syndrome. This case presented two peculiarities: (1) the condition was induced by the chronic use of clebopride, and (2) abdominal dyskinesias showed a dramatic response to the application of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation. Copyright 2004 Movement Disorder Society.

Modelo de comunicación no verbal en deporte y ballet

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Vallejo Gloria

2010-12-01

Full Text Available Este estudio analiza el modelo de comunicación que se genera en los entrenadores de fútbol y de gimnasia artística a nivel profesional, y en los instructores de ballet en modalidad folklórica, tomando como referente el lenguaje corporal dinámico propio de la comunicación especializada de deportistas y bailarines, en la que se evidencia lenguaje no verbal. Este último se estudió tanto en prácticas psicomotrices como sociomotrices, para identificar y caracterizar relaciones entre diferentes conceptos y su correspondiente representación gestual. Los resultados indican que el lenguaje no verbal de los entrenadores e instructores toma ocasionalmente el lugar del lenguaje verbal, cuando este último resulta insuficiente o inapropiado para describir una acción motriz de gran precisión, debido a las condiciones de distancia o de interferencias acústicas. En los instructores de ballet se encontró una forma generalizada de dirigir los ensayos utilizando conteos rítmicos con las palmas o los pies. De igual forma, se destacan los componentes paralingüísticos de los diversos actos de habla, especialmente, en lo que se refiere a entonación, duración e intensidad.

Modelo de comunicación no verbal en deporte y ballet

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gloria Vallejo

2010-01-01

Full Text Available Este estudio analiza el modelo de comunicación que se genera en los entrenadores de fútbol y de gimnasia artística a nivel profesional, y en los instructores de ballet en modalidad folklórica, tomando como referente el lenguaje corporal dinámico propio de la comunicación especializada de deportistas y bailarines, en la que se evidencia lenguaje no verbal. Este último se estudió tanto en prácticas psicomotrices como sociomotrices, para identificar y caracterizar relaciones entre diferentes conceptos y su correspondiente representación gestual. Los resultados indican que el lenguaje no verbal de los entrenadores e instructores toma ocasionalmente el lugar del lenguaje verbal, cuando este último resulta insuficiente o inapropiado para describir una acción motriz de gran precisión, debido a las condiciones de distancia o de interferencias acústicas. En los instructores de ballet se encontró una forma generalizada de dirigir los ensayos utilizando conteos rítmicos con las palmas o los pies. De igual forma, se destacan los componentes paralingüísticos de los diversos actos de habla, especialmente, en lo que se refiere a entonación, duración e intensidad.

The impact of aesthetic evaluation and physical ability on dance perception.

Science.gov (United States)

Cross, Emily S; Kirsch, Louise; Ticini, Luca F; Schütz-Bosbach, Simone

2011-01-01

The field of neuroaesthetics attracts attention from neuroscientists and artists interested in the neural underpinnings of esthetic experience. Though less studied than the neuroaesthetics of visual art, dance neuroaesthetics is a particularly rich subfield to explore, as it is informed not only by research on the neurobiology of aesthetics, but also by an extensive literature on how action experience shapes perception. Moreover, it is ideally suited to explore the embodied simulation account of esthetic experience, which posits that activation within sensorimotor areas of the brain, known as the action observation network (AON), is a critical element of the esthetic response. In the present study, we address how observers' esthetic evaluation of dance is related to their perceived physical ability to reproduce the movements they watch. Participants underwent functional magnetic resonance imaging while evaluating how much they liked and how well they thought they could physically replicate a range of dance movements performed by professional ballet dancers. We used parametric analyses to evaluate brain regions that tracked with degree of liking and perceived physical ability. The findings reveal strongest activation of occipitotemporal and parietal portions of the AON when participants view movements they rate as both esthetically pleasing and difficult to reproduce. As such, these findings begin to illuminate how the embodied simulation account of esthetic experience might apply to watching dance, and provide preliminary evidence as to why some people find enjoyment in an evening at the ballet.

