Dance science

Abstract: Dance Education EDWARD C. WARBURTON, oBody Double: The Enactive Approach to Research on Marking in Danceo MILA L. PARRISH, oAhead in Air: Active Learning through Aerial Danceo ALICE BLOCH, oDancing a Peaceful World: Building Cooperation Skills through Creative Danceo LISA WILSON, oNurturing DancersAE Openness to Embody and Explore Diverse Movement Forms and Dance Techniques in Higher Education: A Critical Reflectiono JANICE LAPOINTE-CRUMP, oPerforming Classic Choreography: Achieving Artistic Integrity in Ballet Pedagogyo ASPASIA DANIA, DIMITRIOS HATZIHARISTOS, MARIA KOUTSOUBA, VASILIKI TYROVOLA, oValidity and Reliability of Scores from a Dance Assessment Instrument: Its Application on Greek Folk Danceo MELINA SCIALOM, oEmbodied Immigration and the Laban Genealogy in Brazilo ArtsBridge Scholars LYNNETTE OVERBY, oStudent Reflections: The Impact of Dance Integrationo JULIE LUZIER, oArtsbridge: A Creative Journey: Research, Methods, and Data Collection in Interdisciplinary Education Through the Artso JENNIFER RYAN, oMath that Moves You: A Study of the Effect of a Dance Integrated Mathematics Curriculum Supplement on the Knowledge and Attitudes of Second Grade Studentso Becoming a Dance ResearcheruJourney to Scholarship K. MICHAEL ROWLEY, oDiscovering the Path: Toward a Dance Science Research Careero COLLEEN HOOPER, oMoving and Becoming: My Journey as a Dance Scholaro

Abstract: The aim of this study was to develop a measurement tool, the "Performance Competence Evaluation Measure" (PCEM), for the evaluation of qualitative aspects of dance performance. The project had two phases. In the first phase a literature review was conducted to examine 1. the previous development of similar measurement tools, 2. descriptions of dance technique and dance performance applicable to the development of a qualitative measurement tool, and 3. theoretical models from somatic practices that evaluate and assess qualitative aspects of movement and dance activity. The second phase involved the development of a system for using PCEM, and testing its validity and reliability. Three judges from the professional dance community volunteered to test PCEM with a sample of 20 subjects from low-intermediate to advanced classes at a university dance program. The subjects learned a dance combination and were videotaped performing it on two separate occasions, eight weeks apart. The judges reviewed the videos in random order. Logical validity of PCEM was established through assessment by two faculty members of the university dance department and the three judges. Intra-rater and inter-rater reliability demonstrated correlation coefficients of 0.95 and 0.94, respectively. It was concluded that PCEM can serve as a useful measurement tool for future dance science research.

Abstract: Research has provided abundant evidence that overtraining is associated with fatigue and subsequent injury. For many years, it has been axiomatic that the vast majority of dance injuries are the result of overuse, and that dancers frequently persist in movement activities in the presence of microscopic injury--i.e., "dance through" injuries. While it is well-established fact that rest and adequate nutrition are vital components of training and conditioning, for various reasons it remains problematic for dancers to assimilate these requirements into their daily regimen. This review article provides some physiologically and biomechanically based information about the causes, inter-relationships, and consequences of these fundamental premises in dance science.

Abstract: As dance training evolves and becomes more complex, knowledge of motor behavior is foundational in helping dancers learn and master new skills and become more efficient in integrating the skills. "Motor Learning and Control for Dance "is the first resource to address motor learning theory from a dance perspective. Educators and students preparing to teach will learn practical ways to connect the science behind dance to pedagogy in order to prepare dancers for performance. Dancers interested in performance from the recreational to professional levels will learn ways to enhance their technical and artistic progress. In language accessible even to those with no science background, "Motor Learning and Control for Dance" showcases principles and practices for students, artists, and teachers. The text offers a perspective on movement education not found in traditional dance training while adding to a palette of tools and strategies for improving dance instruction and performance. Aspiring dancers and instructors will explore how to develop motor skills, how to control movement on all levels, and--most important--how motor skills are best taught and learned. The authors, noted experts on motor learning and motor control in the dance world, explore these features that appeal to students and instructors alike: - Dance-specific photos, examples, and figures illustrate how to solve common problems various dance genres. - The 16 chapters prepare dance educators to teach dancers of all ages and abilities and support the development of dance artists and students in training and performance. - An extensive bibliography of sports and dance science literature allows teachers and performers to do their own research. - A list of key terms is at the beginning of each chapter with an accompanying glossary at the back of the book. Part I presents an overview of motor behavior, covering motor development from birth to early adulthood. It provides the essential information for teaching posture control and balance, the locomotor skills underlying a range of complex dance skills, and the ballistic skills that are difficult to teach and learn, such as grand battement and movements in street dance. Part II explores motor control and how movement is planned, initiated, and executed. Readers will learn how the nervous system organizes the coordination of movement, the effects of anxiety and states of arousal on dance performance, how to integrate the senses into movement, and how speed and accuracy interact. Part III investigates methods of motor learning for dancers of all ages. Readers will explore how to implement a variety of instructional strategies, determine the best approaches for learning dance skills, and motivate and inspire dancers. This section also discusses how various methods of practice can help or hinder dancers, strategies for improving the recall of dance skills and sequences, and how to embrace somatic practice and its contribution to understanding imagery and motor learning. "Motor Learning and Control for Dance "addresses many related topics that are important to the discipline, such as imagery and improvisation. This book will help performers and teachers blend science with pedagogy to meet the challenge of artistry and technique in preparing for dance performance.