Demandas energéticas en el bailaor norteamericano profesional de flamenco.

El objetivo de este estudio ha sido examinar la capacidad aeróbica y anaeróbica de bailaores estadounidenses profesionales de flamenco, con el fin de conocer las necesidades energéticas de esta danza. La muestra estudiada estaba formada por 11 bailaores profesionales de flamenco de Albuquerque, Nuevo Méjico (4 hombres y 7 mujeres). Se han registrado 3 variables: la composición corporal, medida con un adipómetro calipers; el consumo máximo de oxígeno (VO2max) estimado mediante el análisis de gases durante un test de esfuerzo progresivo; y la capacidad anaeróbica, calculada a través del test de Wingate. La edad media de los bailaores fue de 28.45 años (22-44 años) y el tiempo medio que llevaban participando en espectáculos flamencos era de 13.5 años (2-40 años). Respecto a la composición corporal, los participantes presentan datos de porcentaje de grasa corporal (GC) inferior a la media, tanto la muestra masculina, 9.96% GC (5,25-13,09% GC), como la femenina, 16.35% GC (12,96-20,17% GC). La media máxima de capacidad aeróbica fue de 51.63 mlO2•kg–1•min–1 para los hombres (40.7-59,5 mlO2•kg–1•min–1) y 38,78 mlO2•kg–1•min–1 para las mujeres (32.9-43,8 mlO2•kg–1•min–1), en ambos casos por encima de la media. La potencia máxima media registrada en el test de Wingate, fue de 16.2 W/kg (13.7-18.3 W/kg) y 11.3 W/kg (8.6 hasta 14.3 W/kg) para hombres y mujeres, respectivamente, con un índice de fatiga del 65.5% (62-74%) para los hombres y 56.1% (35.2-68.1%) para las mujeres. Estos resultados son superiores, casi en un 25 %, a otros datos publicados sobre deportistas que realizan actividades anaeróbicas. Por lo tanto, los bailaores de flamenco tienen una considerable potencia anaeróbica. Atendiendo en los resultados de este estudio, se sugiere que el entrenamiento de bailaores incluya componentes aeróbicos y anaeróbicos

Psychological wellness

Dancers who want to get the most out of their experience in dance—whether in college, high school, a dance studio, or a dance company—can now take charge of their wellness. Dancer Wellness will help them learn and apply important wellness concepts as presented through the in-depth research conducted by the International Association for Dance Medicine & Science (IADMS) and their experts from around the world

Examination of weight transfer strategies during the execution of grand battement devant at the barre, in the center, and traveling.

The purpose of this study was to examine grand battement devant at the barre, in the center, and traveling through space. The primary focus was to consider weight transfer in three conditions: from two feet to one foot for the barre and center conditions, and from one foot to the other foot in traveling. Forty female dancers volunteered (mean age 30.0 ± 13.0 yrs) and were placed in three groups: beginner (n = 12), intermediate (n = 14), and advanced (n = 14). Data were collected with a 7-camera Vicon motion capture system using a Plug-in Gait Full Body Marker set and with two Kistler force plates. Dancers executed five grand battement devant in each of three conditions in randomized order: at the barre in 1st position, in the center in 1st position, and traveling through space. Four variables were investigated: center of gravity of the full trunk, center of gravity of the pelvis, center of gravity of the upper trunk, and center of mass. Data were analyzed in three intervals-stance to battement initiation (STN to GBI), initiation to battement peak (GBI to GBP), and peak to end (GBP to END)-and in the x-axis and y-axis. The main effect condition was significant for all four variables in both x-axis and y-axis (p<0.001). There were no significant differences for training and no significant condition X training interactions. Condition was significant for all three intervals (STN to GBI, GBI to GBP, and GBP to END) for all four variables in both axes (p<0.01). Dance educators might consider the importance of allocating sufficient time in dance practice to each of the three conditions-barre, center, and traveling-to ensure development of a variety of motor strategies for weight transfer

Demandas energéticas en el bailaor norteamericano profesional de flamenco.

