613 research outputs found

    Effect of a 12-Week Greek Traditional Dances Program on the Development of Kinesthesis and Dynamic Balance in School-aged Children

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    The purpose of the present study was to examine the effect of a Greek traditional dances program on the development of kinesthesis and dynamic balance in school-aged children. For this purpose seventeen children, six boys and eleven girls, pupils of elementary school, with their age ranged from 6 to 10 years, took part in the study. All the children received a 12-week program of Greek traditional dances at a frequency of one lesson per week, for 90 minutes. Data collection included pretest and posttest measurements of the kinesthesis and dynamic balance for all the children. Kinesthesis was measured by the kinesthesiometer (Lafayette Instrument Co.) and dynamic balance was measured by the stabilometer platform (Lafayette Instrument Co.). For data analysis, descriptive analysis and the non-parametric tests Wilcoxon of the SPSS ver. 18.0 for windows were used. The level of significance was set to p<0.05. The results showed that after the 12-weeks program of Greek traditional dances there was a significant improvement in the kinesthesis (z=-3.01, p<0.01) and the dynamic balance ability (z=-3.29, p<0.01) of the children. In conclusion, a program with Greek traditional dances with music accompaniment, could lead to significant improvements in children’s abilities, kinesthesis and balance

    "We produce under this sky": making organic wine in a material world

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    This thesis explores the role of living and non-living materials as active agents in the processes of making and marketising organic wines in Northern Italy. It is concerned with the ways in which the tension between human intentionality and material agency is managed and worked with in this high-risk and ethically charged context. By applying theoretical insights of actor-network and post-humanist theories to the field of agri-food production, this thesis proposes novel ways of understanding markets, ethics, and skill in the context of organic wine, and of agri-food more generally. The thesis traces and analyses the effects of materials key to the production and marketisation of organic wines: vines, yeast, and sulphur dioxide. A multi-sited, participant observation ethnography approach is used to follow these materials, and the practices in which they are implicated, at a number of wineries in Northern Italy. Two dominant modes of ordering (Law 1994) of organic winemaking practices and discourses are identified: pacification, and making spaces for nature. It is shown that the constant tension between these two modes of ordering expresses the ongoing negotiation of acceptable levels of indeterminacy (and so the acceptable limits of ‘naturalness’) in organic wine production and sales. This thesis makes a significant contribution to current debates in post-humanist and agri-food literature. It extends the existing empirical focus of post-humanist research to spaces of high-risk human-nonhuman interactions. It proposes a move beyond conceptualising agri-food ‘natures’ as economically or ethically passive, and towards relational understandings of both markets and ethics of agri-foods. It demonstrates that the times and spaces of agri-food production, and those of agri-food markets and ethics, are linked through the materialities of practice and product. This thesis thus calls for a materialist politics approach to agri-food production

    Towards a dance technique for the secondary school

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    In recent years the approach to dance in education has undergone considerable change, generating a need to reappraise the role of technique within the educational context. In this thesis it is argued: (1) that when dance is taught as an art form, with a contribution to make to aesthetic education, greater attention must be paid to the technical aspect of performance; (2) that such technical aspects are best taught through the vehicle of an Educational Dance Technique rather than a professional training technique. It is further argued that an educational dance technique would act: (1) as a practical basis for the teaching of performance skills; (2) as a conceptual basis for the comparison of the style characteristics of theatre dance techniques. A core of basic performance skills is identified and proposals are made for teaching strategies appropriate to the eleven to fourteen age range and the fourteen to eighteen age range. Selected techniques, relevant to the major Western Theatre Dance Genres, are examined in order to elicit their style characteristics in terms of action vocabulary and spatial and dynamic qualities. These characteristics are then summarised and appropriate teaching strategies are proposed

    Releasing the pause button on Hugh Tracey’s field recordings of 1959: repatriation and revitalisation of a selection of the Bangwaketse music held at the International Library of African Music (ILAM)

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    This thesis examines an attempt at repatriation and the revitalisation of archival holdings from the International Library of African Music (ILAM) to the Bangwaketse community of Botswana. I assess how the attempt may shape future possibilities for the repatriation of more recordings from ILAM to other areas in Botswana. Drawing on the narrative compiled from the various sessions of memory retrieval and recollections of the past, I establish how the Bangwaketse claim ownership of their musical heritage. Memory and nostalgic reactions to musical sound contribute to a construction of communal truths as held by the people who claim their heritage to the music from ILAM. Memory retrieval and recollection are explored in this research as a process that allows the members of the community to reconnect with their past, interpret their memories, modify and create the ideal image of their community and retell their stories. Through the interactions and exploration of memory, I explore how the Bangwaketse are motivated to engage with the recordings from ILAM. In addition, based on the observation of the recent music performances of the Bangwaketse, I examine how the approaches they used, to sustain the traditional music that they continue to play, may inform the process of returning and revitalising archival holdings from ILAM. I argue that, for the purpose of revitalising the old archival recordings, the performers require incentives that are related to social developments and their contexts. Furthermore, the revitalisation effort is a joint effort between the performers, culture bearers as well as the audiences. In addition, I argue that in order to reinsert the archival recordings in the community, the recordings should be worked through the education sector and be taught to all generations, especially the children who hold the possibility of continued music revitalisation. The research evaluates how the traditional music of the Bangwaketse is conceptualized in recent years by the different research participants. The project further describes the innate need for a continued music culture by the Bangwaketse. Some sections of the data explain how music ‘escaped’ the social practices and structures of the past. After tracing how the traditional music ceased, I study how the Bangwaketse communally construct different strategies to re-insert the music into their livelihoods in order to realise the revitalisation of ILAM recordings in their original performance contexts

