OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether transversus abdominis activation (TrA), hip strength, and movement competency are associated with the incidence of musculoskeletal disorder episodes (MDEs) in dancers when controlling for confounding variables. The secondary objectives were to determine if there were differences between professional and preprofessional dancers for the aforementioned factors, as well as to determine if there were differences in TrA activation and hip strength between the dominant and non-dominant sides.
METHODS: Prospective cohort study.
METHODS: 118 dancers were recruited. The independent variables were collected at the beginning of the dance season: 1) TrA activation, 2) hip strength, and 3) movement competency. To assess the development of MDEs, a weekly electronic diary was used over a 38-week period. MDEs were compiled for each dancer\'s whole body and subdivided into total musculoskeletal disorder episodes (all body parts) and lower quadrant musculoskeletal disorder episodes (lower limb and lower back).
RESULTS: Lower TrA, as well as higher hip abductor and external rotator strength, were associated with a lower incidence of MDEs. TrA activation (β = 0.260, p = 0.023) and hip external rotator strength (β = -0.537, p = 0.002) could significantly explain 25.4% of the variance of total MDEs, as well as 20.9% of the variance of lower quadrant musculoskeletal disorder episodes (β = 0.272, p = 0.016; β = -0.459, p = 0.011). No significant associations were found between movement competency and MDEs.
CONCLUSIONS: Higher hip strength could be a protective factor for MDEs among dancers. Further studies are needed to better understand the involvement of the transversus abdominis in MDEs.

The purpose of this study was to analyze the impact of Latin ballroom dance training on gait biomechanics, anxiety, and depression. There were twelve Latin ballroom dancers and twelve recreationally active non-dancers that participated in this research. For collecting data on gait biomechanics, participants walked on a pressure sensitive walkway system and force plates to collect information on foot and ground interactions. Reflective trackers were placed on the anterior part of their hips, knees, and ankles to measure frontal plane lower leg alignment during weight acceptance. A survey including the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7) assessment, Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) assessment, and questions developed by the researchers were used to collect psychological data. Data was analyzed using independent t-tests, one-way ANOVA, chi-squared tests, and contingency tests. Results in this study showed that Latin ballroom dancers were minimally different in their gait biomechanics when compared to the non-dancers. The only statistically significant differences in the absolute value difference between legs for peak braking impulse (p=0.04) and the difference from left to right leg in peak braking ground reaction forces (p=0.05). All other variables of gait biomechanics that were measured in this study showed no statistically significant differences between the 2 groups (p>0.05). Dancers showed higher levels of anxiety, with 58.33% of dancers having a probable anxiety disorder and 8.33% of non-dancers having a probable anxiety disorder (p=0.06). However, there was no statistically significant difference between dancers and non-dancers and their likelihood of a depression diagnosis (p=0.16). Furthermore, there were differences in when dancers experienced symptoms when compared to non-dancers. Coaches and dancers should be aware of any positive or negative effects of Latin ballroom dance training on anxiety and depression so that they can make educated decisions to facilitate and promote health, safety, and wellness among dancers.

Our primary purpose in this study was to determine whether trained dancers differed from untrained non-dancers in their ability to accurately control motor timing during finger and heel tapping tasks, both with and without slow isochronous auditory stimuli. Dancers and non-dancers were instructed to synchronize their taps with isochronous auditory stimuli under three conditions: 30, 40, and 50 BPM. After the synchronization phase, participants were asked to continue tapping without the auditory sequences. On the synchronization task, the tapping onset of both groups lagged behind the stimulus onset in all tempo conditions. In all conditions, dancers showed more accurate and stable beat synchronization and continuation than non-dancers. As the tempo condition slowed down (from 50 to 30 BPM), synchronization accuracy decreased while synchronization and continuation variability increased. Unlike for novices, dancers showed no difference between the finger and heel tapping synchronization tasks. During the continuous tasks, their timing accuracy was higher for heel than for finger tapping. Collectively, these findings suggest that dance training, which involves synchronizing bodily movements based on rhythm, may lead to an accumulation of experience that enhances specific sensorimotor skills related to synchronizing movements with external stimuli or continuing rhythmic movements temporally.

