Comparison of Physiological Parameters between Amateur and Professional Bharathanatyam Dancers

Abstract

Physiologists claim to have recognized the therapeutic potential of the pre-eminent classical dance tradition of India known as Bharathanatyam to contribute to the formation of a healthy lifestyle equipped with kinetic, cognitive and spiritual elements of outstanding recreational value. Accordingly, the further a person gets involved in daily practices of Bharathanatyam, the greater it impacts on his or her physiological condition. In this background this study aims at comparing the variations that occur in the physiological parameters of professional and amateur Bharathanatyam dancers respectively, such as resting heart rate (RHR), systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) and VO2 max. The subjects used for the study were sixty women Bharathanatyam dancers [(N=60), (age 19-23) (BMI 27 ± 1.5)] from Jaffna, Sri Lanka. They were classified as professional dancers [(PD) (n=30, practicing 90 to 120 min / day for 5 to 6 day / week over the period of minimum 5 years)] and amateur dancers[(AD)( n=30, practicing 30 to 60 min / day/ 2 to 3 day / week over a period of minimum 5 years)]. Taking each of them individually, their resting heart rate (RHR) was measured by palpating the radial artery for one whole minute, their blood pressure (SBP,DBP) was measured, using a standardized sphygmomanometer and stethoscope, and their VO2 max was assessed by means of the Queen’s step test. Their resting heart rate and blood pressure were taken during the early morning hours while the collected data were statistically treated by using independent ‘t’ tests, with a confidence level of 0.05 fixed to test the significance. The results of the study showed that professional dancers had lesser resting heart rate [(RHR) (mean 68.47), systolic blood pressure (SBP) (mean 113.23), diastolic blood pressure (DBP) (mean 77.17) and higher VO2 max (mean 46.67)] than amateur dancers [whose RHR (mean 77.93), SBP (mean 117.83), DBP (mean 80.50) and VO2 max (mean 44.33)]. Hence it was concluded that, professional bharathanatyam dance practice positively influence the physiological parameters of the individual in respect of RHR, SBP, DBP and VO2 max than amateur dance practice. In light of the findings, the study attempts to show that a submaximal dancing intensity is adequate for dancers to improve their physiological parameters.