Chronic Ankle Instability and Associated Self-Reported Function in South African Professional Ballet Dancers.

INTRODUCTION: Ankle sprains are the most common acute injury among dancers and may result in the development of chronic ankle instability (CAI). Chronic ankle instability is characterized by recurrent ankle sprains, incidents of the ankle "giving way," and sensations of instability and has been reported to negatively impact functioning and psychosocial status. The large number of ankle sprains in addition to contextual factors relating to professional dancing, suggests that CAI may be a significant problem in professional ballet dancers. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of CAI and describe the ankle injury history and level of self-reported function in South African ballet dancers. METHODS: This descriptive, cross-sectional study included all professional ballet dancers employed by three professional South African ballet companies (n = 65). The Identification of Functional Ankle Instability Questionnaire (IdFAI), Foot and Ankle Ability Measure (FAAM), Dance Functional Outcome Survey (DFOS), and a researcher-developed injury history questionnaire were completed by consenting participants. Descriptive statistics were calculated. RESULTS: A CAI prevalence of 73.3% CI [55.6%, 85.8%] was calculated among 30 participants. Twenty-five (83.3%) participants reported sustaining at least one significant ankle sprain with 88% (n = 22) indicating dance related activities as the cause. Dancers with CAI demonstrated a tendency to have less control over their ankles giving way and tended to take longer to recover from their ankles giving way than those dancers not affected. Eight participants (36.4%) with CAI were identified as having a significant level of disability on the FAAM activities of daily living (ADL) subscale and six participants (27.3%) on the sport subscale. Participants with CAI had a median total score of 83.5; IQR [80 - 90] on the DFOS. CONCLUSION: The self-reported function of South African professional ballet dancers is not severely affected, however, the high prevalence of CAI and reported symptoms is concerning. Education on CAI symptoms, prevention, and evidence-based management is recommended.

A Systematic Review of Cardiorespiratory Fitness Tests Used in Dance.

Dancers need adequate cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) levels in order to cope with the demands of dance classes and choreographies. Screening and monitoring of CRF is advised. The aim of this systematic review was to provide an overview of tests used to assess CRF in dancers and to examine the measurement properties of these tests. A literature search was performed in three online databases (PubMed, EMBASE, and SPORTDiscus) up until August 16, 2021. Study inclusion criteria were: 1. a CRF test was used; 2. participants were ballet, contemporary or modern, or jazz dancers; and 3. English full-text peer-reviewed article. General study information, participant information, CRF test used, and study outcome were extracted. If available, measurement property data were extracted (i.e., test reliability, validity, responsiveness, and interpretability). Of the 48 articles included in the review, most used a maximal treadmill test (n = 22) or the multistage Dance Specific Aerobic Fitness test (DAFT; n = 11). Out of the 48 included studies, only six examined the measurement properties of CRF tests: Aerobic Power Index (API), Ballet-specific Aerobic Fitness Test (B-DAFT), DAFT, High-Intensity Dance Performance Fitness Test (HIDT), Seifert Assessment of Functional Capactiy for Dancers (SAFD), and the 3-minute step test. Good test-retest reliability was found for the B-DAFT, DAFT, HIDT, and SAFD. Criterion validity was determined for the VO2peak of the API, the 3-MST, HIDT, and SAFD. For HRpeak, criterion validity was studied for the 3-MST, HIDT, and SAFD. While different CRF tests are being used in descriptive and experimental research within dance populations, the body of research supporting the measurement properties of such tests is very small. As many studies have methodological flaws (e.g., small participant numbers or no statistical analysis for validity or reliability), additional good quality research is required to re-examine and complement current measurement property results of the API, B-DAFT, DAFT, HIDT, SAFD, and 3-MST.

Hip Hop Party Dance: Cardiorespiratory Profile and Responses to a Predefined Sequence.

