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. 2019 Oct 25:7:290.
doi: 10.3389/fbioe.2019.00290. eCollection 2019.

Kinematic Analysis of Postural Stability During Ballet Turns (pirouettes) in Experienced and Novice Dancers

Chai-Wei Lin  1   2 , Fong-Chin Su  1   3 , Cheng-Feng Lin  3   4   5
Affiliations

Kinematic Analysis of Postural Stability During Ballet Turns (pirouettes) in Experienced and Novice Dancers

Chai-Wei Lin et al. Front Bioeng Biotechnol. .

Abstract

Turning is an important but difficult movement, often performed in ballet choreography. Understanding the postural sway during ballet turns is beneficial to both dancers and dance teachers alike. Accordingly, this study evaluated the postural sway angle during ballet turns in female novice and experienced ballet dancers by means of the inclination angle, determined from the center of mass (COM) and center of pressure (COP). Thirteen experienced dancers and 13 novice dancers performed ballet turns (pirouettes). The COM-COP inclination angle was measured during the preparatory, double-leg support, and single-leg support phases of the turn. The novice dancers exhibited significantly greater ranges of the COM-COP inclination angle in the anterior-posterior (AP) and medial-lateral (ML) directions during the preparatory (AP direction, p < 0.001; ML direction p = 0.035), double-leg support (AP direction p < 0.038; ML direction p = 0.011), and ending phases (AP direction p < 0.001; ML direction p = 0.024). Moreover, during the preparatory phase, the novice dancers failed to adjust their posture in a timely manner, and therefore showed overshooting errors. Finally, during the ending phase, the novice dancers showed a greater standard deviation of the COM-COP inclination angles and performed continual postural adjustments, leading to a less smooth movement than the experienced dancers. In conclusion, the novice dancers were suggested to focus on the COM-COP adjustment during both preparatory and ending phases.

Keywords: balance; ballet; center of mass; center of pressure; inclination angle; posture.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Five phases in pirouette en dehors. (Written informed consent for the publication of this image was obtained).
Figure 2
Figure 2
COM–COP and COM-ankle inclination angles in the frontal and sagittal planes.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Mean and SD of COM-COP inclination angle in (A) anterior-posterior direction and (B) medial-lateral direction during preparatory (PRE). Note that the curves show the average value obtained over the three highest-scoring trials of each individual in the respective group.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Mean and SD of COM-COP inclination angle in (A) anterior-posterior direction and (B) medial-lateral direction during turning with double-leg support (TDS) phase. Note that the curves show the average value obtained over the three highest-scoring trials of each individual in the respective group.
Figure 5
Figure 5
Mean and SD of COM-ankle inclination angle in (A) anterior-posterior direction and (B) medial-lateral direction during turning with single-leg support in pre-swing (TSSp) phase. Note that the curves show the average value obtained over the three highest-scoring trials of each individual in the respective group.
Figure 6
Figure 6
Mean and SD of COM-ankle inclination angle in (A) anterior-posterior direction and (B) medial-lateral direction during turning with single-leg support in mid-swing (TSSm) phase. Note that the curves show the average value obtained over the three highest-scoring trials of each individual in the respective group.
Figure 7
Figure 7
Mean and SD of COM-COP inclination angle in (A) anterior-posterior direction and (B) medial-lateral direction during ending (END) phase. Note that the curves show the average value obtained over the three highest-scoring trials of each individual in the respective group.
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