Classical Ballet Research Articles

Characteristic Relationship between the Centre of Pressure and the Centre of Mass During Quiet Standing in Female Ballet Dancers

The purpose of this study was to examine the characteristics of centre of pressure (COP) and centre of mass (COM) fluctuations in ballet dancers standing quietly. Ten healthy young women performing classic ballet dance as recreational exercise (dancer group) and 10 healthy non-ballet dancers young women who were not ballet dancers (control group) participated in this study. Participants were instructed to maintain three standing positions as steadily as possible (two-legged stance, one-legged stance, and tiptoe stance) with their eyes open. The COP and COM displacements, the distance between COP and COM displacements (COP-COM distance), and the 95% confidence ellipse areas of the COP and COM in the anterior-posterior and mediolateral directions were calculated to assess postural stability. The mean absolute value of the COP-COM distance and the absolute value of the mean COP-COM distance in each direction during one-legged standing in the dancer group were shorter than these values in the control group. These results suggest that the COP fluctuates more closely and evenly, in both directions, around the COM during one-legged standing in athletes with superior postural stability, which would provide a basis for feedback training using both COP and COM displacements for improving static balance.

Intégration et transformation d’une figure de la danse classique par la danse coréenne – une analyse comparée de la Pirouette en dehors et du Hanbaldeuleodolgi basée sur la notation Laban

Due to cultural exchange between the West and Asia since the beginning of the 20th century, the Korean dance has integrated quite a few aspects of classical dance while transforming its figures. The transformation itself is what we are interested in. We focus on a central figure in classical ballet, la pirouette en dehors, which in the Korean dance is known as the Hanbaldeuleodolgi. Our research aims at understanding how is expressed in both cultures (France and Korea), a dance movement which comes under similar mechanical constraints (producing rotational forces) while displaying a unique aesthetic to each context. The detailed analysis of this figure is carried out based on the theory of Rudolf Laban.

Physical Activities and Lifestyle Factors Related to Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis.

In addition to genetic factors, environmental and lifestyle factors are thought to play an important role in the onset of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS). This cross-sectional study was conducted to explore lifestyle factors related to AIS. This study included 2,759 Japanese female junior high school students who planned a secondary screening after an initial moiré topography screening indicated possible scoliosis. The students and their mothers, or guardians, were asked to fill out a questionnaire consisting of 38 questions about demographic factors, lifestyle-related factors, social factors, household environment, participation in sports, health status, and factors related to the mother's pregnancy and delivery. The questionnaire was completed by 2,747 students (a 99.6% response rate). After excluding students with heart disease, neurological disease, or a congenital vertebral anomaly, 2,600 students were eligible for assessment. After undergoing a secondary screening with standing radiographs of the spine, students were assigned to the normal (control) group if radiographs showed a curve of <15° or to the scoliosis group if they had a curve of ≥15°. The odds ratios (ORs) for AIS in relation to the possible risk or preventive factors were estimated by logistic regression analyses. No lifestyle-related factor was significantly associated with AIS. However, AIS was associated with classical ballet training (OR, 1.38; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.09 to 1.75); the odds of AIS developing increased as the child's frequency of training, number of years of experience, and duration of training in ballet increased. The OR for AIS was 1.5 times higher for participants whose mothers had scoliosis. AIS was also associated with a low body mass index (BMI). These associations remained even after mutual adjustment was performed. No association was found between AIS and lifestyle-related factors. However, classical ballet training, a family history of scoliosis, and low BMI may be associated with AIS. Prognostic Level III. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