Hip hop is a popular dance genre practiced worldwide that has gained popularity since the 1970s. Despite this, studies related to the area and its physiological demands are still scarce. The purpose of this study was to report the cardiorespiratory profile of a group of male and female hip hop dancers to determine the zones of intensity of a predefined hip hop party dance sequence. Eight Brazilian professional hip hop dancers, four women and four men, mean age 22 ± 2.3 years, participated in the study. Using a portable gas analyser (Cosmed K5) their cardiorespiratory variables were measured at two different times: first, during a maximal treadmill test and later during a predefined hip hop party dance sequence. Descriptive statistics (mean and standard deviation) were used for calculating the dependent variables: oxygen consumption (VO2), heart rate (HR), and the intensity zones for the predefined hip hop sequence. Data normality was verified using the Shapiro-Wilk test. The Mann-Whitney U-test was performed to check any sex-related difference (p < 0.01). No statistical difference between male and female dancers was found in the cardiorespiratory profile and responses to the predefined hip hop party dance sequence. On the treadmill, the participants' VO2peak was 57.3 ± 12.7 ml·kg-1·min-1, and HRmax was 190.0 ± 9.1 b·min-1. The predefined hip hop party dance sequence was mainly (61%) performed in the moderate aerobic zone. However, when the dancers jumped, the intensity of the sequence increased. This information could be used to develop a specific supplementary training protocols for hip hop dancers to improve their physiological fitness parameters and reduce the incidence of injury.

A Cross-Sectional Study Comparing Traumatic Alopecia Among B-Boys and B-Girls to Other Dance Styles and Its Impact on Dance Performance and Health.

INTRODUCTION: Breaking, often mislabeled as breakdancing in the media, is a dance style originating from the Bronx of New York in the early 1970s. A unique condition in this population is a form of alopecia known as "headspin hole," or "breakdancer overuse syndrome" of the scalp. This form of hair loss may show a variety of patterns based on the activities of the dancer. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between alopecia and breaking, the level of concern dancers have regarding hair loss, barriers to medical treatment, and how it affects their dancing. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional study using an online survey. The survey addressed participants' demographics, hair, dancing styles, training, and health history. Questions about the effects of hair loss on the participants were also asked. RESULTS: This study found that there was a significant difference in hair loss among breakers compared to non-breakers. This was not seen after controlling for age and sex. However, the concern for hair loss was significant even after controlling for these variables. Similarly, hair loss was significantly associated with the frequency of headspins. Despite these concerns, breakers were less likely to seek medical attention. CONCLUSIONS: This study showed that there are significant disparities in hair loss between breaking and other dance styles. Hair loss due to breaking has been shown to have significant effects on an individual's concerns, which may be compounded by the fact that this population is less likely to seek out medical care and have significantly greater substance use compared to the other dancers surveyed. Further research is necessary to investigate interventions to prevent and treat hair loss in this population and the means to decrease the gap in health care in the dance population.

Rehearsal and Performance Volume in Professional Ballet: A Five-Season Cohort Study.

INTRODUCTION: Few studies have published data concerning the longitudinal rehearsal and performance demands experienced by professional ballet dancers. We aimed to describe the rehearsal and performance volumes undertaken across five professional ballet seasons and identify factors associated with inter-dancer and inter-production variation in dance hours. METHODS: Scheduling data were collected from 123 dancers over five seasons at The Royal Ballet. Linear mixed effects models were used to evaluate differences in: 1. weekly dance hours and seasonal performance counts across sexes, company ranks, and months; and 2. factors associated with the variation in rehearsal hours required to stage different productions. RESULTS: On average across the five seasons, a peak in performance volume was observed in December, whereas rehearsal hours peaked in October and November and between January and April. Differences in weekly dance hours were observed between company ranks (p < 0.001, range in means: 19.1 to 27.5 hours per week). Seasonal performance counts varied across company ranks (p < 0.001), ranging from 28 (95% CI: 22, 35) in principals to 113 (95% CI: 108, 118) in the rank of artist. Rehearsal durations were considerably greater in preparation for newly created ballets compared with existing ballets (77.8 vs. 37.5 hours). Rehearsal durations were also greater in preparation for longer ballets, with each additional minute of running time associated with a 0.43 hour increase in rehearsal duration (p < 0.001). Full-length ballets, however, were consistently the most time-efficient to stage due to their long performance runs compared with shorter ballets (16.2 vs. 7.4 performances). CONCLUSIONS: Training principles such as progressive overload and periodization should be implemented in professional ballet companies to manage the high and variable rehearsal and performance loads.

