PhD, Associate Professor L.R. Shafikova¹
PhD, Associate Professor A.V. Greb¹
1Ufa State Petroleum Technological University, Ufa

Keywords: dance sport, dance elements, Latin dance, training process, special preparatory practices, modified program, Jazz, Flamenco, students.

Background. Modern dance sports are increasingly popular due to their natural beauty and entertaining aspects – albeit the sports are relatively young and still underexplored by the sport science. Much like other entertainment sport disciplines, the dance sport implies the performance being highly harmonized in every element to ensure excellent execution quality and artistic/ aesthetic merits of the competitive routines [9]. The high performance quality may be attained only by a logically designed, efficient and effective training system [2, 10]. The competitive routines which comprise the core priority of a training process may be mastered early enough, even in school/ academic age groups [5, 8]. On the whole, modern dance sport has always been of high interest for the university student communities due to its artistry, emotionality, beauty and body control perfection [1, 4].

Objective of the study was to offer and test benefits of a new Latin dance elements mastering model tested in a student dance sport club.

Methods and structure of the study. Sampled for the model testing experiment were the 17-18 year-old first-year (Class E) students at Ufa State Petroleum Technological University (n=40) attending dance club groups and split up into Experimental (n=20) and Reference (n=20) Groups of 10 couples each based on a prior contest in September 2016. Success of the training model was tested, among other things, in the post-experimental 2017 USPTU Sport Dance Cup events hosted by Ufa city. The RG was trained under the standard academic curriculum three times a week, each session taking 135min; whilst the EG training system was revised to include 30min Jazz and Flamenco mastering trainings plus 30min competitive routine excelling trainings; with both of the groups trained by the same coach.

The group progress was tested by an expert team, with the experts scoring dance links of 3-4 figures including Samba (T1), Cha Cha (T2), Rumba (T3) and Jive (T4) dance links, with the four individual scores summarized to rate the Reference Group and Experimental Group performances and standings [3, 6, 7]. As required by the valid sport standards, the competitive performance was rated in the following domains: musicality (routine pace and rhythm) scored by 1 point maximum (with 0.1 point accuracy); choreography and plasticity (footwork and handwork, lines and body language) scored by 2-3 points maximum; movement dynamics (accuracy, fluency, harmony) scored by 4 points maximum; and artistry scored by 5 points maximum; with the maximal total score for the technical quality and artistry limited, therefore, by 8 points maximum; and with the winner nominated by the maximal score for the Latin dance performance on the whole [1, 10]. The inter- and intra-group progress test data were processed and analyzed; with practical benefits of the new Latin dance elements mastering model verified by the EG versus RG pre- versus post-experimental competitive progress tests and analyses.

Results and discussion. The pre-experimental (September 2016) EG versus RG performance test data showed insignificant intergroup differences (р>0.05, see Table 1) indicative of the fair sampling of the groups for the further experiment.

Table 1. Pre-experimental intra-group (EG versus RG) performance test data (Х±х)

Test	Т1, points		Т2, points		Т3, points		Т4, points
	RG	EG	RG	EG	RG	EG	RG	EG
Sep. 2016	6,3± 0,4	6,4± 0,4	6,49± 0,5	6,59± 0,3	6,69± 0,4	6,56± 0,4	6,96±0,4	6,86±0,3
March 2017	6,70± 0,3	7,46± 0,2	6,69± 0,3	7,44± 0,2	7,01± 0,1	7,72± 0,1	6,89±0,4	7,77±0,1
р	>0,05	<0,05	>0,05	<0,05	<0,05	<0,05	>0,05	<0,05

Note: M arithmetic mean value; m – error of the mean; p – difference significance ratio; Т-1 – Samba dance elements; Т-2 – Cha Cha dance elements; T3 – Rumba dance elements; and T4 – Jive dance elements

The post-experimental performance tests in March 2017 showed significant progress of the EG versus RG in every Latin dance (р<0.05). The group averages showed significant progress of the RG only in T3 dance (р<0.05) and insignificant progress in the other three dances (р>0.05).

