Yoga and Mindfulness for Dancers

Yoga is a healing practice rooted in the body that teaches us to cultivate self-care and to balance the many stressors of everyday life.  In my research, I employ both qualitative and quantitative methods to elucidate the benefits that yoga can provide, particularly in the context of a college Dance program. These student-athletes face pressure from academic and performance stressors, and their anxiety, exhaustion and “burn-out” are known factors that lead to greater risk of injury (see Dirickson 2017, Grove et. al. 2013). I employ yoga as an intervention that can simultaneously condition the body and the mind to be resilient in the face of such stressors. I am currently collaborating with Dr. Maryanna Klatt, Director, The Center for Integrative Medicine at The Ohio State University, on a research project examining the impact of her yoga-based Mindfulness in Motion (MIM) training on college Dance students. The MIM content complements the somatic curriculum in the Dance Department and this collaboration models dance science methodologies to encourage students to pursue their own research. This is a pilot study that will lead to further research on stress and stress management in an undergraduate dance student population.

Co-PIs and Project Team
Tanya Calamoneri, Assistant Professor, Dance, The Ohio State University
Alfonso Cervera, Assistant Professor, Dance, The Ohio State University
Maryanna Klatt, Director, The Center for Integrative Medicine, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center
Beth Steinberg, PhD, RN, The Center for Integrative Medicine, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center

Supported through a grant from The Ohio State University Undergraduate Research Access Innovation Grant ($10,000 to conduct a study in the 2024-25 academic year, adding two undergraduate student researchers to our team.)

Expanded Description
Study participants complete a series of questionnaires, including the Maslach Burnout Inventory, pre- and post-program. The intervention involves an 8-week course in breath practices, yoga-based postures, and mindfulness meditations. The combination of these three elements has been proven through Klatt’s previous research to reduce stress and inflammation in high-stress populations like health care workers and fire fighters. We are eager to test the impacts on college dance students, who face a unique set of challenges as they navigate a physically demanding and financially uncertain career.

Results from the study will be submitted for presentation at the International Association of Dance Medicine and Science conference, and submitted for publication in academic journals.

Relevance and Impact
Our research and teaching in yoga through the OSU Dance Department aims to build a robust and diverse community of people that have access to the benefits yoga can provide. Our strategy is rhizomatic, beginning with a diverse group of dance students who already know the benefits of movement to their own wellbeing who then branch out to children, elders, and everyday people in their lives who can benefit from yoga for their health, compassion, and care for one another.

References:
Dirickson, AJ, and Dirickson, AJ. 2017. “Walking the Tightrope: Effective Treatment for Dancer Burnout.” Dance Major Journal. https://escholarship.org/uc/item/976879×3.
Grove, J Robert, Luana C Main, and Lucinda Sharp. 2013. “Stressors, Recovery Processes, and Manifestations of Training Distress in Dance.” Journal of Dance Medicine & Science : Official Publication of the International Association for Dance Medicine & Science 17 (2): 70–78.