The Cranky Ballerina by E. Gravel

Gravel, Elise. The Cranky Ballerina. Katherine Tegen Books-Harper Collins Publishers, 2016.Ada is a cranky ballerina – she doesn’t like ballet! This picture book is written to encourage children to use their abilities in activities they enjoy, even though they may feel upset about not being good at activities in which their parents have enrolled them. The illustrations are attractive with many bright colors and details included, such as funny items or posters. Although they are not related to the dialogue or plot, children will enjoy spotting these fun details. The words change in size, color, font, and shape. This adds interest and accentuates the characters’ emotions. Because children aged 4 to 8, the intended audience, may have been enrolled by their parents in extra-curricular activities that they did not enjoy, they may be able to relate to this story. Not only does this story encourage children to refocus their negative emotions into finding activities they enjoy, but it can also be encouraging for parents. It can help parents to identify activities that will use a child’s apparent weaknesses as strengths and, in turn, improve the child’s mood. Other adults, such as teachers and instructors, will be reminded that every child has different strengths and abilities and that problems that they observe may be arising due to incompatible environments and activities.The characters portrayed as the ballet teacher and karate teacher are examples of patient and encouraging adults. The ballet teacher repeatedly tries to help Ada learn ballet, and the karate teacher compliments Ada on her spins and kicks. The ballet terms used, such as “plié”, “jetés”, and “arabesques”, would likely only be understood by children who have had ballet classes. Simple vocabulary, such as “spins” or “jumps” could have been used to make it easier to understand for children without prior knowledge in ballet. Overall, though, this picture book can be a good resource for teachers or parents and would be an interesting and a fun read for children. It should be available in school and public libraries.Highly Recommended: 4 stars out of 4Reviewer: Stephanie GilStephanie Gil is a University of Alberta student of linguistics who enjoys working with children and new immigrants. She spent a year teaching English as a Second Language in Japan to kindergarten and junior high school students.

Self-Compassion: A Potential Buffer in an Evaluative Dance Environment

Common characteristics of the dance environment, including mirrored settings, tight-fitted clothing, and evaluation by others create an atmosphere that can negatively influence a ballet dancer’s body image and act as a barrier to participation (Radell, Adame, Cole, &amp; Blumenkehl, 2011; Tiggemann &amp; Slater, 2001). Thus, it is important to identify resources that can buffer against negative self-perceptions in an evaluative dance environment. The purpose of this study was to explore self-compassion in relation to self-evaluative thoughts and behaviours in an evaluative ballet environment. Participants (N = 57 women undergraduate students; Mage = 20.59 years, SD = 3.81) completed an online questionnaire containing measures of self-compassion, social physique anxiety (trait and state versions), fear of negative evaluation (trait and state versions), as well as reactions, thoughts, and emotions to a hypothetical first day of beginner ballet class scenario consistent with the common characteristics of the dance environment. Self-compassion was negatively related to trait and state social physique anxiety, trait and state fear of negative evaluation, total negative affect, personalizing thoughts, and catastrophizing thoughts, as well as positively associated with behavioural equanimity and thoughts of equanimity. Finding self-compassion to be associated with lower neegative self-perceptions within the context of an evaluative beginner ballet class replicates past correlational research and advances the literature by contextualizing self-compassion to a specific evaluative environment.

Life history and point prevalence of low back pain in pre-professional and professional dancers

ObjectivesTo investigate lifetime history and point prevalence of low back pain (LBP) in pre-professional and professional dancers and to identify any demographic or physical factors associated with LBP in dancers. DesignCross-sectional study. SettingOne pre-professional ballet school, two pre-professional university dance programs, and a professional nationally touring ballet company. ParticipantsMale and female classical ballet and contemporary dancers aged 12 years old and above. Main outcome measuresLifetime history and point prevalence of LBP. ResultsA total of 110 (n = 19 male) dancers (mean (SD) 17.8 (2.9) years old) participated in the study, which represented 50% of the population invited to participate. A 74% lifetime prevalence of LBP was reported by dancers. Point and 12 month prevalence were 24 and 64%, respectively. No significant association was observed between LBP and any demographic or physical variables. ConclusionPre-professional and professional dancers have an increased vulnerability to LBP. The development of LBP within this population is complex and may not be associated with individual factors measured in this study.

