Effect of Visualization on Muscular Activation for Stability in Adolescent Ballet Students

The purpose of this study is to determine whether commonly used visualization techniques, whose results have been solely anecdotal, produce tangible, scientific results in muscular activation and improvement to ballet balances. Ballet training methods include imagery techniques however, much of this practice is solely based on the experience of the instructor and its results are anecdotal so that there are many gaps between research on imagery and dance instruction. Few published studies focus on the effect of the imagery training for dance students on either motor and nonmotor outcomes (Abraham, 2019). A survey will be administered to ballet instructors to determine the most used visualization cues for stability. Three adolescent female ballet students studying under said instructors will be asked to perform three balances. Surface electromyography data will be taken on the gluteus maximus, hip adductors, and abdominal oblique. The length of balance will also be taken. The dancers will then be exposed to a short visualization session or stimulus of anatomical images with arrows showing bodily adjustments and targeted muscles accompanied by verbal cues developed based on the instructor techniques from the survey. The same balances and data will be taken following the session. Results will be compared to the control data taken prior to the session to reveal whether the visualization training had significant results by determining statistically significant changes in balance times and changes in neuron spikes following spike analysis. Dancers will also be asked for qualitative feedback. Subject 2 yielded a significant increase in length of balance in all three types and the most consistent increase in neuron spikes in all of their muscles. This suggests a positive correlation between an increase in the degree of neuron activation or recruitment of those stability muscles and the ability for an individual to balance. This was also supported by increased confidence they felt in their balances after the visualization session. Subject 1 yielded no significant change in balance time before and after the visualization stimulus and the number of neuron spikes decreased after the session. This suggests that decreased activity in the tested muscles for stability resulted in lower balance times. This lack of muscular activation could be attributed to fatigue as reported by the dancer. The rest of the balances yielded significant increases in lengths of balance which were accompanied by increases in neuron spikes in the gluteus maximus and hip adductors for Degage a la Seconde and in the gluteus maximus for Releve en Retire. Subject 3 yielded insignificant changes in balance times for the first two types of balances but produced increases in the number of neuron spikes in most of the tested muscles in all of the balances. Reports from the dancer of being “less wobbly” the unexpected data to be attributed to an allocation to quality of the balance. The results on length of balances, number of neuron spikes, and confidence/reflection feedback obtained by this study supports the scientific validity of commonly-used visualization techniques in ballet by showcasing a higher degree of activation in the targeted stability muscles and longer average balance lengths should ensue following visualization training. Results also suggest that visualization techniques and stimuli for stability are the most effective when applied to learning unfamiliar movements. Further research could apply such visualization techniques to other movements, and even outside of dance.

Impact of Mirrors on Body Image of Beginning Modern and Ballet Students

This mixed methods study compared the impact of studio mirrors on body image in beginning level female collegiate modern dance and ballet students utilizing the Cash 69-item Body Self-Relations Questionnaire and semi-structured interviews. For the overall Body-Areas Satisfaction there was a statistically significant mirror condition x time interaction (p = 0.029); regardless of dance genre, students' body satisfaction in mirrored classes decreased. Specifically at the mid torso, a statistically significant class type x time interaction (p = 0.012) occurred; ballet dancers decreased in satisfaction. Interviews reflected that: 1. students in the mirrored classes spent more time discussing specific body parts with objectifying language; and 2. students in the non-mirrored classes spent more time describing their participation in dance in terms of kinesthetic sensations. These findings suggest that satisfaction with one's body in beginner ballet and modern classes may be compromised by the use of mirrors.

An Art or a Sport?

Most ballet students in the United States have taken class for recreational purposes rather than pre-professional training. Recitals developed as a means of giving them performance opportunities while also demonstrating their accomplishments to their families. Teachers also benefited from recitals, which allowed them to showcase their work. By the mid-twentieth century, ballet recitals were already a ritual of American life. As more girls turned to sports in the wake of Title IX, 1972 federal civil rights legislation that required equal opportunities for girls and boys in educational environments, the number of competitions for recreational ballet students increased sharply. The hope was that making ballet more sport-like and competitive would help retain girls and boys alike as students. While dance competitions remain controversial and have compounded previously existing issues of access, they are now so pervasive that they are part of the landscape of recreational as well as professional ballet.

Self-reported distortion of body image among classical ballet students in Brazil: classification according to the Body Shape Questionnaire

Body image is an important component of the complex mechanism of personal identity. The subjective component of body image refers to individuals’ satisfaction with their body size or specific parts of their body. Ballet has been cited in some studies on feeding behavior among athletes as yet another specific group, who value low weight and overvalue esthetics. The present study aimed to evaluate the potential body image disorders among classical ballet students in Brazilian schools through identifying self-reported body image distortion, using the Body Shape Questionnaire (BSQ) as the instrument. This study is fundamental for the formation of all corporal work that physiotherapists do together with dancers, students or professionals. This was a descriptive study conducted in three schools that are officially recognized as training centers for professional dancers in Brazil. The results indicate homogeneity among the BSQ values attained by the students at the participating schools. Differing from the literature, there was no significant difference between the genders in terms of scoring and distribution of classification of the BSQ levels. We conclude that dissatisfaction with body image is a constant variable and important when dealing with ballet students, and that this importance goes beyond just the esthetic values and towards professional performance. Body image distortions can alter the way in which dance students codify their body, which may facilitate disorders in their physical and mental health.Key-words: classical ballet, body image, musculoskeletal system.