Date of Award

2016

Document Type

Thesis

Publisher

Edith Cowan University

Degree Name

Master of Science (Sports Science)

School

School of Medical and Health Sciences

First Supervisor

Dr G Gregory Haff

Second Supervisor

Dr Sophia Nimphius

Abstract

Study 1 Comparison of body composition, neuromuscular characteristics and anaerobic endurance between novice, semi-professional and professional ballet dancers.
The purpose of this study was to compare selected physiological fitness parameters including: body composition, neuromuscular characteristics and aerobic endurance were significantly different between novice, semi-professional and professional ballet dancers. The secondary purpose was to establish which parameters were best discriminators between these dancers. Thirty-five classical ballet dancers (male: n =11 and female: n =24) divided into three different groups according to their dance skill level: novice (n=12) (age: 16.6 ± 1.5 y; height: 1.7 ± 0.1 m; weight: 58.0 ± 13.0 kg), semi-professional (n=13) (age: 20.0 ± 1.6 y; height: 1.7 ± 0.1 m; weight: 64.1 ± 10.5 kg), and professional (n=10) (age: 23.8 ± 3.5 y; height: 1.8 ± 1.2 m; weight: 63.3 ± 14.7 kg) completed one testing session. The testing session, examined dancer’s body composition, neuromuscular characteristics and anaerobic endurance. To examine the differences between groups multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA) was performed with gender and age controlled and a discriminant analysis was performed to determine which variables (grouped into body composition, jumping ability variables, or lower limb isometric strength) were the best predictors of group membership classification. MANCOVA results demonstrated significant differences between the groups in measures of: body fat percentage, lean muscle mass, bone mineral density, countermovement jump peak force, countermovement jump peak power, countermovement jump peak velocity, countermovement jump vertical displacement, drop jump peak force and drop jump vertical displacement (p

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