Keep an eye on the balance - the influence of experimental training on postural stability in ballet dancers

ABSTRACT

One of the basic skills of a dancer is the ability to keep the body balance (aplomb) while performing various dance figures. These movements are often performed with limited vision control due to dynamic motion or environmental conditions. Our aim was to verify whether the exercises with eyes closed of the ballet school students would reduce postural sway whilst improving the body balance. The training without visual feedback forces the body to rely more on information from the proprioceptive system about the alignment and motion of body parts in relation to each other and the external environment. In a group of thirteen female students of Comprehensive Ballet School, a significant reduction in postural sway was already found after three weeks of the nine-week training. This phenomenon occurred only during quiet standing with eyes closed. The use of stabilographic testing can be recommended as an objective evaluation of the aplomb level in ballet dancers. At the same time, this research showed that the introduction of ballet exercises with eyes closed improved postural stability without compromising stability with eyes open. Therefore, it can be assumed that such exercises do not harm but rather may be beneficial for the development of aplomb.

KEYWORDS:

• Stability
• eyes close training
• postural sway
• classical dance

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Supplementary material

Supplemental data for this article can be accessed online at https://doi.org/10.1080/14647893.2022.2078295

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Artur Fredyk

Artur Fredyk is a graduate of Fryderyk Chopin Music Academy in Warsaw. He obtained Master of Arts in pedagogy of ballet. He was graduated in National Ballet School in Bytom as a classical dancer. He received his Ph.D. at Jerzy Kukuczka Academy of Physical Education in Katowice. He is the Creator of International Conference ‘Dance, Rhythm and Music in science and practice’. He is a sports dance instructor in Polish Sports Academy. Until recently, he was an active solo dancer working in theatres in Poland and abroad. Currently, he is a teacher, choreographer and director.

Agata Bara

Agata Bara is a graduate of Fryderyk Chopin Music Academy in Warsaw and National Ballet School in Bytom; obtained Master of Arts in pedagogy of ballet; was an Opera Śląska ballet group dancer in Bytom (1992 – 2010); is presently a certified teacher at Ludomir Różycki Ballet School in Bytom; conducts classes in classical dance, folk dance and supplementary techniques; and coordinates and supervises scenic workshops for OSB students in Opera Śląska performances.

Anna Brachman

Anna Brachman – since 2017 – has been a research assistant at the Department of Biomechanics in an Institute of Sport Sciences; she received her Ph.D. in biomechanics at Jerzy Kukuczka Academy of Physical Education in Katowice in 2018. She completed numerous courses and workshops in the field of physiotherapy. In 2011-2016, she was employed as a physiotherapist, focusing mainly at orthopedics and traumatology.

Grzegorz Sobota

Grzegorz Sobota is an associate professor at the Department of Biomechanics at Jerzy Kukuczka Academy of Physical Education in Katowice where he also received his Ph.D. in biomechanics, Head of Biomechanics Laboratory. His area of expertise is data processing, postural control, analysis of gait and sports movements.

Bogdan Bacik

Bogdan Bacik is an associate professor at the Department of Biomechanics at Jerzy Kukuczka Academy of Physical Education in Katowice and the Head of Department of Biomechanics since 2012. Since 2020, he was employed in the position of the Vice President for Academic Affairs. His fields of expertise are postural control, compensation mechanisms in gait disorders, mechanisms of regulation and motor control in human movements.