Prevalence of Urinary Incontinence and Other Pelvic Floor-Related Symptoms in Female Professional Dancers.

INTRODUCTION: Urinary incontinence (UI) is a common issue in female athletes and is known to negatively impact quality of life and sport performance. However, the prevalence of UI in dancers has not been widely investigated. The purpose of this study was to assess the prevalence of UI as well as other symptoms of pelvic floor dysfunction in female professional dancers. METHODS: An anonymous online survey that included the International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire-Urinary Incontinence Short Form (ICIQ-UI SF) was developed and distributed via e-mail and social media. Two hundred and eight female professional dancers between the ages of 18 and 41 years (mean: 25.4 ± 5.2 years) who had a typical dance training and performance schedule of 25 hours or more per week completed the survey. RESULTS: A total of 34.6% of participants reported experiencing UI, with 31.9% of the dancers who reported UI reporting symptoms consistent with urge UI, 52.8% reporting UI with coughing or sneezing, and 54.2% reporting UI with physical activity or exercise. For those reporting UI, the mean ICIQ-UI SF score was 5.4 ± 2.5 points and the mean score for impact on everyday life was 2.9 ± 1.9. A report of pain with sexual activity and intercourse was significantly associated with presence of UI (p = 0.024), but the effect size was not notable (phi = 0.159). CONCLUSION: The prevalence of UI in female professional dancers is similar to that found in other high-level female athletes. Based on the notable prevalence of UI, health care professionals working with professional dancers should consider regularly screening for UI and other symptoms of pelvic floor dysfunction.

Evaluation of a Virtual Dance Class for Cancer Patients and Their Partners during the Corona Pandemic-A Real-World Observational Study.

BACKGROUND: During the corona pandemic, all courses on physical activity for cancer patients were canceled. The aim of our study was to evaluate the feasibility of switching dancing classes for patients and their partners to online classes. METHODS: Patients and partners from courses at four different locations who consented to the online course offer were asked to fill in a pseudonymous questionnaire on access to the training, technical challenges, acceptance and well-being (1-item visual analog scale from 1 to 10) before and after the training. RESULTS: Sixty-five participants returned the questionnaire (39 patients and 23 partners). Fifty-eight (89.2%) had danced before, and forty-eight (73.8%) had visited at least one course of ballroom dancing for cancer patients before. The first access to the online platform was difficult for 39 participants (60%). Most participants (57; 87.7%) enjoyed the online classes, but 53 (81.5%) rated them as less fun than the real classes as direct contact was missing. Well-being increased significantly after the lesson and remained improved for several days. CONCLUSION: Transforming a dancing class is feasible for participants with digital experience and goes along with technical difficulties. It is a substitute for real classes if mandatory and improves well-being.

Changes in selected exerkines concentration post folk-dance training are accompanied by glucose homeostasis and physical performance improvement in older adults.

