Flying Closer: The Intersection of Circus and Dance

Dancers entering the professional industry must consider whether to be a jack of all trades, able to perform any style and any skill, or a specialized performer who has achieved mastery of one specific technique. Because commercial dancers require a greater variety of skill sets, and jobs for commercial dancers such as cruise ships, backup dancing, and Broadway shows, are increasingly asking their dancers to perform aerial arts - and circus companies such as Cirque Du Soleil, and Circa are blending circus and dance, I am arguing that a dancer entering the commercial industry has to also consider the value of circus training

Spring Dance Concert 2018 Playbill

Providence College Dance Company Spring Dance Concert 2018 Student Choreography Showcase Friday, April 27, 7:30PM Saturday, April 28, 2:00PM DIRECTOR: Dr. Wendy Oliver LIGHTING DESIGNERS Tim Brown ’20 Thomas Edwards ’20 We’ll Be Okay Choreographer: Abby Raser Music: “All At Once” by The Airborne Toxic Event featuring The Calder Quartet Dancers: Alanna Daley, Caroline Mallon, Erin McDonald. Deirdre McMahon, Samantha Oakley, & Abigail Raser What Kind of Man Choreographer: Maria Fonts Music: “What Kind Of Man” by Florence + the Machine Dancers: Maria Fonts, Meghan Frazier, Emma Lederer, Kaitlin McGovern, Jaime Podracky, & Anna Sabo Care About Us Choreographer: Samantha Oakley Music: “They Don’t Care About Us” by Michael Jackson Dancers: Lela Biggus, Devon Guanci, Kathrine Pineo, Samantha Oakley, Gabriella Ricciardone, & Claudia Seguin Running Choreographer: Gillian Klein Music: “Running” by Beyoncé Knowles Dancers: Gillian Klein, Erin McDonald, Kaitlin McGovern, & Maya Young Our Corner of the Universe Choreographer: Meghan Frazier Music: “Our Corner of the Universe” by K.S. Rhodes Dancers: Stephanie Cameron, Emma Flanagan, Maria Fonts, Erin McDonald, Jaime Prodracky, & Claudia Seguin Time Choreographer: Devon Guanci Music: “Time” by Hans Zimmer Dancers: Alanna Daley, Gillian Klein, Deirdre McMahon, Sam Oakley, Katherine Pineo, Gabriella Ricciardone, & Maya Young Forgive Me Choreographer: Steph Cameron & Deirdre McMahon Music: “Happiness” by NEEDTOBREATHE Dancers: Stephanie Cameron, Emma Flanagan, Deirdre McMahon, Caroline Mallon, Abby Raser, & Anna Sabo Sound Argument Choreographer: Lela Biggus Music: “Sound” by Sylvan Esso Dancers: Maria Fonts, Caroline Mallon, Jaime Podracky, Gabby Ricciardone, Claudia Seguin, & Maya Young If I Ain’t Got You Choreographer: Emma Flanagan Music: “If I Ain’t Got You” by Alicia Keys performed by James Bay Dancers: Stephanie Cameron, Meghan Frazier, Devon Guanci, Gillian Klein, Emma Lederer, Samantha Oakley, & Anna Sabo Wave World Choreographer: Alanna Daley Music: “Wave” by Beck Hansen Dancers: Lela Biggus, Alanna Daley, & Abby Raser Hold On Choreographer: Caroline Mallon Music: “Hold On” by Chord Overstreet Dancers: Caroline Mallon, Emma Lederer, Kaitlin McGovern, & Katherine Pineo United Choreographer: Devon Guanci Music: “American Honey” by Lady Antebellum Dancers: Alanna Daley, Devon Guanci, Gillian Klein, Deirdre McMahon, Sam Oakley, Katherine Pineo, Gabriella Ricciardone, & Maya Young What Would I Do Without You? Choreographers & Dancers: Lela Biggus, Emma Flanagan, Meghan Frazier, Emma Lederer, Abby Raser, Claudia Seguin Music: “What Would I Do Without You” by Drew Holcomb and the Neighborshttps://digitalcommons.providence.edu/sdc_2018_pubs/1000/thumbnail.jp

Understanding the independent dancer: roles, development and success

Little research has been published about the varied role of the independent dancer. The aim of this study was to provide insight into the work independent dancers undertake and how their careers change over time. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 14 independent dancers. Content analysis revealed that the dancers had multifaceted careers that relied on both formal and informal activities, and varied according to three distinct stages (early, middle, late). The experiences reported by the dancers indicated that the realities of the independent dancer's role are not sufficiently recognised or supported within the industry