Analysis of a STEM Education Professional Development Conference for Pre-Service Educators

Science.gov (United States)

Hardrict-Ewing, Gloria

Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines are attracting increased attention in education. The iSTEM 2017 conference was a professional development program designed to acquaint pre-service teachers with interdisciplinary, research-based STEM instructional strategies that can transform traditional classroom instruction into dynamic learning environments. The STEM Education Scholars (STEMES) is a Learning Community of Practice, housed in the College of Education, at a mid-sized mid-western public research university. The program of study focused on designing a professional development program for future Pre-K12 teachers. The iSTEM 2017 conference presented by the STEMES Community of Practice sought to inform pre-service teachers of STEM pedagogy, and focused on innovative classroom resources, hands-on learning and increasing content confidence when incorporating STEM into classroom instruction. iSTEM 2017 was held in February, 2017, and offered twenty refereed presentations and workshop sessions, a keynote address, and a closing session to over 200 pre-service teachers. Conference participants chose sessions, participated in game-like experiences and shared their learning with each other as well as with conference organizers. Results from participant self-reported surveys were analyzed to measure the impact of the conference on improving participants' confidence in teaching STEM topics, and their attitudes about the instructional methods. These results were added to the conference proceedings, which also contain documentation of each iSTEM 2017 session. Findings suggest that the iSTEM 2017 conference had an overall positive impact on participants' familiarity with STEM education, their belief in the importance of STEM education, and their confidence to integrate STEM education into future instructional practices.

The benefits of Square dancing as a means of physical activity for Czech dancers with hearing loss

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Petra Kurková

2014-12-01

Full Text Available Background: Hearing, a strong line of communication that enables individuals to learn about the world around them, is a major factor contributing to the psychomotor development of every individual. Hearing loss can also affect the conception and perception of sounds and rhythm. Objective: The purpose of this study was to describe and analyse the benefits of Square and Round dancing for persons with hearing loss. Methods: The present study is an analytic-descriptive qualitative research. The sample was constituted non-probabilistically based on the following features: a a participant had to have hearing problems (hearing loss and b had to have participated regularly in Square dance for at least two years. Each participant was asked to name possible people to be interviewed (snowball technique. We analysed the data of 7 individuals (6 males and 1 female with hearing loss. The mean age of the dancers with hearing loss was 51.3 years. The participants had no cochlear implants or any other physical or vision related impairments. Results: The present findings constitute the first published survey regarding Czech Square dancers' status, their family's hearing status, hearing aid use, communication preference, education in integrated or segregated settings, the influence of family background on dance initiation, coach preference (hearing or deaf, and the environment for participation in Square dance as a mode of physical activity with regular dancers and with dancers with hearing loss as well. In the present sample of dancers with hearing loss, most were from hearing families and had hearing siblings. The degree to which individuals with hearing loss feel comfortable with the hearing world appears to influence their later preference for participating in regular, as opposed to segregated, physical activities. More than half of the dancers with hearing loss who participated in this research study would like to meet with the deaf minority. One of the

The Physics of Toppling and Regaining Balance during a Pirouette.

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Lott, Melanie B; Laws, Kenneth L

2012-12-01

One of the most common movements in dance is a turn around a vertical axis with one supporting foot on the floor--a pirouette. If the pirouette is not performed with the body on balance, it is not considered successful. Dancers are often taught to perform successful pirouettes by beginning the movement on balance and then keeping the body in that configuration, as opposed to correcting for an imbalance with small adjustments during the turn. Many, even advanced, dancers have significant difficulty performing more than two or three turns in a pirouette before losing balance, despite continued trial and error efforts to improve. To describe the mechanics of toppling and control of toppling during a pirouette, a theoretical model of a dancer in standard pirouette position was created, and an experimental study of real dancers performing pirouettes was conducted. Body segment parameters for the model (mass, length, etc.) were based on anatomical data and adjusted for sex, total body mass, and height. The principal moments of inertia were determined for several hypothetical dancers, and rigid body equations of motion numerically solved to express topple angle vs. time. When dancers reach too large a topple angle, they are forced to compensate by either hopping on the supporting foot in an attempt to regain balance or terminating the turn. The angle at which dancers lose stability and feel inclined to hop (θmax) was determined experimentally through a video analysis of nine intermediate to advanced ballet dancers' pirouettes (8 female, 1 male; 16 ± 2.3 years of age). The dancers hopped on the supporting foot after the body reached an average angle of 9.3 ± 1.9° from the vertical. With an average spin rate of 1.7 rev/s, it was found that a "rigid body" dancer (male or female) would need to begin the pirouette displaced less than one degree from the vertical in order to perform more than a double pirouette before reaching θmax. The results of this study demonstrate

Professional Dialogue, Reflective Practice and Teacher Research: Engaging Early Childhood Pre-Service Teachers in Collegial Dialogue about Curriculum Innovation

Science.gov (United States)

Simoncini, Kym M.; Lasen, Michelle; Rocco, Sharn

2014-01-01

While embedded in teacher professional standards and assumed aspects of teacher professionalism, willingness and ability to engage in professional dialogue about practice and curriculum initiatives are rarely examined or explicitly taught in teacher education programs. With this in mind, the authors designed an assessment task for pre-service…

Understanding Growth and Maturation in the Context of Ballet: A Biocultural Approach

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Mitchell, Siobhan B.; Haase, Anne M.; Cumming, Sean P.; Malina, Robert M.