The study aimed to evaluate the impact of selected exerkines concentration induced by folk-dance and balance training on physical performance, insulin resistance, and blood pressure in older adults. Participants (n = 41, age 71.3 ± 5.5 years) were randomly assigned to folk-dance (DG), balance training (BG), or control group (CG). The training was performed 3 times a week for 12 weeks. Physical performance tests-time up and go (TUG) and 6-min walk test (6MWT), blood pressure, insulin resistance, and selected proteins induced by exercise (exerkines) were assessed at baseline and post-exercise intervention. Significant improvement in TUG (p = 0.006 for BG and 0.039 for DG) and 6MWT tests (in BG and DG p = 0.001), reduction of systolic blood pressure (p = 0.001 for BG and 0.003 for DG), and diastolic blood pressure (for BG; p = 0.001) were registered post-intervention. These positive changes were accompanied by the drop in brain-derived neurotrophic factor (p = 0.002 for BG and 0.002 for DG), the increase of irisin concentration (p = 0.029 for BG and 0.022 for DG) in both groups, and DG the amelioration of insulin resistance indicators (HOMA-IR p = 0.023 and QUICKI p = 0.035). Folk-dance training significantly reduced the c-terminal agrin fragment (CAF; p = 0.024). Obtained data indicated that both training programs effectively improved physical performance and blood pressure, accompanied by changes in selected exerkines. Still, folk-dance had enhanced insulin sensitivity.

Psychological stress responses to a live performance by professional flamenco dancers.

Dance is a high demanding discipline that involves physiological and psychological pressures. The pressure increases when dancers perform in front of an audience that, on a physiological level, can generate hormonal responses similar to those of an athlete before a competition for social status. Low levels of testosterone (T) and high levels of cortisol (C) are related to a decrease in performance and an increase in the risk of injury. Therefore, this study sets out to analyse hormone response patterns in professional flamenco dance performances depending on whether the performances are completed successfully and whether there are differences by sex and professional category. Saliva specimens (2-5 ml) were taken from the participants before and after the performance. Samples were immunoassayed by duplicate to analyze momentary fluctuations in two hormones regularly used in studies with professional athletes. The results showed significant differences in solo dancers' T responses before and after the performance (p < 0.01), suggesting that the dancing role in the show (soloist or corps the ballet) and responsibility over the performance were important modulators to the hormone responses observed.

Práctica de danza como actividad saludable a lo largo de la vida. Revisión de alcance / Dance as a lifelong healthy activity: a literature scoping review

Los tiempos vividos por el COVID-19 han posicionado a las artes escénicas y dentro de estas a la danza en una situación de reconocimiento. Como práctica en sus diferentes estilos, ofrece la capacidad de adaptarse a las necesidades de la población y a diferentes situaciones sociales. La afirmación de ser una actividad con múltiples beneficios para la salud integral lleva a considerar la necesidad de revisar hoy la documentación existente. Los objetivos del estudio son averiguar las aportaciones de la literatura encontrada en los últimos años en relación con los beneficios de la práctica de danza en personas de cualquier edad ausentes de enfermedad, delimitar si esta actividad es apropiada para la salud integral en cualquier etapa natural de la vida y conocer los beneficios concretos de esta práctica. Se realiza una revisión de alcance de documentos publicados entre el 2012 y el 2022 incluídos, utilizando el software Atlas Ti 8 para el análisis cualitativo. Se constata un incremento de publicaciones que integran la danza como herramienta para desarrollar beneficios saludables, generando beneficios psicológicos y mentales en niños; físicos, mentales y sociales en adolescentes y jóvenes; físicos, psicológicos y emocionales en adultos y en la vejez físicos, emocionales y sociales. Se concluye que la práctica de danza mejora diferentes aspectos de la salud integral en todas las etapas de vida. (AU)

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought attention to the performing arts, particularly dance, as a relevant practice in society. With its various styles, dance can adapt to the needs of the population and social conditions. The belief that it has multiple benefits for overall health prompts a review of existing scientific literature on dance. This study aims to investigate the contributions of recent literature on the benefits of dance practice in healthy individuals of all ages, determine its appropriateness for overall health at any stage of life, and identify its concrete benefits. A qualitative analysis was conducted on documents published between 2012 and 2022 using the Atlas Ti 8 software. The study found an increase in publications that recognize dance as a tool for promoting healthy benefits, including psychological and mental benefits in children, physical, mental, and social benefits in teenagers and young people, physical, psychological, and emotional benefits in adults, and physical, emotional, and social benefits in the elderly. The study concludes that dance practice improves overall health at all stages of life. (AU)

Dancers with non-specific low back pain have less lumbar movement smoothness than healthy dancers.

