Home-based dance exercise for adults with moderate Parkinson’s disease: Protocol with a pilot study for a non-randomized clinical trial using video-dances in a DVD format (Preprint)

BACKGROUND Many people with Parkinson’s disease (PD) have never received rehabilitation care due to lack of accessibility and transportation and high therapy costs for in-person rehabilitation. Home-based dance exercise is an innovative, low-cost therapy that may reduce accessibility barriers to exercise. Especially since the COVID-19 pandemic, home-exercise programs are a highly relevant, alternative approach for people with PD OBJECTIVE This clinical trial protocol aims to explore the effects of a Home-Based contemporary dance exercise program for people with moderate Parkinson’s Disease (PD), focusing on balance, functional mobility, quality of life (QOL), cognitive function, and depression. METHODS This protocol is for a non-randomized clinical trial for adults with moderate PD divided into control group (CG) and Experimental Group (EG). Participants from the EG will perform video-dances of the contemporary dance, delivered in a DVD format. The video-dances will be executed 16 weeks, three times per week, 30 minutes each day at home, with exercise intensity controlled by the BORG scale. Participants from the CG will not receive any new exercise therapy. As primary outcomes, the signs and symptoms of the PD assessed by the Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale – UPDRS II and III, Hoehn and Yahr for the PD severity, and health-related quality of life (HRQL), measured by the Parkinson’s Disease Questionnaire – PDQ-39) will be tested. Secondary outcomes include cognitive function by the Montreal Cognitive Assessment – MoCA, balance by the Mini-BESTest, functional mobility by the Timed “Up and Go” test – TUG and depression by the Geriatric Depression Scale – GDS. All outcomes will be assessed in an in-person evaluation by a blinded assessor before and after the 16 weeks of the program. RESULTS This protocol has a pilot study that included 10 participants (5 in each group). It was observed positive results favoring the EG over cognitive function (p = 0.034). In addition, HRQL, balance, and depression were improved after the pilot program in the EG, however, without significant difference. CONCLUSIONS This clinical trial has the potential to be a safe alternative exercise approach under COVID restrictions and travel-free therapy with effects on PD symptoms. CLINICALTRIAL RBR-58T68W (Brazilian Clinical Trials Registry)

Exploring the Experience of Contemporary Dance Practices in the Context of Global Art Choreography in the Museum Space

The purpose of the article is to examine modern projects in the field of choreography, interconnected with art museums that open doors for choreographers and together embody creative ideas. It is this creative, largely subjective, controversial dialogue between the museum and dance, accompanied by comments of art historians, choreographers, and artists, that gets its meaning in the presented material. The novelty of the study lies in assessing the main directions of choreographic activity, which can be mutually transformed so that the museum and dance function successfully in modern conditions and build a new communicative space with the audience. Through a creative analysis of the modern experience of dance practices, it is possible to discover the principles and trends that are destined to breathe new life into the museum space. The considered examples of organising a museum space with theatrical and plastic direction interacting with it clearly demonstrate that modern visual strategies, associated primarily with its interactive substance, affect the communicative and exhibition space of the museum in different ways. A choreographic performance was analysed as part of a diverse event taking place on the territory of the cultural and historical museum complex; inclusion of dance in the dynamics of the halls of the interior spaces of the museum; entry of a choreographic performance, theatrical actions into the exhibition space of expositions; the museum itself inviting artists, choreographic schools and studios to conduct regular classes and masterclasses within the walls of the museum to popularise its collections, and other examples of forms of interaction between the art of dance and the art museum.

The concept of "Contemporary Dance": cultural, philosophical, and artistic approaches

The purpose of the article is to analyze and systematize approaches to the definition of the concept of "contemporary dance". Methodology. The research methodology is based on the analysis of scientific sources related to the topic, approaches to the interpretation of the concept of "Contemporary Dance", using terminological and historical methods. Scientific novelty. For the first time, the main approaches to the definition of contemporary dance are revealed and its characteristic features are revealed. Conclusions. Contemporary dance has taken a prominent place among the directions of choreographic art, has a wide circle of admirers, is recognized as a stage phenomenon and cultural and artistic practice. Currently, there is a wide range of approaches to understanding contemporary dance, which leads to terminological differences in scientific works. Among the main positions in contemporary dance, one can single out its consideration as an avant-garde form of choreographic art that evolved from modern dance; as a dramatic virtuoso dance originating from ballet and jazz; as an intellectual dance that originated in Europe and America, based on various techniques and techniques, it is perceived as a tool for the development of the dancer's body. We adhere to the position that contemporary dance is a direction of choreographic art that arose in the late XX – early XXI centuries in Europe and America, based on techniques and techniques that act as tools for the development of the body, the formation of awareness and the individual choreographic language of the dancer. Keywords: contemporary dance, contemporary culture, choreography, contemporary dance, terminological approach.