Dancers are at heightened risk for eating disorders (EDs) and have job and training demands that obscure ED assessment and likely impede treatment. Two behavioral manifestations of ED psychopathology that may present uniquely in a dance environment are body checking and body avoidance. The current study sought to provide a foundational understanding of the phenomenology of body checking and avoidance among dancers by assessing the reliability (i.e., internal consistency) of existing body checking and avoidance measures and the relationships, or convergent validity, between measures of body checking and avoidance and measures of related constructs. Eighty professional and pre-professional (i.e., conservatory level) dancers (78.8 % female) from seven dance genres completed self-report measures of body checking and avoidance, ED pathology, clinical perfectionism, depression, and anxiety. Across the dancer sample, body checking and avoidance measures demonstrated adequate internal consistency. More frequent body checking and body avoidance was strongly related to higher levels of ED pathology. There were moderate to strong correlations between body checking and body avoidance and clinical perfectionism, depression, and anxiety such that higher body checking and body avoidance was related to higher clinical perfectionism, depression, and anxiety. Exploratory analyses found no significant differences between ballet dancers and dancers of other dance genres; professional dancers scored in the normative range on measures of body checking and body avoidance. Dancers\' qualitative descriptions of body checking and avoidance revealed behaviors not included in existing questionnaires, such as unique mirror use behaviors, technology-assisted body checking, and the checking and avoidance of body parts relevant to the dance-specific body ideal. Results support the inclusion of body checking and avoidance interventions in ED treatments for dancers (particularly pre-professional dancers) and emphasize the need for dancer-specific ED assessment methods.

UNASSIGNED: Contemporary concussion literature has yet to establish appropriate clinical management guidelines to address the unique needs of performing arts populations, especially at the collegiate level. Therefore, the purpose of this investigation was to collate current evidence regarding post-concussion return to performance management among university-aged performing artists to generate broad clinical implications.
UNASSIGNED: The research team was comprised of two faculty members in the performing arts, one concussion researcher, and athletic trainer, two university librarians, and one physical therapy graduate student with expertise in post-concussion management among performing arts patients. Two librarians searched the literature using PubMed, Cochrane, SPORTdiscus, and Education Research Complete. Studies were eligible for preliminary inclusion if they were written in English, conducted in the United States, as well as published in a peer-reviewed journal. There were no restrictions on publication date due to the limited literature on this topic. The most recent search was conducted in July 2023.
UNASSIGNED: Of the 18 studies identified during the search process, only 2 met the inclusion criteria. Broadly, this investigation identified common mechanisms of injury among stage crew/technicians and dancers who are of university-age. Furthermore, both studies identified several patients who opted to return to performing arts on their own volition. However, there were no studies that solely focused on the collegiate performing arts population and their return to performance procedures.
UNASSIGNED: Overall, these findings highlight a momentous gap in concussion literature regarding how to guide clinicians and academic teams when returning collegiate performing artists back to their performance environment(s). Thus, additional research is strongly warranted to understand the lived experiences of performing artists with concussion, as well as how to address specific coursework-related demands to support their recovery.

BACKGROUND: This study investigated the prevalence and associated factors of musculoskeletal pain among professional dancers who experienced a lapse in group practice due to coronavirus disease 2019.
METHODS: General characteristics, practice time, region of musculoskeletal pain due to injury using the visual numeric scale (VNS), and causative motion were surveyed among professional dancers. Pain of VNS 0 to 3 was categorized as \"no or minor,\" 4 to 6 was categorized as \"moderate,\" and 7 to 10 was categorized as \"severe.\" The causal motions of musculoskeletal pain were analyzed according to body region. Factors other than motion associated with pain were also analyzed.
RESULTS: In total, 368 participants were included. In the univariate analysis, age and practice time were positively associated with \"moderate\" pain. Practice time, dance experience, and postural accuracy were positively associated with \"severe\" pain, as was performing Korean traditional dance. In the multivariable analysis, practice time, group practice, and age were positively associated with pain of VNS 4 to 10, and practice time, group practice, and Korean traditional dance were positively associated with pain of VNS 7 to 10.
CONCLUSIONS: Among the factors related to dancer training, practice time, group practice, and dance type affect the occurrence of pain.

This study aimed to examine the association between the incidence of musculoskeletal disorder episodes (MDEs) and obsessive and harmonious passion as well as performance anxiety throughout a dance season, which lasted 38 weeks.
Prospective cohort study.
A total of 118 professional and preprofessional dancers were recruited and assessed at baseline, while 88 completed the follow-up. Their levels of passion and performance anxiety were assessed at the beginning of a dance season using the Passion Scale and the Kenny Music Performance Anxiety Inventory, respectively. To monitor the incidence of MDEs throughout a dance season, dancers were asked to complete a weekly electronic diary.
A higher level of obsessive passion was associated with a higher incidence of MDEs causing an interruption of dance activities (β = 0.264, p = 0.022). Harmonious passion and performance anxiety were not associated with MDEs throughout the season.
Findings of this study support the role of obsessive passion in the development of MDEs in dancers.