Sõdadevaheline vene emigratsioon suures ilmas ja väikeses Eesti / Interwar Russian Emigration in the Larger World and "Little Estonia"

Sõdadevaheline vene emigratsioon suures ilmas ja väikeses Eesti / Interwar Russian Emigration in the Larger World and "Little Estonia"

Dança e formação professores: A História Oral como potência formativa

In this article, we bring questions raised by a research about the path of the formation of a classical ballet teacher from Pelotas’s city, inspired by autobiographical studies and a qualitative approach. Worked with the faculty of docent's memory and eight testimonials. The main contribution was the methodology of Oral History, which proved to be a powerful source for the field of teacher’s training, promoting understanding of the knowledge and experiences of the most significant that formed the studied practical as the methodological perspectives resulting from this process.

“You Shouldn’t Tell Boys They Can’t Dance”: Boys and Ballet in America

Ballet class has been a significant part of a certain kind of American childhood from the early 1900s forward. Boys have made up a steadily growing number of American ballet students, yet they have remained largely invisible in the historical record. Stereotypes about effeminacy and homosexuality have persisted even as more American boys have made their way into ballet classes over the course of the twentieth century. Their experiences reveal a great deal about the gendered nature of childhood and the ways in which larger social norms and cultural associations affect the opportunities, expectations, and experiences of real children.

The zen dance of 8 a.m. ballet class

Author(s): Dillon, Lucy | Abstract: The schedule of a dance major can be stressful. Developing a meditative approach to dance practice can help you find more focus, awareness, and enjoyment, making class refreshing and exciting.

Assessment of the aesthetic component of female classical ballet dancers performance

Since the aesthetic component of dancers’ performance is heavily related to their fitness level, the assessment of its qualitative aspect is highly needed (Angioi et al., 2009). This study aimed to assess the qualitative performance of classical ballet dancers by means of an adapted version of the “Performance Competence Evaluation Measure (PCEM)”, developed and validated by Krasnow et al.(2009). Eight female classical ballet dancers (age: 19,3±3,37 years; height: 165±4,65 cm; weight: 52,6±2,26 kg; total years of dance training: 10,5±2,26) were recruited to perform a movement sequence (“adagio”) lasting 80 seconds and specifically choreographed for this study. All participants were free of injury and not involved in any supplementary fitness training or other sport activity. Each performance was video recorded, randomly ordered in an edited video and handed together with assessment guidelines to three judges (two very experienced and one professional). Then, the judges’ scores for each one of the four parameters [1) Full Body Involvement (FBI); 2) Body Integration and Connectedness (BIC); 3) Articulation of Body Segments (ABS); 4) Movement Skills (MS)] were collected based on a Likert scale ranging from 1 to 5, in order to assess the inter-rater and intra-test-retest (one week after the first) reliability of their decisions. With regard to inter-rater reliability, the Kappa values were ranging from moderate (between 0.4 and 0.6) and very good (over 0.8) for FBI and MS and from good (between 0.6 and 0.8) and very good for BIC, while the professional judge differed from the others for ABS. With regard to intra-test-retest reliability there was mostly a very good agreement between all judges for all parameters. The reliability of the measures suggest that the PCEM can be serve as a useful tool to assess the aesthetic component of the performance of classical ballet dancers.