Spread of contemporary dance in Ukraine

The purpose of the article is to discover the peculiarities of the spread of contemporary dance in Ukraine. Methodology. The research was carried out using historical-chronological and biographical methods, as well as the method of stylistic analysis. Scientific novelty. For the first time, information about contemporary dance in Ukraine has been systematized and the features of its distribution have been identified. Conclusions. Contemporary dance is today recognized all over the world as a research tool for understanding a person and expanding his consciousness, which performs not only recreational, relaxation, communicative, and other functions, but is also used to solve human problems at the physical and mental levels, as well as to form cultural values. Having originated in Europe and America, the contemporary dance spread in Ukraine, gaining significant popularity in recent years. Among the specialist choreographers who contributed to its popularization in Ukraine from the end of the twentieth century. until now – M. Lymar, O. Budnytska, L. Venedyktova, L. Mova, R. Baranov, Kh. Shyshkarova, A. Ovchinnikov, A. Safonov, O. Ruban. In Ukraine, dance companies Buchok ART Family, Total Dance Group, N'Era Dance Company and others have been created, engaged in research contemporary dance, which demonstrate performances on small stages in different cities of Ukraine and at international contemporary dance festivals. Contemporary dance festivals "Zelyonka Fest", "Dance Space" and others, held in Ukraine, also contribute to the popularization of contemporary dance. The dissemination of information about contemporary dance occurs through platforms, laboratories, residences under the guidance of Western specialists, as well as thanks to domestic choreographers who attend master classes, seminars, lectures, intensives, etc. such specialists in Ukraine and abroad, and in turn pass on experience to students. Key words: contemporary dance, Ukrainian culture, modern culture, choreograph, modern dance.

Distance dance as an actor network

As a contribution to the critical and creative discussion regarding definitions and examples of how dance practices are being reimagined in the age of distance, this article focuses on possibilities and challenges with organizing virtual contemporary dance workshops for older adults. The aim of this article is to explore intra-actions within entanglements including older adult amateur dancers, a choreographer, homes, dance studios, the software zoom, devices, music, and dance during the COVID-19 pandemic of 2020. Situations seen as webs of relations including the mentioned actors were created. To be able to describe how the constantly performed intra-active networks of dancers and other material actors were constituted, actor-network theory was applied. The results show specific trajectories that exemplifies intra-actions with the participants. The older adults became dancers that make meaning in their lives, even if the virtual trajectories possible to follow to some extent, are limited by the pandemic cursed distance

Broadway Dance

Acknowledging the 1980s HIV/AIDS crisis and the deaths of hundreds of would-be choreographers, this chapter explores the trauma experienced by the dance and theater communities as a defining moment in the history of Broadway dance. I examine the advent of Broadway outsiders, post-modernist Bill T. Jones (Spring Awakening [2006]) and physical theatre practitioner, Steven Hoggett (American Idiot [2010] [2012], Once [2012], The Last Ship [2014]) onto Broadway and assess the diminishment of systems created by de Mille and Robbins. I also analyze Broadway insiders Savion Glover (Bring In ‘Da Noise, Bring in ‘Da Funk [1996], Shuffle Along, The Making of the Musical Sensation of 1921 And All That Followed [2016]), Andy Blankenbuehler (In the Heights [2008], Hamilton [2015]), Sergio Trujillo (Memphis [2009], Hands on a Hardbody [2013]), and Lorin Latarro (Waitress [2016]). I investigate how these four negotiate the systems of Robbins and Fosse while at the same time absorbing the influx of ideas coming from physical theatre Finally, the chapter looks at contemporary dance choreographer Camille Brown, who possesses an exceptional ability to discover fresh interpretations of time-worn dance vocabularies and to tell stories with invented movement. I contend that Brown is the latest choreographer using Broadway as a vehicle for inventive dance and setting a new standard of dance excellence and innovation in musical theater.

Dance and Science: an analysis of the creative process behind "Transitions", a show by Contemporary Dance Company of UFRJ

This study proposes an esthetic reflection on the influence of the biological sciences on dance as a variety of contemporary art. The relationship between science and art in this study is grounded on François Dagognet’s hyperphenomenology, particularly his representation of the major role played by the image-symbol as essential base of present-day scientific activity [1]. Contemporary dance creators and companies such as Wayne Mac Gregor, Phylobolus Dance Company and Liz Lerman Dance Exchange are analyzed, in order to highlight how some biosciences themes are explored as creative potentials in their dance performances [2,3,4]. We aim at relating biological shapes and patterns existing in the cellular and molecular universe with the fundamentals of dance described by Helenita Sá Earp. Earp’s conception posits dance as wide-scoped knowledge, including a “science of dance” where intuition works as basic foundation and its epistemology is made of an open type of knowledge named “dance parameters”, namely motion, space, shape, dynamics and time. These parameters allow establishing access points for multiple connections within the realm of dance. This approach tends to generate a kind of access to body actions stimulating interdisciplinarity between several areas of knowledge [4]. As study-case, we focus methodologically on the processes of esthetic creation involved in the production of a multimedia show entitled “Transitions” by appealing to biochemical notions, especially some features of cytology and cellular morphology, cell proliferation and processes of cellular transportation [5].