The purpose of this study was to assess the effects of a six-week summer break and
of dance preparations at the beginning of the new season following the break, on selected
physiological parameters. Seventeen professional ballerinas (mean age 27.2±1.4 years,
mean height 160.2±6.2 cm) volunteered. They were assessed just before and immediately
after their normal summer break, during which very little or no physical work was
reported. Eight of these dancers were assessed for a third time, 2-3 months after
the end of the break, while they were into preparing for the new season. More specifically,
compared to pre-break data, the six-weeks of holiday was followed by a 15 % overall
increase in the three flexibility tests (from 334 to 386 degrees, P < 0.01), a 14
% increase in peak anaerobic power (from 350 to 400 watts; P < 0.01), a 16 % increase
in leg strength (from 143 to 166 Nm; P < 0.01) (i.e. the mean performance of left
and right knee extension added to the mean performance of left and right knee flexion),
and a 10 % increase in VO2max (from 41.2 to 45.2 ml/kg/min; P < 0.05). The third set of data, 2-3 months after
the end of the break, revealed further significant increases by 24 % in leg-strength
(P < 0.005) and 17 % in VO2max (P < 0.01) compared top pre-holiday data. Despite the lack of a control group,
the present results fit with the hypothesis of a degree of „burnout” at the end of
the season, which negatively affected the mechanisms of fitness and conditioning.
A six-week summer-break can act as a restorer of these mechanisms. Two to three months
into the new season, positive adaptations to exercise appeared to confirm recovery
from the „burnout” or over training phenomenon. More research is required on the effects
of demanding dance schedules on fitness and conditioning, and how such schedules might
adversely affect dance performance and dancers careers.
Key words
Classical dance - overtraining - detraining - estimated body fat - flexibility - Wingate
test - isokinetic dynamometry - treadmill ergometry