2017-01-01

The pubertal transition can present an interesting paradox for the young dancer, with growth and maturation leading to improvements in some areas such as strength and power and detriment to others, such as flexibility and co-ordination. These challenges highlight the need to consider the interactions among biological, psychological and…

Analysis of occupational accidents with biological material among professionals in pre-hospital services.

Science.gov (United States)

de Oliveira, Adriana Cristina; Paiva, Maria Henriqueta Rocha Siqueira

2013-02-01

To estimate the prevalence of accidents due to biological material exposure, the characteristics and post-accident conduct among professionals of pre-hospital services of the four municipalities of Minas Gerais, Brazil. A cross-sectional study, using a structured questionnaire that was developed to enable the calculation of prevalence, descriptive analysis and analytical analysis using logistic regression. The study included 228 professionals; the prevalence of accidents due to biological material exposure was 29.4%, with 49.2% percutaneous, 10.4% mucousal, 6.0% non-intact skin, and 34.4% intact skin. Among the professionals injured, those that stood out were nursing technicians (41.9%) and drivers (28.3%). Notification of the occurrence of the accident occurred in 29.8% of the cases. Percutaneous exposure was associated with time of work in the organization (OR=2.51, 95% CI: 1.18 to 5.35, paccidents with biological material should be encouraged, along with professional evaluation/monitoring.

Corporeidade e sexualidade em dançarinos de rua: axé e hip hop Bodyness and sexuality of street dancers: axé and hip hop

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Fernando Luiz Cardoso

2011-12-01

Full Text Available Analisaram-se aspectos da corporeidade e sexualidade em dançarinos de hip hop e axé (35 homens e 49 mulheres comparativamente a indivíduos não-dançarinos expectadores da plateia (21 homens e 19 mulheres, via questionário anônimo. Os dançarinos de axé foram os mais satisfeitos com suas vidas sexuais, com as preliminares sexuais e os que mais gostavam de se masturbarem em relação aos de hip hop e plateia. Dançarinos do axé apresentaram uma sexualidade mais vinculada ao conhecimento corporal e conexões afetivas. Em ambos estilos, os dançarinos homens davam maior ênfase à genitália e a libido em relação aos aspectos da afetividade.We analyzed selected aspects of the bodyness and sexuality of hip hop and axé dancers (35 men and 49 women in comparison with non-dancer controls (21 men and 19 women through anonymous questionnaire. The axé dancers were the most satisfied with their sexual lives, with sexual preliminaries and who liked more to masturbate when compared with the hip hop dancers and controls. Axé dancers of both sexes presented a strong link between their sexuality and their corporal knowledge and affective connections. Men dancers were more focused in their genitals and gave stronger sexual emphasis to libido rather than affectivity.

Kinematic analysis of basic rhythmic movements of hip-hop dance: motion characteristics common to expert dancers.

Science.gov (United States)

Sato, Nahoko; Nunome, Hiroyuki; Ikegami, Yasuo

2015-02-01

In hip-hop dance contests, a procedure for evaluating performances has not been clearly defined, and objective criteria for evaluation are necessary. It is assumed that most hip-hop dance techniques have common motion characteristics by which judges determine the dancer's skill level. This study aimed to extract motion characteristics that may be linked to higher evaluations by judges. Ten expert and 12 nonexpert dancers performed basic rhythmic movements at a rate of 100 beats per minute. Their movements were captured using a motion capture system, and eight judges evaluated the performances. Four kinematic parameters, including the amplitude of the body motions and the phase delay, which indicates the phase difference between two joint angles, were calculated. The two groups showed no significant differences in terms of the amplitudes of the body motions. In contrast, the phase delay between the head motion and the other body parts' motions of expert dancers who received higher scores from the judges, which was approximately a quarter cycle, produced a loop-shaped motion of the head. It is suggested that this slight phase delay was related to the judges' evaluations and that these findings may help in constructing an objective evaluation system.

