Biopsychosocial Characteristics of Contemporary and Irish University-Level Student Dancers A Pilot Study

Abstract

In addition to the difficulties encountered by non-dancing university students, university-level dancers may encounter a range of challenges due to their status as aesthetic athletes. This pilot study compares the biopsychosocial characteristics of contemporary dance (CD) and Irish dance (ID) university students. CD (N = 30) and ID (N = 27) participants from institutions in Ireland and the United Kingdom were screened using a host of subjective and objective tools to establish baseline biopsychosocial characteristics. Participants also provided extensive information regarding their injury history over the previous year. The groups were compared using simple descriptive statistics, independent t-test or Mann Whitney U tests and chi-square tests as appropriate. CD participants danced for significantly more hours each week (p < 0.001) than the ID group, who spent significantly less time warming up (p < 0.001) and more time engaged in weekly non-dance-related physical activities (p = 0.022). CD participants performed significantly better that the ID group on the Star Excursion

Mental health in dance: A scoping review

“…Thus, compulsive striving often entails forms of self-objectification that can lead to lack of self-awareness, self-alienation, and to dancers isolating themselves from their social life ( van Staden et al, 2009 ). Similarly, evidence showed that these ideals and ingrained values can lead to obsessive passion, which is described as a rigid persistence to participate in dance, often resulting in dancing taking up disproportionate importance in an individual’s identity and leaving little space for other interests, decreasing their overall life quality ( Aujla et al, 2015 ; Cahalan et al, 2019 ).…”

“…It appeared, for example, that not only teachers but also peers exerted pressure on dancers’ body image and perceived expectations ( Dantas et al, 2018 ). Classical ballet especially seemed irrevocably connected to deep-running traditions and a fostering of cultural and interpersonal stressors , which various participants in several studies reported to be “part of the deal” and as an aspect that is tacitly expected, accepted, and cultivated ( Benn and Walters, 2001 ; Risner, 2014 ; Cahalan et al, 2019 ; Haraldsen et al, 2019 ). Other challenges and factors, such as situational stressors , are underrepresented across the scoping review and could therefore not provide a much-needed understanding of factors such as dancers’ financial means, support systems, and environments ( Sanchez et al, 2013 ).…”

“…Other challenges and factors, such as situational stressors, are underrepresented across the scoping review and could therefore not provide a much-needed understanding of factors such as dancers' financial means, support systems, and environments (Sanchez et al, 2013). Several studies describe injuries as a central stressor that creates unique challenges for the dancers and is associated with jeopardizing their mental health (Macchi and Crossman, 1996;Backlund and Wallén, 2016;Cahalan et al, 2019;Haraldsen et al, 2021a). Although injuries are characterized by physical challenges, the findings highlight the importance of interconnect dancers' physical and mental needs when dealing with an injury.…”

Limited Coping Skills, Young Age, and High BMI Are Risk Factors for Injuries in Contemporary Dance: A 1-Year Prospective Study

“…During adolescence, an increased predisposition is present toward short-term success despite possible long-term consequences, due to developmental cognitive processes, which, in turn, seems to be related to injuries ( van der Sluis et al, 2017 ). Within ballet, contemporary, and modern dance, a culture of dancing through pain and injuries is well known ( Luke et al, 2002 ; Gamboa et al, 2008 ; Cahalan et al, 2019 ), making it even more difficult to make the right decisions regarding your health. For instance, as stated by Rivera et al (2012) , “perceptions about how dancers are expected to work through pain play a significant role in whether they will choose to rehabilitate.” Yet, it is also acknowledged that athletes, such as elite runners, use self-regulation to keep track of their bodies, by monitoring their feelings and pain in order to achieve long-term goals ( Brick et al, 2015 ).…”

Irish Dancing Injuries and Associated Risk Factors: A Systematic Review

“…However, there is only one systematic review (2013), regarding injuries in Irish dancers, that included two studies with limited quality and level of evidence [9]. Since then, there has been an increasing research regarding the epidemiology of Irish dance injuries [3,4,[10][11][12][13][14][15][16].…”