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Abstract
Despite the vast knowledge available about proper alignment and safe dance training, the growing demands for university dancers have plagued them with increasing rates of overuse injuries stemming from an imbalance in their practice often influenced by their professors. The purpose of this review is to study teaching methods in dance education and the right bias in university dance classes to learn how unbalanced teaching methods and dancers’ asymmetric physicalities cause injuries. This research will help professors understand how to effectively communicate with their students to promote safe, injury preventing practice. The research explores the various roles present in the problem, including the involvement of the student, professor, and even the physical therapist. This review investigates the influence the professor’s language and actions have on the student’s behaviors. For instance, how the student may interpret the language differently from the professor’s true intentions. Also considered in the research is the implementation of screening students for any physical asymmetries or weaknesses at the beginning of each semester to develop a basis for individual conditioning programs to work toward evolving a more balanced body. In addition to these programs, the research examines the dancers’ attitudes toward the implementation of these programs as well as fully complying with their physicians’ requests during injury. The current research shows that students are more likely to learn about proper alignment and human anatomy than they are to actually embody the information and change their technique habits that are causing these injuries. There is a low percentage of physical therapists who treat dancers and understand how unique dance injuries are and how dance culture influences the prescribed treatment and recovery periods. The research done on university dance programs demonstrates that many schools do not offer an injury prevention course in their core requirements. Universities should strengthen their relationships between their dancers, professors, and physicians, which includes a required injury prevention course that is integrated into their other courses.
Publication Date
2017
Subject Major(s)
Dance and Choreography
Keywords
Dance, Dance Education, Dance Science, Dance Medicine, Laterality, Asymmetry, Teaching Methods
Disciplines
Dance | Higher Education and Teaching
Current Academic Year
Freshman
Faculty Advisor/Mentor
Professor Mary Boyes
Rights
© The Author(s)