PHYSIQUE AND BODY COMPOSITION OF GIRLS PRACTISING CONTEMPORARY DANCE

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Przednowek Karolina H.

2017-09-01

Full Text Available Introduction. Physique and body composition are often explored in sport-related research. This is due to the fact that morphological features can be useful for determining a person’s predispositions for practising a given type of physical activity. Dance, as any other sports discipline, has an impact on the physique and motor skills of those who practise it. Most research concerning the physique and body composition of dancers conducted so far has focused on persons practising ballet or competitive ballroom dancing. Investigating these issues in contemporary dancers is a new field of study. The aim of the current study was to examine the physique and body composition of girls aged 14-17 years practising contemporary dance. Material and methods. The study involved 23 girls who trained contemporary dance twice a week for 2 hours. The participants of the study had been training since the age of six. Basic anthropometric measurements were performed. Body composition was analysed based on parameters measured using a Tanita body composition analyser. Conclusions. The analysis found that girls training contemporary dance were characterised by a leptosomatic physique. BMI values in both younger and older contemporary dancers indicated that their weight was normal. Compared to girls who did not practise any particular type of sport, contemporary dancers had a lower weight, a lower body water percentage, and a lower body fat percentage. The dancers were also characterised by a greater circumference of the waist, hips, arm, and chest compared to untrained peers.

Dance as a Road to Science

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Laws, Kenneth

2009-05-01

One of the challenges facing the science community is finding ways of demonstrating for non-scientists the logic and appeal of understanding how science applies to familiar phenomena. Dance movement involves many examples of physical principles that allow dancers and observers of dance to deepen their understanding of the natural world. To demonstrate the connection between science and art, we will observe a ballet dancer performing several movements which we can then analyze to illustrate why the movements are shaped the way they are and how dancers can improve their effectiveness through such analysis. One example is the tour jet'e, a half turn in the air during a vertical jump. The dancer's intent is to create the illusion of going up facing one direction, suddenly reversing direction while aloft, then landing. Good dancers recognize that they can most effectively create that illusion if they understand how the closeness of their legs determines their moment of inertia and hence rate of rotation. Another intriguing movement is a ``whip turn,'' a partnered pirouette in which the woman's leg is used to store angular momentum while her partner continues to increase that momentum by applying forces to her waist. This storing of angular momentum in a leg is a principle also used in fouett'e turns, a common repeated pirouette sequence. These examples, and others, many of which involve a broader range of motion than just rotation, provide the basis for observers and performers to understand how some dance movements can be carried out so effectively and beautifully!

Professional Aspirations among Pre-Service Teachers: Personal Responsibility, Time Perspectives, and Career Choice Satisfaction

Science.gov (United States)

Eren, Altay

2017-01-01

Exploring the direct and indirect effects of pre-service teachers' sense of personal responsibility on their professional aspirations through affective (i.e., career choice satisfaction) and cognitive (i.e., time perspectives) variables may enable teacher educators and policy makers to better describe the factors influencing teacher development in…

Perceptions of the motivational climate, need satisfaction, and indices of well- and ill-being among hip hop dancers.

Science.gov (United States)

Quested, Eleanor; Duda, Joan L

2009-01-01

Grounded in the self-determination theoretical framework (SDT) formulated by Deci and Ryan, and specifically the basic needs mini-theory (BNT), this study examined the relationship between perceptions of the motivational climate manifested in hip hop environments, satisfaction of the three basic needs, and indicators of well- and ill-being among hip hop dancers. Fifty-nine hip hop dancers (mean age: 20.29 years) completed a questionnaire assessing the variables of interest in the study. Perceptions of a task-involving climate were positively associated with satisfaction of the needs for autonomy, competence, and relatedness. Perceptions of an ego-involving climate negatively predicted relatedness. Satisfaction of the need for competence was positively associated with positive affect, and negatively linked to negative affect. Competence need satisfaction significantly mediated the relationship between a perceived task-involving climate and positive and negative affective states. In sum, the findings provided partial support for the facets of SDT and BNT. The results also indicated that promoting the task-involving features of dance learning environments may be beneficial to dancers' well-being.

