Dancing with Gravity—Why the Sense of Balance Is (the) Fundamental

Abstract

The sense of balance, which is usually barely noticeable in the background of each of our movements, only becomes manifest in its function during intense stimulation or in the event of illness, which may quite literally turn your world upside down. While it is true that balance is becoming a bigger issue, that is mainly because people are losing it more frequently. So why is balance not as commonly talked about in psychology, medicine or the arts as the other five traditional senses? This is partly due to its unusual multi-modal nature, whereby three sensory inputs are coordinated and integrated by the central nervous system. Without it, however, we might not have much use for the other senses. The sense of balance encompasses the bodily experience in its entirety. Not only do we act with the body, we may also think and feel through it and with it. Bodily states are not simply effects of cognition; they cause it as well. Equilibrioception is an essential sense and it is interconnected with a wide range of other areas, including cognition, perception, embodiment, the autonomic nervous system, aesthetics, the arts, and education.

Hypergravity-induced malfunction was moderated by the regulation of NMDA receptors in the vestibular nucleus

“…Especially, the vestibular responses were directly affected by the change of gravity, inducing the neural plasticity for the adaptation 1 . The effects of gravity sensation were various ranged from sensory balance 2 , 3 to cognition 4 – 6 . To demonstrate the adaptation to the modified sensation, the neural plasticity in the central vestibular areas has been often assessed, and the main approaches were conducted by examining behavioral responses, neural activities, and some relevant proteins 7 – 9 .…”

The Impact of Aerobic Dance Intervention on Postural Balance in Children: A Randomized Controlled Trial

“…In addition, aerobic dance often involves movements that stimulate the vestibular system [58], which is responsible for detecting head movements and spatial orientation. The varied surfaces, spins, turns, and dynamic shifts in body orientation challenge participants' vestibular function [58][59][60]. This suggests that aerobic dance training may induce adaptive changes in the vestibular system, increasing sensitivity to head movements and improving spatial orientation.…”

The Concept of Neuromuscular Repatterning in Dancers: A Systematic Review

“…In this regard, Dowd [22], highlights two essential psychosomatic factors that condition musculoskeletal disorders in dancers. Firstly, the optimal relationship between mental and neuromuscular activity, and, secondly, an adequate transfer of weight between the axes and their joint centres in relation to gravity, which is compromised by a change in psychophysical balance [26].…”