Measuring and Improving Développé Height in University Dancers Using Single-Case Research Methods.

Area of Science:

• Dance science
• Kinesiology
• Sports medicine

Background:

• Développé is a complex leg movement in concert dance, crucial for evaluating dancer capabilities.
• Assessing specific dance skills like développé presents unique challenges for dance researchers.
• This study addresses the need for reliable measurement protocols in dance science.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess a field-deployable protocol for measuring développé height.
• To determine if targeted training improves développé performance in university dancers.
• To utilize a concurrent multiple-baseline design to evaluate training efficacy.

Main Methods:

• Six university dance majors participated in the study.
• Weekly training sessions focused on a specific développé technique.
• Dancers engaged in self-guided strengthening and stretching exercises.
• Développé height was measured twice weekly over 8.5 weeks.

Main Results:

• All participants demonstrated increased développé height.
• Performance improvements correlated directly with the application of targeted training.
• Results suggest training, not extraneous factors, drove the observed gains.

Conclusions:

• A reliable and responsive method for measuring développé height in field settings was established.
• Targeted training can significantly enhance développé performance in highly trained university dancers.
• Findings support the integration of specific training protocols in dance education and conditioning programs.