University-School Collaboration as a Tool for Promoting Pre-Service Mathematics Teachers' Professional Skills

Science.gov (United States)

Kilic, Hulya; Tunc Pekkan, Zelha

2017-01-01

In this paper, we discuss pre-service mathematics teachers' professional gains from a university-school collaboration where they were given opportunity to observe two teacher educators' instructional practices in a 6th grade classroom, interact with students in one-to-one fashion and reflect on the teacher educators' and their own practices. Three…

Balance, Sensorimotor, and Cognitive Performance in Long-Year Expert Senior Ballroom Dancers

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jan-Christoph Kattenstroth

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Physical fitness is considered a major factor contributing to the maintenance of independent living and everyday competence. In line with this notion, it has been shown that several years of amateur dancing experience can exert beneficial effects not only on balance and posture but also on tactile, motor, and cognitive functions in older people. This raises the question of whether an even more extensive schedule of dancing, including competitive tournaments, would further enhance these positive effects. We therefore assessed posture, balance, and reaction times, as well as motor, tactile, and cognitive performance in older expert ballroom dancers with several years of competitive experience. We found substantially better performance in the expert group than in the controls in terms of expertise-related domains like posture, balance, and reaction times. However, there was no generalization of positive effects to those domains that were found to be improved in amateur dancers, such as tactile and cognitive performance, suggesting that there might be an optimal range of intervention intensity to maintain health and independence throughout the human lifespan.

Assessment of range of motion and muscular shortening in female flamenco dancers. Valoración de las amplitudes articulares y acortamientos musculares en bailaoras de flamenco.

OpenAIRE

José L. Costa Sepúlveda; Jorge del R. Fernández Santos; Roque Gómez Espinosa de los Monteros; Ana González Galo

2011-01-01

The purpose of the study was to assess flexibility and range of motion in flamenco dancers of Cádiz, Sevilla and Jaén (Spain) through a tests battery. The study population comprised 37 healthy flamenco dancers (25 ± 7,2 years, 1,6 ± 0,5 m y 56 ± 7,6 Kg). They performed a range of flexibility and motion tests (i.e. Kendall test, Nachlas test). Results has shown that there is muscle shortening in most of the tests that flamenco dancers has passed. We conclude that there are not many articles on...

Cosmonaut Aleksey Leonov joins belly dancer on stage at Folklife Festival

Science.gov (United States)

1974-01-01

Cosmonaut Aleksey A. Leonov, in one of the lighter moments of activity involving Soviet Cosmonauts and American Astronauts, joins a belly dancer on stage as several visitors to weekend activity at the site of San Antonio's HemisFair look on. Leonov is commander of the Soviet Apollo Soyuz Test Project (ASTP) crew. The Lebanese dancing was just one feature among many during the Texas Folklife Festival.

Lesiones acumulativas por microtraumatismos de repetición en el ballet

OpenAIRE

Sobrino Serrano, Francisco José

2016-01-01

Las lesiones acumulativas por microtraumatismos de repetición, son las más frecuentes en la práctica de actividades atléticas como el ballet, que requieren una técnica precisa y numerosas repeticones de gestos técnicos específicos para adquirir destreza suficiente en su ejecución, existiendo diferencias en función de la disciplina, sexo, edad y/o experiencia profesional. En este estudio se analizan las lesiones presentadas por 145 bailarines profesionales de las principales compañías españ...

Encounters in place ballet: a phenomenological perspective on older people’s walking routines in an urban park

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Eck, D. van; Pijpers, R.A.H.

2017-01-01

The phenomenological tradition within human geography continues to inspire research on everyday city life. This paper draws on David Seamon's notion of place ballet to understand the meaning of encounters between older people visiting an urban park in the city of Eindhoven, the Netherlands. The

Impact of Pre-Pharmacy Work Experience on Development of Professional Identity in Student Pharmacists.

Science.gov (United States)

Bloom, Timothy J; Smith, Jennifer D; Rich, Wesley

2017-12-01

Objective. To determine the benefit of pharmacy work experience on the development of student pharmacists' professional identity. Methods. Students in all four professional years were surveyed using a validated Professional Self-identity Questionnaire (PSIQ). They were also asked about pharmacy experience prior to matriculation and their performance on Drug Information tests given midway through the P1 year and at the beginning of the P3 year. PSIQ responses and test results were compared based on pharmacy experience. Results. The PSIQ was completed by 293 student pharmacists, for a 67% response rate, with 76% of respondents reporting pharmacy experience prior to matriculation. Statistically higher scores on responses to 6 of the 9 PSIQ Likert-type items were observed from students in the first professional year for those with pharmacy experience; however, only one item in the second year showed differences with none in the third and fourth years. No impact of experience was observed on Top 100 or Top 300 grades. Conclusion. Pre-matriculation pharmacy experience may increase development of professional identity early in the student experience but may have little impact on academic readiness. Schools and colleges of pharmacy hoping to recruit students with an early sense of professional identity should consider adding such experience to their admissions requirements.

