Exploring Breathing During Ballet Performance: A Case Report

Literature on renowned classical ballet dancers and educators highlights the importance of breathing in dancing. The purpose of this case study was to explore the feasibility of investigating the underexplored relationship between breathing and dance movements. The participant, a 25-year-old female professional classical ballet dancer, performed ballet choreography requiring significant stamina and pointe technique. Her breathing sounds and video footage were recorded simultaneously using two smartphones. The timings of breathing and kinematic events were identified in the two segments. In both segments, the respiratory rate was approximately 60 breaths/minute, suggesting that breathing may be finely controlled in ballet. In the first segment, breathing occurred at a steady rhythm, and no clear coupling between breathing and movement phases was observed. In the second segment, the rhythms of turns and breathing appeared to be coupled, suggesting possible coordination between breathing and movement. These exploratory findings provide a basis for future research on breathing during ballet performance.