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Group physical activity can provide physical and social benefits; however, social barriers or a lack of social support may affect participation. This study examined social-support needs and barriers among older adults who were not participating in group physical activities. Using interpretive description, semistructured interviews were conducted with 38 older adults (M = 70.9 years; 81.6% women). Themes were grouped into two categories. Category 1, expectations and initial impressions, consisted of the following: (a) Groups cannot meet everyone's expectations or interests, (b) groups are intimidating to join, and (c) the need for inclusive programming. Category 2, social processes within group physical activity, consisted of (a) modeling physical activity behaviors, (b) sharing information and suggestions about physical activity opportunities, and (c) encouragement and genuine interest. Outreach to this population should aim to address these barriers and utilize these supportive behaviors to reduce feelings of intimidation and promote participation among older adults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The Oslo Sports Trauma Research Centre Questionnaire on Health Problems (OSTRC-H) is a valid and reliable registration method for self-reported injuries and is regularly used among dancer populations. Monthly questionnaire administration is acceptable in athlete populations but has not been evaluated in dancers. The aim of this exploratory study was to assess the influence of weekly versus monthly administration of the OSTRC-H on estimated injury outcomes among elite adolescent ballet dancers. Methods: Participants (n = 103) were prospectively followed for 6 months and completed the OSTRC-H online, evaluating perceived consequences of self-reported health problems during the previous week and the previous 4 weeks, respectively. Four definitions of dance-related injury were utilized: (1) all complaints, (2) substantial, (3) medical attention, and (4) time-loss injuries. Descriptive statistics estimated: (1) the number of injuries reported (count), (2) average injury prevalence [proportion, 95% confidence intervals (CI)], (3) average severity score (0-100), and (4) days of time loss (count) for each injury definition. The 4 outcome measures were then compared between weekly and monthly registration with paired sample t -tests (P <.05) and overlapping 95% CI. Results: A significant difference between the number of all complaints injuries (weekly: 133; monthly: 94; P <.001) and substantial injuries (weekly: 64; monthly: 45; P =.012) was found. Regardless of injury definition, there were no significant differences between injury prevalence, severity scores, and days of time loss when reported weekly versus monthly. Conclusion: Monthly administration of the OSTRC-H is an acceptable method to estimate injury prevalence, severity scores, and days of time loss amongst elite adolescent ballet dancers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dance teachers are ideally positioned to implement safe dance practices and injury prevention strategies for their students. However, to date, it is unclear whether these safe dance practices are being utilized and implemented by teachers in dance schools and private studios. To this end, we aimed to understand dance teachers' knowledge, beliefs, and behaviors related to safe dance practice and dance-related injury by surveying a sample of 73 dance instructors teaching primarily in urban centers. While general knowledge is high, some teachers reported gaps in their understanding of injury risk. Most common barriers to implementing safe dance practices were insufficient time (20/52 [38%]), lack of knowledge/training (11/52 [21%]) and no student interest (10/52 [19%]). Addressing these barriers with dance teacher training, inclusive of safe dance practice principles, is essential to ensuring the safety and well-being of dance student populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For young adults (YAs), a cancer diagnosis and subsequent treatments may result in physical changes that can negatively impact body image (BI) and health-related quality of life (HRQL). Physical activity (PA) is an evidence-based tool found to impact both BI and HRQL. However, most research has focused on the perspectives of older adults with breast or prostate cancer. No research has explored the experiences of PA, BI, and HRQL in YA males affected by cancer. A qualitative study was designed for YA males diagnosed with cancer between the ages of 20 and 39 years. Eligible participants were recruited through pre-existing exercise oncology studies, support organizations, and social media. Semi-structured interviews were conducted to understand participants' experiences of PA, BI, and HRQL. All interviews were transcribed verbatim and analyzed using interpretive description. The participants were YA males (n = 7) with a