A Study of Dance Movement Training on the Wellness of Young Women

Choe, Myoung Ae; Lou, Heber

Abstract

Exercises are achievement oriented, the process is frequently perceived as hard and difficult. Participants drop out from exercise programs in the middle of the training period. Dance movement, which is the deliberate and systematic use of movement, is enjoyable during the movement and provides opportunities for persons to express themselves. Regular long term dance movement may induce a training effect with a decreased drop out rate. Dance movement could be one way to attain wellness, however, there have been few studies to evaluate both physiological and psychological aspects of dance movement. This study focused on evaluating the effects of dance movement training on body weight, resting blood pressure and heart rate, limb circumference and strength, stress response and subjective feelings. This quasi-experimental study was designed as a nonequivalent control group pre test-post test study. Ten healthy female subjects, aged between 19 and 31 years volunteered for an eight week dance movement program. Ten healthy female subjects, between 19 and 21 years of age paticipated as controls. None of the subjects had performed regular physical activity for six months prior to the study. Dance movement was created with reference to Heber's movement guide. The Dance movement program consisted of approximately 30 minutes of dance, three days per week, for eight weeks. During each 30 minute work out, there were approximately 5 minutes of warm-up dancing, 20 minutes of conditioning dance and 5 minutes of cool-down dancing. The intensity for the conditioning phase was at between 60% and 65% of age-adjusted maximum heart rates. Body weight, resting blood pressure and heart rate, circumference of mid upper arm, mid thigh and mid calf, muscle strength of upper and lower limb, physical and psychological response to stress were measured prior to, and following the experimental treatment. Body weight was measured by digital weight scale(Kyung In Corp., Korea). Resting systolic and diastolic blood pressure were measured by sphygmo-manometer. Resting heart rate was measured for one minute in a relaxed sitting position using the radial artery. Circumference of mid upper arm, mid thigh and mid calf was determined by tape measure. Muscle strength of the upper extremities was measured by a grip dynamometer (Takei Corp. No. 1857, Japan) and that of the extremities was measured by the length of time the leg could be held at 45. Physical and psychological responses to stress were measured using the Symptoms of Stress (SOS) Scale. Paticipants in the dance movement were interviewed by the facilitator following the eight weeks, and their thematic responses about the dance movement were recorded. Following the eight week dance movement training, body weight decreased significantly, circumference of mid thigh and mid calf increased. The length of time leg-raising could be held tended to increase following the dance movement training. Resting systolic and resting heart rate showed a tendency to decrease. Total mean score of stress response tended to decrease, and mean score of habitual patterns, depression, anxiety/fear, anger and cognitive disorganization decreased remarkably following the eight week dance movement. Thematic responses about the dance movement were positive following the training.