Levels of physical fitness and analysis of posture tendencies in classic ballerinas

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alessandra Prati

2006-03-01

Full Text Available Classic ballet is a dance practiced by children and adolescents along all their development process. To get to the high level of technique and performance, it is necessary more than seven years of practice. In this way, the repetition of the technical movements can promote the acquisition of some posture problems, as well as to develop aspects of the specific physical fitness. The aim of this descriptive study was to analyze physical fitness level and posture of ballet dancers. The sample was composed by eleven dancers with more than seven years of practice from ballet schools in Maringá, Paraná. For analysis of posture, the method PSU adapted by Althoff et al. (1988 was applied by using subjective evaluation through symmetrigraf view and deviations analyses of body segments (normal when index of postural correction -IPC>85%. Physical fitness level was determined by anthropometry to identify body composition (body mass index=BMI, % body fat, waist-to-hip ratio, strength test (dynamometry=D, arm strength (SA, abdominal resistance (AR, muscle power (vertical jump=VJ and long jump=LJ, the sit-and-reach test (Fl and aerobic work capacity (12 minute test. The main results were mean body composition (BMI=19.9kg.m-2; % body fat=22.7% and waist-to-hip ratio=0.69 was appropriate to the activity. Strength and resistance (D=50.3kgf, SA=21, AR=23 and Fl=40cm, muscle power (VJI=36.8cm and LJ=136cm and aerobic resistance (12min=1526m mean values were lower than expected. It was noticed that the dancers presented mean IPC of 86,9%. The segment head and neck showed deviations (13% kyphosis, as well as upper and lower back region (8% hyperlordosis, abdomen and hip (13% protruding abdomen and one higher hip and lower limbs (18% flat feet. The results lead to infer that the posture deviations observed can be consequence of the repetition of characteristic ballet movements along years of training. It is thought that for better performance in this long

Correction to: CASPer, an online pre-interview screen for personal/professional characteristics: prediction of national licensure scores.

Science.gov (United States)

Dore, Kelly L; Reiter, Harold I; Kreuger, Sharyn; Norman, Geoffrey R

2017-12-01

In re-examining the paper "CASPer, an online pre-interview screen for personal/professional characteristics: prediction of national licensure scores" published in AHSE (22(2), 327-336), we recognized two errors of interpretation.

Pre-Service Teachers' Professional Learning Experiences during Rural Teaching Practice in Acornhoek, Mpumalanga Province

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Nkambule, Thabisile; Mukeredzi, Tabitha Grace

2017-01-01

The concept of student teaching practice is globally rooted in training pre-service teachers to work within diverse schools and learner populations, in dissimilar contexts. It is also a drive towards the development of knowledge, professionalism, sense of efficacy, and flexibility in their performance and interactions. There is seemingly little…

Perceived autonomy support, motivation regulations and the self-evaluative tendencies of student dancers.

Science.gov (United States)

Quested, Eleanor; Duda, Joan L

2011-03-01

Limited research has considered the social-environmental and motivational processes predictive of self evaluations and body-related concerns. Evidence suggests that low self-esteem, poor body evaluations, and associated anxieties are particularly prevalent among the student dance population. Grounded in self-determination theory (SDT), this study examined the relationships among perceptions of autonomy support, motivation regulations, and self-evaluations of body-related concerns in the context of vocational dance. Three hundred and ninety-two dancers completed questionnaires regarding their perceptions of autonomy support in their dance school, reasons for engaging in dance, self-esteem, social physique anxiety (SPA), and body dissatisfaction. Structural equation modeling analyses revealed that perceived autonomy support predicted intrinsic motivation (+) and amotivation (-). Extrinsic regulation positively predicted SPA. Amotivation mediated the associations between perceptions of autonomy support and dancers' self-esteem, SPA, and body dissatisfaction. The utility of SDT in understanding predictors of self-worth, physical evaluations, and associated concerns was supported. Moreover, this study provides preliminary evidence supporting the applicability of SDT in dance contexts.

A course for developing interprofessional skills in pre-professional honor students using humanities and media.