Antecedents of burnout among elite dancers: a longitudinal test of basic needs theory

Objectives: Little is known regarding the social-psychological predictors of burnout in the dance domain. Drawing from basic needs theory, a sub-theory in the self-determination theory framework (Deci & Ryan, 2000), this study examined whether changes in vocational dancers’ autonomy, competence and relatedness satisfaction mediated the relationships between changes in the dancers’ perceived autonomy support and burnout over a school year. \ud \ud Method: Dancers (N = 219) enrolled in vocational dance training, completed a questionnaire package tapping the variables of interest at three time points over a 36-week period. Results: SEM indicated that the observed decreases in the dancers’ perceptions of autonomy support positively predicted observed changes in reported basic need satisfaction that occurred over the school year. In turn, increases in the dancers’ global burnout were negatively predicted by changes in satisfaction of the three needs. The three basic needs fully mediated the ‘autonomy supporteglobal burnout’ relationship. When the sub-dimensions of burnout were examined independently, there were inconsistencies in the salience of each basic need. The increases in emotional and physical exhaustion experienced by the dancers over the school year were unrelated to changes in autonomy, competence and relatedness satisfaction. Changes in competence need satisfaction negatively predicted reduced accomplishment. Increases in the dancers’ dance devaluation were negatively predicted by changes in satisfaction of the three needs. \ud \ud Conclusions: Overall, the tenets of self-determination theory are supported. Findings point to the relevance of promoting and sustaining autonomy supportive training environments if burnout is to be avoided in elite dance settings

The role of psychological factors in the career of the independent dancer

Previous research indicates that psychological factors such as motivation and mental skills play an important role in relation to performance and to negotiating talent development stages. However, little is known about these factors in dance, particularly with regard to the independent dancer whose career may involve multiple roles, varied work patterns, and periods of instability. The aim of this study was to explore dancers’ motivation to work in an independent capacity, and the extent to which dancers’ psychological characteristics and skills enabled them to navigate a career in this demanding sector. In-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted with 14 dancers at different stages of their careers. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and content analyzed. Analysis revealed that the dancers were intrinsically motivated and highly committed to the profession. Working in the independent sector offered dancers opportunities for growth and fulfillment; they appreciated the autonomy, flexibility and freedom that the independent career afforded, as well as working with new people across roles and disciplines. In order to overcome the various challenges associated with the independent role, optimism, self-belief, social support, and career management skills were crucial. The mental skills reported by the participants had developed gradually in response to the demands that they faced. Therefore, mental skills training could be invaluable for dancers to help them successfully negotiate the independent sector

The Neuroanatomical Correlates of Training-Related Perceptuo-Reflex Uncoupling in Dancers

Sensory input evokes low-order reflexes and higher-order perceptual responses. Vestibular stimulation elicits vestibular-ocular reflex (VOR) and self-motion perception (e.g., vertigo) whose response durations are normally equal. Adaptation to repeated whole-body rotations, for example, ballet training, is known to reduce vestibular responses. We investigated the neuroanatomical correlates of vestibular perceptuo-reflex adaptation in ballet dancers and controls. Dancers' vestibular-reflex and perceptual responses to whole-body yaw-plane step rotations were: (1) Briefer and (2) uncorrelated (controls' reflex and perception were correlated). Voxel-based morphometry showed a selective gray matter (GM) reduction in dancers' vestibular cerebellum correlating with ballet experience. Dancers' vestibular cerebellar GM density reduction was related to shorter perceptual responses (i.e. positively correlated) but longer VOR duration (negatively correlated). Contrastingly, controls' vestibular cerebellar GM density negatively correlated with perception and VOR. Diffusion-tensor imaging showed that cerebral cortex white matter (WM) microstructure correlated with vestibular perception but only in controls. In summary, dancers display vestibular perceptuo-reflex dissociation with the neuronatomical correlate localized to the vestibular cerebellum. Controls' robust vestibular perception correlated with a cortical WM network conspicuously absent in dancers. Since primary vestibular afferents synapse in the vestibular cerebellum, we speculate that a cerebellar gating of perceptual signals to cortical regions mediates the training-related attenuation of vestibular perception and perceptuo-reflex uncoupling