BACKGROUND: Ballet is a highly technical and physically demanding dance form involving extensive end-range lumbar movements and emphasizing movement smoothness and gracefulness. A high prevalence of non-specific low back pain (LBP) is found in ballet dancers, which may lead to poor controlled movement and possible pain occurrence and reoccurrence. The power spectral entropy of time-series acceleration is a useful indicator of random uncertainty information, and a lower value indicates a greater smoothness or regularity. The current study thus applied a power spectral entropy method to analyze the movement smoothness in lumbar flexion and extension in healthy dancers and dancers with LBP, respectively. METHOD: A total of 40 female ballet dancers (23 in the LBP group and 17 in the control group) were recruited in the study. Repetitive end-range lumbar flexion and extension tasks were performed and the kinematic data were collected using a motion capture system. The power spectral entropy of the time-series acceleration of the lumbar movements was calculated in the anterior-posterior (AP), medial-lateral (ML), vertical (VT), and three-directional (3D) vectors. The entropy data were then used to conduct receiver operating characteristic curve analyses to evaluate the overall distinguishing performance and thus cutoff value, sensitivity, specificity, and area under the curve (AUC) were calculated. RESULTS: The power spectral entropy was significantly higher in the LBP group than the control group in the 3D vector in both lumbar flexion and lumber extension (flexion: p = 0.005; extension: p < 0.001). In lumbar extension, the AUC in the 3D vector was 0.807. In other words, the entropy provides an 80.7% probability of distinguishing between the two groups (i.e., LBP and control) correctly. The optimal cutoff entropy value was 0.5806 and yielded a sensitivity of 75% and specificity of 73.3%. In lumbar flexion, the AUC in the 3D vector was 0.777, and hence the entropy provided a probability of 77.7% of distinguishing between the two groups correctly. The optimal cutoff value was 0.5649 and yielded a sensitivity of 90% and a specificity of 73.3%. CONCLUSIONS: The LBP group showed significantly lower lumbar movement smoothness than the control group. The lumbar movement smoothness in the 3D vector had a high AUC and thus provided a high differentiating capacity between the two groups. It may therefore be potentially applied in clinical contexts to screen dancers with a high risk of LBP.

Adaptation to repeated standing-slips in professional ballet dancers.

Ballet training is being increasingly used to improve physical functions in older adults. Our previous work showed that ballet dancers react to a novel standing-slip more effectively than their non-dancer counterparts through better control of the recovery step and trunk movement. The purpose of this study was to test if and to what extent ballet dancers adapt differently to repeated standing-slips relative to non-dancers. Protected by a harness, twenty young adults (10 professional ballet dancers and 10 age/sex-matched non-dancers) experienced five repeated and standardized standing-slips on a treadmill. Changes from the first slip (S1) to the fifth slip (S5) in dynamic gait stability (primary outcome) and other variables, including the center of mass position and velocity, step latency, slip distance, ankle angle, and trunk angle (secondary outcomes) were compared between groups. Results revealed that both groups adopted similar proactive controls to improve dynamic gait stability by using the ankle and hip strategies. However, dancers showed a better reactive improvement in stability after the repeated slips than non-dancers. From S1 to S5, dancers reactively improved their dynamic gait stability more than non-dancers at the recovery step liftoff (p = 0.003). Dancers decreased their recovery step latency (p = 0.004) and shortened the slip distance (p = 0.004) significantly more than non-dancers from S1 to S5. These findings suggest that ballet dancers could facilitate the adaptation to repeated slips, which may be attributed to their ballet practice experience. This finding augments our understanding of the underlying mechanisms of ballet practice reducing falls.

Influence of musical context on sensorimotor synchronization in classical ballet solo dance.

