TRAJECTORY STUDY OF BALLROOM DANCE USING MILLISECOND VIDEO ANALYSIS

Abstract

A short video (3 s) of the natural turn movements of ballroom dance was analyzed using two-dimensional trajectory analysis to demonstrate precise verification of the movement. The movements were recorded with a high-speed camera (240 Hz), and the trajectory was plotted at 4 ms intervals. The precise trajectories of test subjects’ movements were successfully monitored by making them wear LED lights on their necks, elbows, waists, and knees. The differences between the trajectories of an experienced subject’s movement and that of a beginner were clearly indicated, even when those movements occurred over short durations. The differences were also evident from a velocity analysis of the same video data. Our low-cost method can be applied to ballroom dance education, even in a personal dance studio.