Adolescent Dance Team Fitness: Initial Quantitative Normative Values

Abstract

Background: Research on improving dancer fitness to enhance performance capacity and prevent injury continues to grow. Fitness research for the adolescent dance team population, however, presents an evidence void.

Purpose: Utilizing studio-based assessments, this descriptive quantitative study reveals an initial set of fitness normative values for the female adolescent competitive dance team dancer population.

Methods: 115 female dance team dancers ages 12 to 17 participated in a 90-minute field test assessment battery for cardiorespiratory fitness, muscle endurance of the upper body, lower body, and core, and lower extremity power. Descriptive statistics (mean, standard deviation, and interquartile range) created an initial set of quantitative fitness normative values for this population.

Results: Dancers' results revealed 29.5mL/O2×min ± 5.7 estimated VO2max, 35 ± 16 push ups, 62 ± 14 half sit ups, 51 ± 13 squats in 1 minute, 190 ± 23 cm broad jump, 445 ± 65 cm right lower extremity triple hop, and 450 ± 69 cm/left lower extremity triple hop.

Conclusion: Discussion includes comparison of findings relative to previously established adolescent fitness and dancer normative data. Discussion also suggests implications, study limitations, and future research directions.

Keywords: adolescent dancers; dance team; fitness; fitness asessment.