Abstracts from the Current Literature

Rafferty S. Considerations for integrating fitness into dance training. J Dance Med Sci. 2010;14(2):45-9. In recent years it has frequently been suggested that dancers may not be sufficiently prepared for the demands of dance, and that the typical dance technique class by itself is not challenging enough to produce fit dancers. While a technique class can focus on muscular endurance, flexibility and neuromuscular coordination, it generally cannot meet all the physiological demands of high intensity aerobic and anaerobic performance. Therefore, supplementary fitness training outside of the dance class is encouraged to meet present day performance demands. This article offers some suggestions for incorporating fitness training into the dance class, and reports on the effectiveness of different supplementary programs. Some cardiovascular overload could be achieved by conducting the warm up at a continuous, higher intensity level and designing longer traveling sequences that are repeated more frequently with less rest time. Supplementary resistance training is also encouraged. Despite the concern that strength training might negatively affect flexibility and aesthetics there is little scientific evidence to support this. However, the training should be specific to the type of movement patterns used in dance. Theraband and dance-specific plyometric (jump) training are two examples of supplementary training. As part of the overall conditioning of the dancers it is also suggested that somatics, motor learning and psychological aspects need to be incorporated into dance training, such as the use of imagery, visualization, neural re-patterning, motivation and goal setting. One also has to consider how much of the outside of class conditioning transfers to the technique class, and therefore the fitness training that is developed needs to be dance-specific. According to the authors it is no longer necessary to ask whether fitness training should be included in a dancer’s training, but rather how it can best be implemented.