SPATIAL AND TEMPORAL MOVEMENT PATTERNS OF THE SHOULDER JOINT IN BALLET DANCERS TO EXPRESS THE FLATTERING SWAN

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to characterize both spatial and temporal patterns of the shoulder joint movement in the upper limb motion when ballet dancers are performing the flap of swan wings. Twenty-three expert female dancers (Dance group) and 21 inexperienced age-matched females (Control group) participated in the study. Thirty-three reflective markers were attached to the trunk and upper limbs, and then the upper limb motion in the "Swan Lake" was captured with 8 optical cameras. The spatial and temporal characteristics of movement pattern of angular displacements with time were calculated to compare between groups. As a result, the shoulder joint movements of each group showed different movement pattern especially in horizontal flexion/extension and internal rotation. Therefore, the internal rotation of shoulder joint in arm downward movements and horizontal extension of shoulder joint in arm upward movements would be one of the fundamental skills to perform the swan wings expression.