Introduction: Wearable technology (WT) has become common place in sport. Increased affordability has allowed WT to reach the wrists and bodies of grassroots and community athletes. While WT is commonly used by sport populations to monitor training load, the use of WT among dancers and dance teachers is unknown. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to explore the perspectives of dancers, dance teachers, and dance parents on using WT in the dance studio environment. Methods: Dancers (aged 14+), dance teachers (aged 18+), and dance parents (with a child <18 years registered in a dance program) were recruited from local dance studios (including those offering vocational programs and/or professional training opportunities), and dance retail stores. Participants provided informed consent/assent and completed a one-time online survey about their attitudes, self-efficacy, motivations, barriers, and current practices of using WT in the studio. Results: Sixty-seven participants (19 dancers, 32 dance teachers, and 16 dance parents) completed the survey. Attitudes toward using WT were similar across all groups (mean score range = 34-38/45). Thirteen dancers (68%), 29 teachers (91%), and 7 dance parents reporting on behalf of their children (47%) were permitted to use WT in the studio. Smartwatches were the most common WT used in the studio by dancers (7/9) and teachers (13/17), while dance parents reported that their children primarily used wristband activity trackers (3/4). Among all groups, the primary reason for using WT was to track personalized training data, with calories, total duration, and heart rate being the most important perceived metrics for improving dancing. Conclusion: Across all groups, attitudes toward WT were modest. Prevalence of WT use in the dance studio varied, with wrist-based gadgets being the most common. As WT research continues in dance populations, it will be important for future studies to consider studio permissions as well as participants\' existing WT use practices.

UNASSIGNED: Dancers have self-reported a link between spinal extension movements and low back pain (LBP). Researchers have not reported the total number or frequency that spinal movements occur in ballet, modern, or hip-hop dance classes or performances. The purpose of this study was to report the number of spinal movements dancers are exposed to in different dance environments.
UNASSIGNED: We analyzed 65 dance videos on YouTube.com for dance movements within 7 dance environments: ballet class and performance, modern class and performance, and hip-hop breaking, ciphers (large groups), and battles (\"1v1s\"). Two reviewers recorded counts of spinal (spinal flexion, extension, lateral flexion, and rotation), impact (jumps, leaps, and falls), and partnering movements (lifts, catches, and leans). Data analyses were processed in Jamovi (the jamovi project, Sydney, Australia). We reported movement totals, percentages, frequency, ranges, means with standard deviations (SD), and medians with interquartile range (IQR). We calculated significant differences using Mann-Whitney U tests.
UNASSIGNED: Video length ranged from 3 to 141 minutes (mean ± SD: 38.4 ± 38.3, range: 138). the average spinal extension movements ranged from 2 ± 0.8 to 7 ± 9.6 movements per minute across genres. Modern dance class had the most spinal flexion (89 ± 53.6), rotation (60 ± 40.8), and lateral flexion (74 ± 20.7) movements. Ballet performance had the most spinal extension movements (77 ± 69.8), jumps (74 ± 48), and leaps (19 ± 18.2). Hip-hop breaking had the highest number of falling movements (2 ± 2.3). Partnering movements were only present in ballet performance, modern dance performance, and hip-hop breaking environments.
UNASSIGNED: Movements that increase LBP occur often in all 3 dance genres. Dancers can expect frequent exposure to spinal extension movements; therefore, we recommend strengthening back and core musculature for all dancers. We recommend that ballet dancers also strengthen their lower extremity muscles. For modern dancers, we recommend strengthening their obliques. For hip-hop dancers, we recommend increasing muscular power and muscular endurance.

The aim of this study was to determine the concordance between the estimates of three low-cost and one high-cost electrical bioimpedance equipment (BIA) in classical and contemporary dancers. Participation in the study included 28 subjects (15 men and 13 women) 18 to 35 years old, who perform classical and/or modern dance, thrice weekly, from 60 to 120 min per session, for 10 years or more. Those who presented any disease, consumed drugs, supplements or multivitamins; had prostheses, surgical metal parts or pacemakers, had problems maintaining the correct anatomical positions for taking measurements, and pregnant women were excluded. Their body composition was determined with 3 low-cost BIA equipment (OMRON HBF-306C, SKULPT CHISEL and BEURER BF 1000) and one high-cost equipment (SECA mBCA 515). The results indicated that in men, SKULTP in its \"complete\" modality had the highest agreement with SECA (CCC=0.73, 95% CI=0.46-0.88) for body fat percentage (%BF); in women, OMRON in its \"normal\" modality had the highest agreement with SECA (CCC=0.85, 95% CI=0.62-0.94) for %BF; while BEURER had poor concordances (CCC=0.86-0.03) for the rest of the estimates in its different modalities, in both sexes. It is concluded that the lower cost equipment (SKULPT and OMRON) were the most consistent with SECA for %BF in normal weight dancers. BEURER had the lowest agreements with SECA, in all its modalities, as well as inconsistent estimates for all parameters. Therefore, there was no relationship between the cost of the low-cost impedance equipment and its agreement with those of a high-cost one.