    Assessment of Physical Fitness and Training Effect in Individual Sports

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    Physical fitness is the basis for the success of players in sports, and its monitoring makes it possible to assess the effectiveness of training and identify possible errors. During training, thanks to the use of control results, these activities are modified, which better prepares players for competition. This Special Issue, entitled "Assessment of Physical Fitness and the Effect of Training in Individual Sports" presents the results of coaching control and the results of monitoring progression in training, as well as an assessment of the physical fitness of athletes practicing individual sports

    An investigation into the relationship between philosophical principle and artistic practice with reference to the role of dance in education

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    The thesis commences with the examination of the place of dance in British society, and focusses on its social and cultural role, while proffering explanations pertaining to its metaphysical and symbolical significance. It is evident that changes in political and religious attitude led to censure of folkloristic pastimes and celebrations of dancing, but it transpires that during the Restoration Period a resurgence of the popularity and acceptance of dance occurred in both theatrical and social contexts. The role of the dancing master is depicted in the creation of a mannered society, when aesthetically, artistically, and technically, dance was valued. The function of dance as a form of physical exercise is examined and concludes the introductory section. In establishing the role of dance in education, a study of early nineteenth century educational philosophers and practitioners is made, and the implications of Swedenborgianism on their work is investigated. European and American influences in the form of militarism, the gymnastic movement, health and dress reform are also examined. The founding of the Women's Colleges of Physical Education established dance as an aspect of physical training, a role reinforced by the Board of Education through the publication of a series of Syllabuses on Physical Training. Drills, singing games and maypole dances were taught in schools prior to the Folk Dance Revival, when morris, sword and country dances assumed a place with court and national dances, which were also performed by children. The Modern Dance Movement developed during the inter-war period and was typified by a variety of neo-classical, rhythmical dance forms that emphasised datural movement and spiritual expression. An account is included on the implementation of modern educational dance during the post-war years, and an appraisal of contemporary practice is made. The conclusion forms a summary and analytical argument relative to the changing role of dance in education

    A Case Study of Professional Ballroom Dance Instructors

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    This study investigates factors that influence both full time and part time ballroom dance instructors engaged in competitive and non-competitive dance instruction. A case study approach has been adopted to describe three dance instructors. Two of these instructors are a married couple who are full time professional ballroom dance instructors who are also the proprietors of a Perth metropolitan dance studio. The third professional instructor is a part time employee. The case study approach is utilized to gain insight into the perceptions of the instructors as to the demands that are made upon them. Participant observation, interview and documents are the basis of data collection and analysis. A number of recommendations are made in the light of this case study

    Fear of crime and victimization among the elderly participating in the self-defence course

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    Purpose. Self-defence training could enhance seniors´ defensive skills and fitness. There is lack of evidence about fear and concerns of seniors participating in the self-defence course. Methods. 18 elderly persons (16 female, 1 male; age 66.2, SD=5.86) participated in the self-defence course lasting 8 training units (each unit 60 minutes). Standardized tool for fear of crime and victimization analysis previously used in Euro-Justis project in the Czech Republic (2011) was used in pretest and posttest. Results. We explored the highest fear of crime by participants in their residence area after dark (mean=2,77; median=3; SD=0,80), lower fear at the night in their homes (mean=2,29; median=2; SD=0,75) and in their residence area at the daytime (mean=2,00; median=2; SD=0,77) at the beginning of the course. We noticed certain decrease of fear of crime after the intervention. Participant were less afraid of crime in their residence area after dark (mean=2,38; median=2; SD=0,77), they felt lower fear of crime at the night in their homes (mean=2,00; median=2; SD=0,48) and in their residence area at the daytime (mean=1,82; median=2; SD=0,63). Conclusions. The approach to self-defence teaching for elderly should be focused not just on the motor development, but also on their emotional state, fear of crime, perception of dangerousness of diverse situations and total wellbeing. Fear of crime analysis can contribute to create tailor made structure of the self-defence course for specific groups of citizens

    The frequency of falls in children judo training

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    Purpose: Falling techniques are inseparable part of youth judo training. Falling techniques are related to avoiding injuries exercises (Nauta et al., 2013). There is not good evidence about the ratio of falling during the training in children. Methods: 26 children (age 8.88±1.88) were video recorded on ten training sessions for further indirect observation and performance analysis. Results: Research protocol consisted from recording falls and falling techniques (Reguli et al., 2015) in warming up, combat games, falling techniques, throwing techniques and free fighting (randori) part of the training session. While children were taught almost exclusively forward slapping roll, backward slapping roll and sideward direct slapping fall, in other parts of training also other types of falling, as forward fall on knees, naturally occurred. Conclusions: Judo coaches should stress also on teaching unorthodox falls adding to standard judo curriculum (Koshida et al., 2014). Various falling games to teach children safe falling in different conditions should be incorporated into judo training. Further research to gain more data from groups of different age in various combat and non-combat sports is needed
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