Table 2. Pre- versus post-experimental EG versus RG progress test data (Х±х)

Note: M arithmetic mean value; m – error of the mean; p – difference significance ratio; Т-1 – Samba dance elements; Т-2 – Cha Cha dance elements; T3 – Rumba dance elements; and T4 – Jive dance elements

Conclusion. The educational experiment to test benefits of the new Latin dance elements mastering model showed significant progress of the EG versus RG in every test. The finding gives the grounds to recommend the Jazz and Flamenco basics mastering course for Russian universities.

References

1. Bursov N. Osnovy dzhazovykh tantsev [The Basics of Jazz Dance]. Study guide. Moscow: Dance media group publ., 2007, 224 p.
2. Gumen V.M. Dvigatelnye koordinatsii v sisteme podgotovki sportsmenov-tantsorov [Motor coordination in dancer training system]. Teoriya i praktika fiz. kultury, 2005. no. 3, pp. 39-42.
3. Kaul N. Kak nauchitsya tantsevat [How to learn dancing]. Study guide. Rostov-on-D.: Fenix publ., 2004, 352 p.
4. Lubysheva L.I., Pronin S.A. Aktualizatsiya problem sportivnoy nauki v ramkakh informatsionnogo segmenta zhurnala 'Teoriya i praktika fiz. kultury' – 2017 [Actualization of the problem of sport science within information segment of the journal 'Teoriya i praktika fiz. kultury'- 2017]. Teoriya i praktika fiz. kultury, 2018, no. 2, pp. 98-100.
5. Lubysheva L.I. Sovershenstvovanie sistemy fizicheskogo vospitaniya i sportivnoy trenirovki na osnove printsipa konversii vysokikh sportivnykh tekhnologiy [Efforts to improve physical education and sports training system based on high sports technologies conversion principle]. Sovershenstvovanie sistemy fizicheskogo vospitaniya, sportivnoy trenirovki, turizma i ozdorovleniya razlichnykh kategoriy naseleniya [Efforts to improve system of physical education, sports training, tourism and rehabilitation of various categories of population]. Proc. XIV nat. with int. partic. res.-pract. conf.. 2015, pp. 123-128.
6. Sharovatova V.A. Uroki klassicheskoy khoreografii [Classical choreography lessons]. Study guide. St. Petersburg: Region-Pro publ., 2007, 124 p.
7. Shafikova L.R. Gimnastika v sisteme fizicheskogo vospitaniya studentov neftegazovykh vuzov [Gymnastics in academic physical education system in petroleum and gas universities]. Study guide. Ufa: USNTU publ., 2018, 104 p.
8. Shafikova L.R. Fiziologicheskie osobennosti dolgovremennoy adaptatsii organizma akrobatok k skorostno-silovym sportivnym nagruzkam [Physiological features of long-term adaptation of female acrobat's body to speed-strength sport loads]. PhD diss.. Chelyabinsk, 2006, 123 p.
9. Shevlyuga S. Samouchitel ispanskikh i tsyganskikh tantsev 'Flamenko' [Spanish and Gypsy Flamenco Dance self-teaching guide]. Study guide. Moscow: Fenix publ., 2004, 154 p.
10. Step Up 2: The Streets. Jon Chu. 2008. Touchstone Pictures, United States of America. [Electronic resource]. Available at: http://rutracker.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=3494916 [date of access: 21.01.2018].

Corresponding author: rbcf2706@mail.ru

 

Abstract

 

The study analyzes some issues and benefits of the Latin dance elements mastering model tested on the 17-18 year-old first-year students at Ufa State Petroleum Technological University (n=40) attending dance club groups and split up into Experimental (n=20) and Reference (n=20) Groups of 10 couples each. The standard Junior Class E dance program was modified to include special Latin dance (Jazz and Flamenco) elements mastering practices, with the group progress tested by an expert team. The experts scored dance routines of 3-4 figures including Samba T1, Cha Cha T2, Rumba T3 and Jive T4 dance elements, with the four individual scores summarized to rate the Reference Group and Experimental Group performance. The educational experiment showed benefits of the Latin dance elements mastering course for the first-year students.