Danza!: Amalia Hernández and El Ballet Folklórico de México by Duncan Tonatiuh

Reviewed by: Danza!: Amalia Hernández and El Ballet Folklórico de México by Duncan Tonatiuh Deborah Stevenson, Editor Tonatiuh, Duncan Danza!: Amalia Hernández and El Ballet Folklórico de México; written and illus. by Duncan Tonatiuh. Abrams, 2017 34p Trade ed. ISBN 978-1-4197-2532-6 $18.95 E-book ed. ISBN 978-1-68335-110-8 $15.54 R Gr. 2-5 Amalia Hernández was expected to grow up to become a schoolteacher, but instead she became fascinated with the world of dance. Initially she studied classical ballet, but when modern dance spread to Mexico she became inspired; she expanded her remit again to study traditional dances across Mexico and incorporate them into her new choreography. Her attention to stagecraft as well as choreography made her company a natural for the young medium of television in the 1950s, where it was a huge success, and El Ballet Folklórico de México soon became an international phenomenon. The book does an excellent job of chronicling Hernández’s work as cultural explorer and celebrator of both pre-Columbian past and Mexican present; while it doesn’t spend time on personal description, it’s clear from her achievements as dancer, choreographer, company founder, tour director, and teacher what a powerhouse Hernández was. Tonatiuh’s signature stylized figures in side view and flattened perspective are surprisingly well suited to dancing; though there’s not a lot of focus on motion, the rhythmic compositions and streamlined details of costume and set design have an appropriately theatrical flair. This is a useful complement to other chronicles of twentieth-century dance such as Greenberg and Jordan’s Ballet for Martha: Making Appalachian Spring (BCCB 9/10) and it’s a rich introduction to an important figure less celebrated in the U.S. End matter includes a detailed author’s note, a glossary, a bibliography, and an index; there are no pointers toward YouTube, so make sure young readers take a look there to see the Ballet Folklórico in action. Copyright © 2017 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois

The effect of classical ballet and contemporary dance training on hip extensor flexibility and strength in novice dancers: A pilot study

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of an 11-week intervention of classical ballet and contemporary dance training on hip extensor flexibility and strength in college-aged students with no prior dance experience. An experimental group of college students enrolled in an introductory college dance course (n=22) were compared to a control group of college students (n=7). Measurements of flexibility and strength were taken at baseline and after the 11-week intervention, which consisted of 160min of classical ballet or contemporary dance technique training per week. A one-way repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) revealed statistically significant changes in bilateral hip extensor flexibility in the experimental group (p<0.001 bilaterally) and in right hip extensor strength (p<0.05). The current findings suggest that participating in classical ballet and contemporary training may increase bilateral hip extensor flexibility and right sided hip extensor strength in college-aged students, which could potentially be beneficial for athletic and fitness training. Additionally, the atmosphere of live music, social support uniquely found in a dance class, may be useful for athletes in training in their respective sport.

A Study on the Images of the Aged in Classical Ballet - Focusing on Coppelius of Coppelia and Drosselmeyer of The Nutcracker)

A Study on the Images of the Aged in Classical Ballet - Focusing on Coppelius of Coppelia and Drosselmeyer of The Nutcracker)

Proportion of injuries and correlated factors in classic ballet dancers of an academy in Bogotá, D.C.

Proportion of injuries and correlated factors in classic ballet dancers of an academy in Bogotá, D.C.

Acute Achilles Tendon Rupture Treated by Double Side-Locking Loop Suture Technique With Early Rehabilitation.

Although early accelerated rehabilitation is recommended for the treatment of acute Achilles tendon rupture, most traditional rehabilitation techniques require some type of brace. We retrospectively analyzed 44 feet of 44 patients (25 male and 19 female) with a mean age of 31.8 years who had an acute Achilles tendon rupture related to athletic activity. Patients had been treated by a double side-locking loop suture (SLLS) technique using double antislip knots between stumps and had undergone early accelerated rehabilitation, including active and passive range of motion exercises on the day following the operation and full weight-bearing at 4 weeks. No brace was applied postoperatively. The evaluation criteria included the American Orthopaedic Foot & Ankle Society Ankle-Hindfoot Scale (AOFAS) score; active plantar flexion and dorsiflexion angles; and the intervals between surgery and the time when patients could walk normally without any support, perform double-leg heel raises, and perform 20 continuous single-leg heel raises of the operated foot. Despite postoperative early accelerated rehabilitation, the AOFAS score and active dorsiflexion angles improved over time (6, 12, and 24 weeks and 2 years). A mean of 4.3 ± 0.6 weeks was required for patients to be able to walk normally without any support. The mean period to perform double-leg heel raises and 20 continuous single-leg heel raises of the injured foot was 8.0 ± 1.3 weeks and 10.9 ± 2.1 weeks, respectively. All patients, except one who was engaged in classical ballet, could return to their preinjury level of athletic activities, and the interval between operation and return to athletic activities was 17.1 ± 3.7 weeks. The double SLLS technique with double antislip knots between stumps adjusted the tension of the sutured Achilles tendon at the ideal ankle position and provided good clinical outcomes following accelerated rehabilitation after surgery without the use of a brace. Level IV, retrospective case series.

