Balance is the ability to maintain an individual’s centre of mass over his or her base of support while standing. Ballet dancers have better balance than non-dancer control groups as they presented with better sensory-motor integrative skills when required to maintain a given posture for a longer period. To evaluate functional balance abilities, assessing individuals with above average balance abilities may provide valuable information about function. The balance of trained ballet dancers (N1) was investigated by comparing Sensory Organisaiton Test (SOT), Motor Control Test (MCT) and Limits of Stability (LOS) test results to matched non-trained individuals (N2). A quasi-experimental and two group design was used. Ten matched trained ballet dancers (N1) and 10 untrained individuals were included in the study. Trained ballet dancers (N1) had an average of 16.6 (± 4.24) years of experience, while non-trained individuals (N2) had none. No significant dufferences in demographic data was present between groups. Both groups reflected good overall balance and similar sensory organization. No differences in reflex latencies and weight symmetry of the left or right leg was present. Trained ballet dancers (N1) reflected higher response strength for medium forward translations (p.05) with the left leg, indicating poorer amplitude scaling in response to platform translations than those of non-trained individuals (N2). In non-trained individuals (N2), there was less variation in the response strength between legs. Research indicated that stretch reflex amplitude was attenuated as load stability was reduced. Co-contraction was also heightened as stability was reduced, but not enough to oppose the induced instability, probably due to feed-forward strategies instead of rapid involuntary feedback. Trained ballet dancers (N1) were able to extend further out of their Centre of Pressure (COP) than non-trained individual (N2) during forward (p<.05) and right forward (p<.05) movements. It was concluded that that for forward and right forward movements, ballet dancers used the feedback they received during the movements better than non-trained individuals (N2), resulting in a better awareness of where to go in space and how to reach that position after a subsequent attempt. This difference may be as a result of continuous training. Ballet training exercises can be used to rehabilitate individuals with impaired limits of stability. Further studies should be done on exactly which ballet training exercise results in increased limits of stability. / Mini Dissertation (MCommunication Pathology)--University of Pretoria, 2016. / Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology / MCommunication Pathology / Unrestricted

Ballet dancers are a unique population of athletes in that, unlike other sports, their success strictly depends on both physical capabilities and aesthetic factors. While the physical demands of the performing sport are strenuous, ballet dancers are often required to exhibit a thin physique, frequently resulting in weights 10-12% below the ideal. These low weights are commonly achieved by low energy intakes which increase dancers' susceptibility to the development of various health conditions. Research investigating the health of dancers, however, is limited and hampered by methodological limitations. To address these issues, we tested the hypothesis that dancers would report a low habitual energy intake and, therefore, be subject to conditions comprising the Female Athlete Triad, including low energy availability, suboptimal bone density and menstrual irregularities. In addition, we hypothesized that elite female dancers would have lower than expected resting metabolic rate (RMR) based upon their fat-free mass, and thus greater energetic efficiency as a result of chronic energy deficiency. As hypothesized, dancers reported a significantly lower energy intake and exhibited a lower RMR as compared to lean, pair-matched controls. Because treatment of these metabolic abnormalities is challenging, prevention of adverse health outcomes among adolescent pre-professional dancers is key in promoting overall health and optimal performance. Through our subsequent 'formative work', we determined that the current availability of nutrition education offered to both professional and pre-professional dancers is minimal and of questionable quality. Thus, we developed, implemented, and evaluated a DVD-based educational program, entitled "Nutrition for Optimal Performance", aimed at improving health knowledge and behaviors of pre-professional adolescent ballet dancers. Our findings indicate that participants increased their knowledge of basic nutrition principles and self-efficacy for adopting healthier dietary habits, as compared to pre-program and control group scores, and that knowledge gains were sustained at a six-week follow-up assessment. Collectively, these studies provide the field of dance medicine with novel findings related to the characteristics and health conditions of professional ballet dancers, and the effectiveness of a low-resource, disseminable nutrition education program which promotes the health and optimal performance of pre-professional adolescent ballet dancers. / Ph. D.

The study aimed to examine whether an experimental imagery intervention, which elicited ecological representations of self, was more effective in enhancing vividness of movement imagery, action control and performance ability than a conventional imagery intervention and/or that of a standard, instruction intervention. In order to test this hypothesis, a sample of 36 young ballet dancers (11-13 years) were secured from five reputable ballet schools and randomly assigned to three groups (n = 12) for the purposes of conducting a true experiment: a standard control group, an imagery control group and an experimental imagery group. Descriptive statistics and frequencies were conducted for all instruments used to describe and represent single variables of interest. Parametric and nonparametric statistical procedures were used to determine whether significant differences existed between the three groups for measures of vividness of movement imagery, action control and performance ability. Additional emerging relationships and trends were explored through bivariate correlational analyses, multiple stepwise regression procedures, a factor analysis as well as MANOVA and ANOVA statistical procedures. The results of the study were varied and some interesting trends were observed. Contrary to what was expected, the results revealed significant differences across the three groups for mean difference scores of performance ability, in favour of the standard control group. In particular, the standard control group revealed positive benefits in performance ability while the imagery control and experimental imagery groups revealed deteriorations in performance ability. The experimental imagery group was found to be significantly different from the imagery control group for mean difference measures of internal vividness ofmovement imagery. However, the study failed to reveal significant variations in mean difference scores for action control across the three groups. Furthermore, the results indicated that external and internal vividness of movement imagery were found to be significantly correlated with performance ability for the entire sample (N = 36) and across the two imagery groups (N = 24) respectively. Finally, numerous significant and near-significant relationships were observed between measures of vividness of movement imagery, action control and performance ability. The results were discussed in relation to the literature on mental imagery, ecological self, action control and development. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2001.

Sport and dance injuries have increased despite improvements in coaching techniques and medical care. Other factors, including psychological ones, were therefore thought to play a role in injury vulnerability. Most of the attempts to explain how psychological variables can affect an athlete's predisposition to injury have been based on anxiety or stress concepts. In this survey type study an interactive approach to stress has been adopted with the goal of finding a relationship between stress and injury in a group of professional ballet dancers. No simple direct relationship was found. Multiple regression analysis was performed and a more complicated relationship between stress indicators and injury was found. When an attempt was made to investigate the significant interaction, no significant correlations were found. However, the correlations were found to be large and negative. This could indicate that if the sample size had been larger significant correlations may have been found. / Psychology / M.A. (Psychology)

Sport and dance injuries have increased despite improvements in coaching techniques and medical care. Other factors, including psychological ones, were therefore thought to play a role in injury vulnerability. Most of the attempts to explain how psychological variables can affect an athlete's predisposition to injury have been based on anxiety or stress concepts. In this survey type study an interactive approach to stress has been adopted with the goal of finding a relationship between stress and injury in a group of professional ballet dancers. No simple direct relationship was found. Multiple regression analysis was performed and a more complicated relationship between stress indicators and injury was found. When an attempt was made to investigate the significant interaction, no significant correlations were found. However, the correlations were found to be large and negative. This could indicate that if the sample size had been larger significant correlations may have been found. / Psychology / M.A. (Psychology)