Influence of dancesport on segmental coordination development in 6-8-year-old children

Abstract

Background and Study Aim. Dancesport significantly contributes to segmental coordination development in 6-8-year-old children through rhythmic movements and interaction with dance partner. The study aimed to investigate the impact of dancesport on segmental coordination development in children aged 6 to 8. Material and Methods. The study involved a group of 14 children aged 6 to 8 from the National Children's Palace in Bucharest. Research was conducted from February to June 2023. Segmental coordination assessment for upper limbs was done using Witty SEM, with 16 impulses of the smart semaphores (Lap L1-16) at 4 difficulty levels. Parameters measured: visual reaction time for each Lap (seconds), Lap mean (seconds), and total time (seconds). During the study period, a program with dancesport elements (Standard and Latino styles) was implemented for 36 hours, 2 hours per week. Comparative analysis between difficulty levels was done using ANOVA test, Single Factor Analysis of Variance, and Paired Comparison for Means. Statistical significance was set at p<0.05. Results. Comparative analysis between difficulty levels in the initial and final tests reveals an increase in Lap mean from L1-2 (24.5%) in the final test to L2-3 (53.8%) and L3-4 (24.6%) in the initial test. Comparing the average results of difficulty levels between tests, a decrease in visual reaction time by 0.04 seconds at L1, an increase by 0.03 seconds at L2, a decrease by 0.08 seconds at L3, and a decrease by 0.19 seconds at L4 were observed. Comparative analysis results of segmental coordination between tests at each difficulty level show significant differences of 5.6% (p<0.05) and 22.2% (p<0.01). Negative differences, indicating better performance between tests, are also observed at L1 by 33.3%, at L2 by 55.5%, at L3 by 38.9%, and at L4 by 27.8%. Conclusions. The study results reveal a significant increase in difficulty level among 6-8-year-old children, emphasizing the positive influence of dancesport elements on segmental coordination development. Comparative analysis of visual segmental reaction across different difficulty levels highlighted significant differences. Superior performances observed at lower difficulty levels comparing initial with final tests indicate an improvement in segmental coordination abilities.