Strength and Conditioning
How do ballroom, ballet, and contemporary dancers differ in their physical characteristics and aerobic fitness?
To answer this question, Liiv et al. (2013) selected 286 male and female ballroom, ballet, and contemporary dancers in their early 20s. The ballet and contemporary dancers were selected from professional companies and the ballroom dancers were in the top 6% of international rankings. [Read more…]
The benefits of supplemental fitness training for dancers have been established. For example, Koutedakis et al. (2007) found that dance instructors’ ratings of performance quality were higher for modern dancers who completed a 12-week fitness program than for control group dancers in the same company.
The primary limitation of that study was that agreement among raters in the measure of performance quality was not assessed. If there are large differences in examiners’ ratings, it’s difficult to know whether performance quality is what’s truly being measured. [Read more…]
The most frequently studied dimensions of fitness are
Given the extraordinary physical demands of ballet, it seems reasonable to expect dancers to display excellent levels of fitness in these areas. However, a review of research on professional ballet dancers (Twitchett, Koutedakis, & Wyon, 2009) suggests othwerise. Here are some key findings: [Read more…]
Hip flexiblity is essential for athletic dancers, but the best method to achieve it is unclear.
Smith, Koutedakis, and Wyon (2013) examined the effectiveness of three training programs on the active and passive hip flexibility of 35 moderately-trained female dancers, all around 17 years old. [Read more…]
Misty Copeland is a soloist with American Ballet Theatre, one of the top classical ballet companies in the world. Misty was kind enough to take time out of her demanding schedule to share her thoughts on training, nutrition, and balancing the intense performance and aesthetic demands of ballet. [Read more…]
I'm Joel Minden, PhD, licensed clinical psychologist, cognitive behavior therapist, sport psychology consultant, and strength and conditioning specialist. Read more