El objetivo de este estudio ha sido examinar la capacidad aeróbica y anaeróbica de bailaores estadounidenses profesionales de flamenco, con el fin de conocer las necesidades energéticas de esta danza. La muestra estudiada estaba formada por 11 bailaores profesionales de flamenco de Albuquerque, Nuevo Méjico (4 hombres y 7 mujeres). Se han registrado 3 variables: la composición corporal, medida con un adipómetro calipers; el consumo máximo de oxígeno (VO2max) estimado mediante el análisis de gases durante un test de esfuerzo progresivo; y la capacidad anaeróbica, calculada a través del test de Wingate. La edad media de los bailaores fue de 28.45 años (22-44 años) y el tiempo medio que llevaban participando en espectáculos flamencos era de 13.5 años (2-40 años). Respecto a la composición corporal, los participantes presentan datos de porcentaje de grasa corporal (GC) inferior a la media, tanto la muestra masculina, 9.96% GC (5,25-13,09% GC), como la femenina, 16.35% GC (12,96-20,17% GC). La media máxima de capacidad aeróbica fue de 51.63 mlO2·kg–1·min–1 para los hombres (40.7-59,5 mlO2·kg–1·min–1) y 38,78 mlO2·kg–1·min–1 para las mujeres (32.9-43,8 mlO2·kg–1·min–1), en ambos casos por encima de la media. La potencia máxima media registrada en el test de Wingate, fue de 16.2 W/kg (13.7-18.3 W/kg) y 11.3 W/kg (8.6 hasta 14.3 W/kg) para hombres y mujeres, respectivamente, con un índice de fatiga del 65.5% (62-74%) para los hombres y 56.1% (35.2-68.1%) para las mujeres. Estos resultados son superiores, casi en un 25 %, a otros datos publicados sobre deportistas que realizan actividades anaeróbicas. Por lo tanto, los bailaores de flamenco tienen una considerable potencia anaeróbica. Atendiendo en los resultados de este estudio, se sugiere que el entrenamiento de bailaores incluya componentes aeróbicos y anaeróbicos

Biomechanical research in dance: a literature review.

The authors reviewed the literature, published from 1970 through December 2009, on biomechanical research in dance. To identify articles, the authors used search engines, including PubMed and Web of Science, five previous review articles, the Dance Medicine and Science Bibliography, and reference lists of theses, dissertations, and articles being reviewed. Any dance research articles (English language) involving the use of electromyography, forceplates, motion analysis using photography, cinematography or videography, and/or physics analysis were included. A total of 89 papers, theses/dissertations, and abstracts were identified and reviewed, grouped by the movement concept or specialized movements being studied: alignment (n = 8), plié (8), relevé (8), passé (3), degagé (3), développé (7), rond de jambe (3), grand battement (4), arm movements (1), forward stepping (3), turns (6), elevation work (28), falls (1), and dance-specific motor strategies (6). Several recurring themes emerged from these studies: that elite dancers demonstrate different and superior motor strategies than novices or nondancers; that dancers perform differently when using a barre as opposed to without a barre, both in terms of muscle activation patterns and weight shift strategies; that while skilled dancers tend to be more consistent across multiple trials of a task, considerable variability is seen among participants, even when matched for background, years of training, body type, and other variables; and that dance teachers recommend methods of achieving movement skills that are inconsistent with optimal biomechanical function, as well as inconsistent with strategies employed by elite dancers. Measurement tools and the efficacy of study methodologies are also discussed

Electromyographic comparison of grand battement devant at the barre, in the center, and traveling.