Several studies have addressed motor coordination in dance, but few have addressed the influence of musical context on micro-timing during sensorimotor synchronization (SMS) in classical ballet. In this study, we analyze the Promenade in Arabesque of the Odile variations, first as a dance-music fragment non-embedded in a musical context, then as a dance-music fragment embedded in a musical context at two different instances. Given the musical structure of the fragments, there are repeats of patterns between and within the fragments. Four dancers were invited to perform the three fragments in twelve successive performances. The beats of the music were extracted and compared with the timing of the dancers' heel movements, using circular-linear smooth regression modelling, and circular statistics. The results reveal an effect of repeat within fragments, and an effect of musical context between fragments, on micro-timing anticipation in SMS. The methodology offers a framework for future work on dynamical aspects of SMS.

Film dance creation practice supported by Cyber Physical System.

The traditional eight arts include film and dance. Dance is often included in the creation of films. With the progress of the times, dance has shown unprecedented vitality in film. This also puts forward higher requirements for shooting technology in film creation. To solve the contradiction between high performance of equipment and energy sensing, a new energy aware scheduling framework is proposed based on Cyber Physical System, which utilizes the balance between performance and energy consumption optimization, and uses allocation technology and list scheduling to ensure energy constraints. Besides, a highly energy-efficient and stable scheduling algorithm for film creation is constructed. The algorithm problems are mainly divided into functional safety requirements, verification problems, and energy consumption optimization problems under functional safety. The experimental results show that the system can obtain better schedulability at a lower time complexity and reasonably reflect the dynamic and static energy constraints ratio. The basic framework system based on dynamic step size also achieves better time performance than other step sizes. According to the experiment's findings, the energy consumption of all scheduling components is relatively low and can be maintained within a specific range. The research and analysis of this study can provide a theoretical reference for the equipment algorithm of film dance creation practice, promote interaction with technical practice, and assist in promoting the development process of film dance creation.

Dancing robots: Social interactions are performed, not depicted.

Clark and Fischer's depiction hypothesis is based on examples of western mimetic art. Yet social robots do not depict social interactions, but instead perform them. Similarly, dance and performance art do not rely on depiction. Kinematics and expressivity are better predictors of dance aesthetics and of effective social interactions. In this way, social robots are more like dancers than actors.

Online structured dance/movement therapy reduces bodily detachment in depersonalization-derealization disorder.

BACKGROUND: Depersonalization-derealization disorder (DDD) is a dissociative disorder encompassing pronounced disconnections from the self and from external reality. As DDD is inherently tied to a detachment from the body, dance/movement therapy could provide an innovative treatment approach. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We developed two online dance tasks to reduce detachment either by training body awareness (BA task) or enhancing the salience of bodily signals through dance exercise (DE task). Individuals with DDD (n = 31) and healthy controls (n = 29) performed both tasks individually in a cross-over design. We assessed symptom severity (Cambridge Depersonalization Scale), interoceptive awareness (Multidimensional Assessment of Interoceptive Awareness - II), mindfulness (Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire), and body vigilance (Body Vigilance Scale) before, during and after the tasks. RESULTS: At baseline, individuals with DDD exhibited elevated depersonalization-derealization symptoms alongside lower levels of interoceptive awareness and mindfulness compared to controls. Both tasks reduced symptoms in the DDD group, though dance exercise was perceived as easier. The DE task increased mindfulness in those with DDD more than the BA task, whereas controls showed the opposite pattern. In the DDD group, within-subject correlations showed that lower levels of symptoms were associated with task-specific elevations in interoceptive awareness and mindfulness. CONCLUSION: Individual and structured dance/movement practice, performed at home without an instructor present, offers an effective tool to reduce symptoms in DDD and can be tailored to address specific cognitive components of a mindful engagement with the body.

Trends in drug use among nightclub and festival attendees in New York City, 2017-2022.