Visualizing Caribbean Performance (Jamaican Dancehall and Trinidadian Carnival) as Praxis: An Autohistoria of KiKi’s Journey

ABSTRACTI discuss my journey in the construction, pedagogy, and philosophy of the dance technique CaribFunk™. CaribFunk fuses Afro-Caribbean (traditional and social dance), classical ballet, modern, and fitness elements. It also encourages exploration of self while investigating identity, citizenship, and culture through a kinesthetic expression of the rhythmic gestures of the pelvis. The technique visualizes Caribbean performance (Jamaican Dancehall and Trinidadian Carnival) as a celebration of bodily truths, history, and desire. I argue that this expression is a (re)imagination of culture, destabilizing and decentering order in social spaces (curriculum), illustrating how this ideology can serve as praxis, how these ideas of bodily narratives and social and political expression find their way in CaribFunk technique, and how CaribFunk as a transcultural dance technique serves as a model and catalyst for change.

POSTURAL PROFILE OF CLASSICAL BALLERINAS FROM THE VALE DO SÃO FRANCISCO REGION OF BRAZIL

ABSTRACT Objective: The study aimed to determine the association between postural changes and practice of classical ballet among ballerinas from Integrated Administrative Region of Development (RIDE) in Polo Petrolina/PE and Juazeiro/BA. Methods: Cross-sectional observational study with 19 classical ballerinas aged over 15 years and at least 5 years of uninterrupted classical ballet practice. The anthropometric assessment included measurements of total body mass, height and body mass index (BMI). Postural evaluation was performed using the photogrammetric method with help of Posturograma(r) and SAPO(c) software. Results: The mean age was 25.3±11.7 years and the mean BMI was 21.4±2.9 kg/m². Approximately 74% of classical ballerinas had normal anthropometric profile. The postural profile of the classical ballerinas showed inclination and protrusion of the head, trunk rotation, rectification of cervical lordosis, increased thoracic kyphosis, increased lumbar lordosis, pelvic inclination and anteversion. Conclusion: The practice of ballet led to changes in body alignment of the classical ballerinas evaluated. The results points out to the need of postural re-education in order to contribute for the kinetic-functional balance of classical ballet practitioners.

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

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 <1.15, HR ±5 bpm of estimated HRmax). Peak VO2 (5-breathe smooth) was recorded and anaerobic threshold calculated using ventilatory curve and ventilatory equivalents methods. Statistical analysis reported between-subject effects for gender (F1,67=35.18, p<0.001) and rank (F1,67=8.67, p<0.001); post hoc tests reported soloists (39.5±5.15 mL/kg/min) as having significantly lower VO2 peak than artists (45.9±5.75 mL/kg/min, p<0.001) and principal dancers (48.07±3.24 mL/kg/min, p<0.001). Significant differences in anaerobic threshold were reported for age (F1,67=7.68, p=0.008) and rank (F1,67=3.56, p=0.034); post hoc tests reported artists (75.8±5.45%) having significantly lower anaerobic threshold than soloists (80.9±5.71, p<0.01) and principals (84.1±4.84%, p<0.001). The observed differences in VO2 peak and anaerobic threshold between the ranks in ballet companies are probably due to the different rehearsal and performance demands.

Essai

What my intercultural movement training taught meMy movement training is not particularly complex as I predominantly trained in Bharatanatyam and classical ballet. In this sense I don’t think I’m a...