This study examined utilization of the trunk and lower extremity muscles during grand battement devant in three conditions: at the barre (supported stationary condition in 1st position), in the center (unsupported stationary condition in 1st position), and traveling through space. Forty dancers (age 30.0 ± 13.0 yrs, height 1.63 ± 0.06 m, weight 59.0 ± 7.4 kg, and 13.9 ± 13.3 yrs of training in ballet and/or modern dance) volunteered and were placed in three skill level groups: beginner (n = 12), intermediate (n = 14), and advanced (n = 14). Dancers executed five grand battement devant in each of the three conditions in randomized order. We examined muscle activation bilaterally in eight muscles (abdominals, abductor hallucis, erector spinae, gastrocnemius, gluteus maximus, hamstrings, quadriceps, and tibialis anterior) using surface electromyography, a three-dimensional video biomechanical tracking system to identify events, and force plates. All data were analyzed in four events: stance, initiation, peak, and end. Analysis was done using a linear mixed effects regression model with condition, event, muscle, level, and side as the fixed effects, and subject as the random effect. There were significant effects for muscle x event x condition (p<0.01) and for level x side x muscle (p<0.01). Muscle use varied according to the combination of event and condition that was executed, and these differences were also influenced by the level of training of the dancer and the side of the body used. It is recommended that dance educators consider the importance of allocating sufficient time to each of the three conditions (barre, center, and traveling) to ensure development of a variety of motor strategies and muscle activation levels for dance practice

Development of a portable anchored dynamometer for collection of maximal voluntary isometric contractions in biomechanics research on dancers

Surface electromyography (sEMG) has been used in dance medicine research since the 1970s, but normalization procedures are not consistently employed in the field. The purpose of this project was to develop a portable anchored dynamometer (PAD) specifically for dance-related research. Due to the limited studies in the dance research literature using normalization procedures for sEMG data, a review of the procedures used in the exercise science literature was conducted. A portable anchored dynamometer was then developed and tested with dancers, using methods validated in previous literature. We collected sEMG maximum voluntary isometric contractions (MVIC, mV) from 10 female dancers (mean age 31.0 ± 15 yrs, mean height 163 ± 7.6 cm, mean weight 57.6 ± 6.9 kg, and 17.0 ± 13.9 yrs of training in ballet and/or modern dance) over three trials (5 sec each) for eight muscles bilaterally (quadriceps, tibialis anterior, abductor hallucis, gastrocnemius, hamstrings, gluteus maximus, erector spinae, and rectus abdominus). Consistency of data and feedback from dancers suggest that this dance-specific portable anchored dynamometer is effective for future sEMG studies in dance research

Breathing patterns and cardiovascular autonomic modulation during hypoxia induced by simulated altitude

Objective\ud \ud - To assess the influence of different breathing patterns on autonomic cardiovascular modulation during acute exposure to altitude-induced hypoxia. \ud \ud Design\ud \ud - We measured relative changes in minute ventilation (VE), oxygen saturation (% SaO2), spectral analysis of RR interval and blood pressure, and response to stimulation of carotid baroreceptors (neck suction) at baseline and after acute (1 h) hypobaric hypoxia (equivalent to 5000 m, in a hypobaric chamber). \ud \ud Methods \ud \ud - We studied 19 human subjects: nine controls and 10 Western yoga trainees of similar age, while breathing spontaneously, at 15 breaths/min (controlled breathing) and during 'complete yogic breathing' (slow diaphragmatic + thoracic breathing, ∼5 breaths/min) in yoga trainees, or simple slow breathing in controls. \ud \ud Results\ud \ud - At baseline %SaO2, VE and autonomic pattern were similar in both groups; simulated altitude increased VE in controls but not in yoga trainees; %SaO2 decreased in all subjects (P < 0.0001), but more in controls than in yoga trainees (17 versus 12%, 14 versus 9%, 14 versus 8%, all P < 0.05 or better, during spontaneous breathing, controlled breathing and yogic or slow breathing, respectively). Simulated altitude decreased RR interval (from 879 ± 45 to 770 ± 39, P < 0.01) and increased indices deducted from spectral analysis of heart rate variability (low frequency/high frequency (LF/HF) ratio from 1.6 ± 0.5 to 3.2 ± 1.1, P < 0.05) and systolic blood pressure (low-frequency fluctuations from 2.30 ± 0.31 to 3.07 ± 0.24 In-mmHg2, P < 0.05) in controls, indicating sympathetic activation; these changes were blunted in yoga trainees, and in both groups during slow or yogic breathing. No effect of altitude was seen on stimulation of carotid baroreceptors in both groups. \ud \ud Conclusions\ud \ud - Well-performed slow yogic breathing maintains better blood oxygenation without increasing VE (i.e. seems to be a more efficient breathing) and reduces sympathetic activation during altitude-induced hypoxia