BACKGROUND: Drug use is prevalent among people who attend electronic dance music (EDM) parties at nightclubs or festivals. This population can serve as a sentinel population to monitor trends in use of party drugs and new psychoactive substances (NPS) that may diffuse through larger segments of the population. METHODS: We surveyed adults entering randomly selected EDM parties at nightclubs and dance festivals in New York City about their drug use in 2017 (n=954), 2018 (n=1,029), 2019 (n=606), 2021 (n=229), and 2022 (n=419). We estimated trends in past-year and past-month use of 22 drugs or drug classes based on self-report from 2017-2022 and examined whether there were shifts pre- vs. post-COVID (2017-2019 vs. 2021-2022). RESULTS: Between 2017 and 2022, there were increases in past-year and past-month use of shrooms (psilocybin), ketamine, poppers (amyl/butyl nitrites), synthetic cathinones ("bath salts"), and novel psychedelics (lysergamides and DOx series), increases in past-year cannabis use, and increases in past-month use of 2C series drugs. Between 2017 and 2022, there were decreases in past-year heroin use and decreases in past-month cocaine use, novel stimulant use, and nonmedical benzodiazepine use. The odds of use of shrooms, poppers, and 2C series drugs significantly increased after COVID, and the odds of use of cocaine, ecstasy, heroin, methamphetamine, novel stimulants, and prescription opioids (nonmedical use) decreased post-COVID. CONCLUSIONS: We estimate shifts in prevalence of various drugs among this sentinel population, which can inform ongoing surveillance efforts and public health response in this and the general populations.

Effects of dance video game training on cognitive functions of community-dwelling older adults with mild cognitive impairment.

BACKGROUND: Some patients with minor cognitive impairment can revert to normal cognition if intervention is implemented early. Dance video games as multi-task training have shown beneficial effects on cognitive and physical functions in older adults. AIMS: This study aimed to elucidate the effects of dance video game training on cognitive functions and prefrontal cortex activity in older adults with and without mild cognitive impairment. METHODS: A single-arm trial was used for this study. The participants were divided based on the Japanese version of Montreal Cognitive Assessment scores into the mild cognitive impairment (n = 10) and normal cognitive function (n = 11) groups. Dance video game training was performed 60 min/day, 1 day/week, for a total of 12 weeks. Neuropsychological assessments, prefrontal cortex activity using functional near-infrared spectroscopy, and step performance of dance video game were recorded at pre- and post-intervention. RESULTS: Dance video game training significantly improved the Japanese version of Montreal Cognitive Assessment score (p < 0.05), and tendency toward improvement was observed in the trail making test in the mild cognitive impairment group. The dorsolateral prefrontal cortex activity in the Stroop color word test was significantly increased in the mild cognitive impairment group (p < 0.05) after dance video game training. CONCLUSIONS: Dance video game training improved cognitive function and increased prefrontal cortex activity in the mild cognitive impairment group.

“Se não posso dançar, não é minha revolução”: autocuidado e hapticalidade como práticas políticas / “Si no puedo bailar, no es mi revolución”: el autocuidado y la hapticidad como prácticas políticas / “If I can't dance, it's not my revolution”: self-care and hapticality as political practices

Este artigo pretende cartografar e articular duas práticas em torno do corpo e do cuidado na área da saúde: o autocuidado e a hapticalidade. Essas duas práticas e perspectivas entrelaçam-se na frase emblemática atribuída à feminista Emma Goldman “se não posso dançar, não é mi-nha revolução”. A partir das perspectivas dos gestos menores de Erin Manning, a dança é apre-sentada como encontro que possibilita e estimula esses conhecimentos pouco abordados nas formações da área da saúde. Alegria, poesia e conhecimento do próprio corpo e do corpo do outro, assim como atenção, respiração e sustentação são eixos para escutar e atuar no mundo. Uma dança menor, que entende o corpo como processo de invenção, criação e espaço de expe-riência. Esse exercício de escrita se propõe a aproximar cuidado e luta, numa possibilidade de transformação, revolução e ética na área da saúde. (AU)

