title: Dancer perceptions of the force reduction of dance floors used by a professional touring ballet company.
abstract: The mechanical properties of dance floors have the potential to influence dancers' performance and injury risk. Little information is available that describes dancers' preferences for dance floor mechanical properties. Investigation of dancers' perceptions of varied dance floors can serve to enlighten governing bodies, floor manufacturers, and the dance community. The aim of this study was to assess the perceptions of dancers from a touring professional ballet company regarding four floors with varied force reduction (FR) that were created to replicate those used by the company in normal dance training and performance. A specialized questionnaire was developed that incorporated a series of qualitative and quantitative measures that could be used by participants to express their perceptions of the custom built dance floors. Floor FR was quantified with reference to the protocols specified by European standards. Dancer perceptions were in general agreement with floor FR values; however, some discrepancies were observed. Dancers expressed a preference for floor FR within the mid to upper limits (57% to 72%) of the European standards, although a minority preferred low FR (approximately 36%) floors. A limited ability to perceive inconsistencies in FR across test floors was observed, which may have implications for injury risk. Investigation of the perceptions of dancers from more diverse backgrounds, on floors that provide a closer representation of typical dance studio and stage sizes, over longer periods of time, would provide further insight into the perceptual and adaptive responses of dancers to varied floor mechanical properties.
authors.affiliation: School of Health Sciences, University of Notre Dame Australia, Fremantle, Australia; Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts, Edith Cowan University, Perth, PO Box 1225, Fremantle, WA, Australia 6959. luke.hopper@nd.edu.au.
authors.forename: Luke S
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Hopper
authors.affiliation: Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance, London, UK.
authors.forename: Talia J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Wheeler
authors.affiliation: Sports Technology Research Group, Loughborough University, Loughborough, UK.
authors.forename: James M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Webster
authors.affiliation: National Institute for Dance Medicine and Science, London, UK; Jerwood Centre for the Prevention and Treatment of Dance Injuries, Birmingham Royal Ballet, UK.
authors.forename: Nick
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Allen
authors.affiliation: Sports Technology Research Group, Loughborough University, Loughborough, UK.
authors.forename: Jonathan R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Roberts
authors.affiliation: Department of Civil and Building Engineering, Loughborough University, Loughborough, UK.
authors.forename: Paul R
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Fleming
mesh_terms: D001265:Athletic Injuries / Q000517:prevention & control; D003615:Dancing / Q000502:physiology*; D005060:Europe; D005430:Floors and Floorcoverings; D006801:Humans; D055595:Mechanical Phenomena; D010549:Personal Satisfaction; D012931:Social Environment; D012938:Social Perception