Abstract:
Modern dance emerged in the 20th century as a liberating departure from classical
ballet, offering artistic expression and innovation. Fitness in dance incorporates
body composition, cardiorespiratory efficiency, and muscular strength. Dancers
view fitness as vital for enhancing performance and expression. This research
examined the impact of rhythmic activities on physiological parameters and
physical fitness in pubertal individuals. The study was conducted through an
eight-week training program, meticulously designed to investigate the impact of
rhythmic activities on the subjects' physiological and physical fitness aspects. To
ensure unbiased representation, a stratified random sampling method was
employed to select thirty subjects (13 males and 17 females) from Galahitiyawa
Central College, Ganemulla, Sri Lanka by using one group pre-test and post-test
research design. Physiological data included resting pulse rate, blood pressure,
vital capacity and physical fitness variables such as speed, agility, flexibility,
abdominal muscle and core strength, aerobic fitness and upper body strength.
Participants engaged in selected recreational basic classic ballet exercise drills three
times a week for eight weeks, with each exercise session lasting 60 minutes. Data
was analyzed using paired t-test from Minitab 18 software. The results revealed a
significant positive effect of rhythmic activities on vital capacity, speed & agility,
flexibility, abdominal muscle & core strength, aerobic fitness, and upper-body
strength (p<0.05). Conversely, the study did not identify any significant effect on
the pulse rate, systolic blood pressure, and diastolic blood pressure (p>0.05).
Overall, this research supports the benefits of rhythmic activity for enhancing
dance-related fitness when repeated consistently.