This article aims to map and articulate two practices around the body and health care: self-care and hapticality. These two practices and perspectives are intertwined in the emblematic phrase attributed to feminist Emma Goldman “if I can't dance, it's not my revolution”. From the perspective of Erin Manning’s minor gestures, dance is presented as a meeting that ena-bles and stimulates this knowledge that is rarely addressed in health education. Joy, poetry and knowledge of one’s own body and the body of the other, as well as attention, breathing and support are axes for listening and acting in the world. A smaller dance, which understands the body as a process of invention, creation and space of experience. This writing exercise aims to bring care and struggle together, in a possibility of transformation, revolution and ethics in the health area. (AU)

Ankle Active Range of Motion as an Essential Factor of Footwork Technique in the Prevention of Overuse Injuries in Flamenco Dancers / Rango de movimiento activo del tobillo como factor esencial de la técnica de zapateado en la prevención de lesiones por sobreuso en bailarinas de flamenco

Flamenco dance is a performing art which is based on footwork technique where the foot and ankle play an important role.The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of ankle active range of motion on external load and its efficacy as apredictor during a flamenco footwork technique, with consideration of accelerometer positions and dance proficiency. Twelveflamenco dancers composed of 6 professional and 6 amateurs participated voluntarily in this study for whom no significantdifferences were detected regarding age, mass or height. Participants completed a 15-second Zap-3 footwork test at a speedof 160 bpm (beats per minute), 180 bpm and as fast as they could. Triaxial accelerometers were positioned at the dominantankle, 5th lumbar vertebrae and 7th cervical vertebrae to calculate accumulated PlayerLoad and uniaxial PlayerLoad of the3 planes (anteroposterior, mediolateral and vertical) for each speed level. Percentage contributions were also calculated. Theeffect of dorsiflexion on the external load of the dominant ankle of both professional and amateur dancers existed only in theanteroposterior axis while dorsiflexion was related to the external load at the 7th cervical vertebrae and only amateurs wereaffected. Plantarflexion only affected the uniaxial contribution of the vertical-axis of professional dancers. These programswould be applied to develop a technique feedback system for the flamenco dancer to follow their own model with respectto the ideal. This would allow intervention in the prevention of overuse injuries in flamenco dance artists.(AU)

El baile flamenco es un arte en el que el zapateado tiene un papel muy relevante. El objetivo de este estudio fue investigar elefecto del rango de movimiento activo del tobillo sobre la carga externa y su eficacia como predictor durante la realizaciónde un zapateado flamenco, en función de las posiciones del acelerómetro y el dominio técnico de los participantes. Un totalde doce bailaoras de flamenco, 6 profesionales y 6 amateurs, participaron voluntariamente en este estudio y en los que nose encontraron diferencias significativas respecto a edad, peso o estatura. Los participantes realizaron un test de zapateadodenominado Zap-3 durante 15 segundos a una velocidad de 160 pulsos por minuto, 180 y tan rápido como pudieron. Secolocaron acelerómetros triaxiales en el tobillo del pie dominante, en la 5ª vértebra lumbar y en la 7ª vértebra cervical paracalcular la PlayerLoad acumulada y la PlayerLoad uniaxial de los 3 planos (anteroposterior, medio-lateral y vertical) en funciónde cada nivel de velocidad, así como sus contribuciones porcentuales. Solamente se ha encontrado relación entre la flexióndorsal del tobillo dominante y la carga externa en el eje anteroposterior, tanto en profesionales como amateurs, mientras quea nivel de la 7ª vértebra cervical sólo se ha encontrado relación entre la dorsiflexión y la carga externa en el grupo de amateurs.Respecto a la flexión plantar solo se ha encontrado relación a nivel uniaxial con el eje vertical de los bailarines profesionales.Estos programas podrían servir de ayuda a desarrollar un sistema de retroalimentación de la técnica para que el practicantede baile flamenco pueda seguir su propio modelo respecto al ideal. Esto permitiría intervenir en la prevención de las lesionespor sobreuso en los artistas de baile flamenco.(AU)