mean age of 32.7 ± 4.0 years. Themes included a loss of identity due to cancer, building autonomy and identity using PA, and the "should" behind BI. PA for YA males living with and beyond cancer may support them in rebuilding their identity and BI. The development of exercise oncology resources for YA males may consider addressing BI through education or exercise prescription programs, with the goal of enhancing HRQL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dancers are susceptible to relative energy deficiency in sport (RED-S), specifically low bone mineral density (BMD). Little is known about how dancers' BMD compares to other athletic populations. The objective of this study was to examine the association between participant characteristics and total body areal BMD (aBMD) among female pre-professional dancers compared to other female athletes. Two hundred sixty-nine females (132 pre-professional dancers (17.6 (3.2) years) and 137 sport participants (22.8 (2.6) years) were included in this study. aBMD (g/cm2) was estimated using dual X-ray absorptiometry. Multivariable linear regression was used to examine the association between height-adjusted z-scores of total body aBMD (aBMD-Z) and age (years), body mass index (BMI) (z-score), supplement intake, history of stress fracture, irregular menses, MRI/bone scan, 1-year injury history, oral contraceptives, and activity (dance/sport). Total body aBMD and aBMD-Z were lower in dancers than athletes (dancers: aBMD = 1.03 g/cm2 (95% CI: 1.01, 1.05); aBMD-Z = −0.28 (−0.43, −0.12) (p < 0.001); athletes: aBMD = 1.14 g/cm2 (95% CI: 1.12, 1.16); aBMD-Z = 0.41 (0.25, 0.57) (p < 0.001)). aBMD-Z increased with age (β = 0.054, 95% CI: 0.017, 0.092; p = 0.004) and BMI (β = 0.221, 95% CI: 0.006, 0.415; p = 0.043). Activity type modified the relationship between BMI and aBMD-Z (β = 0.323, 95% CI: 0.025, 0.621; p < 0.033) with a stronger positive association in dancers, compared to other female athletes. Dancers had lower total body aBMD and aBMD-Z than other female athletes. aBMD-Z increases with age in female pre-professional dancers and other female athletes. A stronger association exists between aBMD-Z and BMI in dancers than athletes. Future studies should consider changes in aBMD-Z during adolescence and associations with increased risk of bone injury. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research explored how participation in community dance supports older adults' aging journey through a theoretical framework of successful aging, physical literacy, and embodiment. Older adults (aged 71–87 years) with experience participating in a community dance class completed semi-structured interviews that were analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis. Six themes were generated: (1) laughter, lightness, and feeling youthful; (2) the body comes back to life; (3) confidence can shine; (4) carried away by the music; (5) an opportunity to belong; and (6) contributing to the neighborhood spirit. Our findings suggest that dancing offers multidimensional benefits which can contribute to healthy, active aging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Contemporary dancers are at risk for musculoskeletal injury due to the choreographic, artistic, and physical demands of the form. Group norms such as persevering through and normalization of pain and injury have been demonstrated within dance contexts and may contribute to the high prevalence of reported injury among dancers. The purpose of this study was to explore contemporary dancers' perceptions of pain, injury, and fatigue. Ten undergraduate contemporary dance students, self-identifying as women (18-23 years), participated in semi-structured interviews. Interviews were analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis. Four themes were generated: (1) It's more abnormal for people to sit out than to dance through their injuries; (2) Pain, injury, and fatigue aren't just physical; (3) Safe dancing environments are important; (4) Implementing dancer health knowledge into practice is complicated. Participants described training and performing through pain and injury, and not always feeling comfortable expressing these experiences to instructors. Pain, injury, and fatigue impacted participants physically and psychologically. Safe dance practice education was viewed as important but challenges implementing knowledge into practice were noted. Continued efforts to integrate safe dance practices into university dance curriculum are needed to help minimize the high prevalence of pain, injury, and fatigue among university contemporary dancers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Several studies and recent systematic reviews have investigated injury in dance settings and have largely focused on specific concert dance genres (i.e., ballet, contemporary) and elite levels (i.e., pre-professional, professional) of dance. Less is known about the health of those who participate in