Social decision-making driven by artistic explore-exploit tension

We studied social decision-making in the rule-based improvisational dance $There$ $Might$ $Be$ $Others$, where dancers make in-the-moment compositional choices. Rehearsals provided a natural test-bed with communication restricted to non-verbal cues. We observed a key artistic explore-exploit tension in which the dancers switched between exploitation of existing artistic opportunities and riskier exploration of new ones. We investigated how the rules influenced the dynamics using rehearsals together with a model generalized from evolutionary dynamics. We tuned the rules to heighten the tension and modeled nonlinear fitness and feedback dynamics for mutation rate to capture the observed temporal phasing of the dancers' exploration-versus-exploitation. Using bifurcation analysis, we identified key controls of the tension and showed how they could shape the decision-making dynamics of the model much like turning a "dial" in the instructions to the dancers could shape the dance. The investigation became an integral part of the development of the dance

Folic Acid Supplementation Improves Vascular Function in Professional Dancers With Endothelial Dysfunction

Objective To determine if folic acid supplementation improves vascular function (brachial artery flow-mediated dilation [FMD]) in professional dancers with known endothelial dysfunction. Design Prospective cross-sectional study. Setting Academic institution in the Midwestern United States. Subjects Twenty-two professional ballet dancers volunteered for this study. Main Outcome Measures Subjects completed a 3-day food record to determine caloric and micronutrient intake. Menstrual status was determined by interview and questionnaire. Endothelial function was determined as flow-induced vasodilation measured by high-frequency ultrasound of the brachial artery. A change in brachial diameter of Results Sixty-four percent of dancers (n = 14) had abnormal brachial artery FMD (P\u3c .0001). Conclusions This study reveals that vascular endothelial function improves in dancers after supplementation with folic acid (10 mg/day) for at least 4 weeks. This finding may have clinically important implications for future cardiovascular disease risk prevention

"Oh! What a tangled web we weave": Englishness, communicative leisure, identity work and the cultural web of the English folk morris dance scene

In this paper, we consider the relationship between Englishness and the English folk morris dance scene, considering how the latter draws from and reinforces the former. Englishness is considered within the context of the cultural web; a tool more often applied to business management but linked to a sociological viewpoint here. By doing so, we draw the connections between this structured business model and the cultural identity of Englishness. Then, we use the framework of the cultural web and theories of leisure, culture and identity to understand how morris dancers see their role as dancers and ‘communicative leisure’ agents in consciously defending Englishness, English traditions and inventions, the practices and traditions of folk and morris, and the various symbolic communities they inhabit. We argue that most morris dancers in our research become and maintain their leisured identities as dancers because they are attracted to the idea of tradition – even if that tradition is invented and open to change

The dancer as a performing athlete: physiological considerations.

The physical demands placed on dancers from current choreography and performance schedules make their physiology and fitness just as important as skill development. However, even at the height of their professional careers, dancers' aerobic power, muscular strength, muscular balance, bone and joint integrity are the 'Achilles heels' of the dance-only selection and training system. This partly reflects the unfounded view, shared by sections of the dance world, that any exercise training that is not directly related to dance would diminish dancers' aesthetic appearances. Given that performing dance itself elicits only limited stimuli for positive fitness adaptations, it is not surprising that professional dancers often demonstrate values similar to those obtained from healthy sedentary individuals of comparable age in key fitness-related parameters. In contrast, recent data on male and female dancers revealed that supplementary exercise training can lead to improvements of such fitness parameters and reduce incidents of dance injuries, without interfering with key artistic and aesthetic requirements. It seems, however, that strict selection and training regimens have succeeded in transforming dance to an activity practised by individuals who have selectively developed different flexibility characteristics compared with athletes. Bodyweight targets are normally met by low energy intakes, with female dance students and professional ballerinas reported to consume below 70% and 80% of the recommended daily allowance of energy intake, respectively, while the female athlete 'triad' of disordered eating, amenorrhoea and osteoporosis is now well recognised and is seen just as commonly in dancers.An awareness of these factors will assist dancers and their teachers to improve training techniques, to employ effective injury prevention strategies and to determine better physical conditioning. However, any change in the traditional training regimes must be approached cautiously to ensure that the aesthetic content of the dance is not affected by new training techniques. Since physiological aspects of performing dance have been viewed primarily in the context of ballet, further scientific research on all forms of dance is required