Dance Exposure Tracking in a Liberal Arts Collegiate Dance Department

Abstract

ABSTRACT Dancers in a liberal arts program of study are an underrepresented group in the field of dance science and dance education literature. Dancers in this environment come with a broad range of interests and typically strive for high academic achievements outside of their dance studies. Therefore, their patterns of training and injury might be different than dancers typically studied in this field. This study sought to track dance exposure within a liberal arts collegiate dance department as it was hypothesized that dancers’ actual dance exposure time (AE) would be greater than their registered exposure time (RE). Self-reported injuries were also collected to assess incidence of injury. The findings of this study suggest a high incidence of injury and a statistically significant difference in AE versus RE. A customized periodization training program is recommended to assist institutions in combating these patterns within their own program.