dance education settings, namely teachers and students from private dance studios. Given that these individuals constitute a large proportion of the dance community, greater clarity of risks in the dance training environment could benefit an underserved majority by informing the development of effective injury prevention strategies. Objective: The primary objective was to describe injury rates and characteristics associated with participation in organized dance education settings. Methods: Six electronic databases were searched to April 2021 (Medline, EMBASE, SportDiscus, CINAHL, SCOPUS, Cochrane). Selected studies met a priori inclusion criteria that required original data from dance teacher and student samples within formal dance education settings. All genres of dance were eligible. Studies were excluded if no injury outcomes or estimates of dance exposure were reported, if injuries occurred during rehearsal and performance, or if dance was used as a therapeutic intervention or exercise. Two reviewers independently assessed each paper for inclusion at abstract and full text screening stages. The quality of included studies was assessed using the Joanna Briggs Institute Level of Evidence tool. Results: The initial database search identified 1,424 potentially relevant records, 26 were included and scored. Most studies (n = 22) focused on dance students only, three included only dance teachers, and one study included both. Among both dance students and teachers, the majority of injuries reported were overuse or chronic and involved the lower limb. For studies that reported injury rates (n = 14), estimates ranged from 0.8 to 4.7 injuries per 1,000 dance hours, 4.86 per 1,000 dancer-days, and 0.21 to 0.34 per 1,000 dance exposures. Conclusions: Based on the current research, dance students and teachers experience a similar rate of injury to concert and professional dancers, and their injuries are most commonly overuse injuries involving the lower extremity. There have been few high-quality investigations of injury specific to the dance training environment. Therefore, consensus around the burden of injury in the dance education settings remains difficult. Future dance epidemiological investigations that examine the burden of injury among dance teachers and students, include operational injury and exposure definitions, and utilize prospective designs are warranted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to examine teaching strategies utilized by instructors within a dance class for individuals with Parkinson’s, and to describe ways in which dancers respond to the teaching strategies utilized; both through the lens of physical literacy. Dance instructors offer important insight into the content design and facilitation of these classes for individuals with Parkinson’s so they can experience the physical, psychological, and social benefits of dancing. Observations of nine dance classes (occurring online and via hybrid format) were conducted. Data was analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis and five themes were created: (1) Tuning in and connecting dancers with their bodies; (2) Creating a fun, low-pressure, and responsive environment; (3) Designing opportunities for dancers to be creative during class; (4) Overcoming challenges and feeling successful; (5) Connecting and dancing together. Dance classes led by adaptable, encouraging, and responsive instructors offer joyful and motivating dancing experiences for individuals with Parkinson’s. These findings paint a picture of specific pedagogical strategies and behaviours utilized by dance instructors to support expressions of physical literacy within classes for individuals with Parkinson’s. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

I Youth on Screen i has much to offer historians of youth and popular culture, and reflects directly on the use of television and film as a historical source. Youth on Screen: Representing Young People in Film and Television: By David Buckingham, Cambridge, Polity Press, 2021, vi + 192 pp., £55 (hbk), ISBN 978-1-5095-4525-4. Chapter three uses the case study of the "pop film", where music stars play themselves or versions of themselves, to consider the complex relationship between the film industry and youth culture. [Extracted from the article]

Background: Dance is a popular activity worldwide that comes with inherently high injury rates. Despite the call for implementation and evaluation of injury prevention strategies, the utility and efficacy of injury prevention practices in dance are unknown. Objective: The primary objective of this systematic review was to describe dance-specific injury prevention strategies in any dance population. The secondary objective was to evaluate the effectiveness of these strategies in the reduction of injury prevalence or incidence rates. Methods: Six electronic databases were searched to March 2024 (Medline, EMBASE, SportDiscus, CINAHL, SCOPUS, Cochrane). Selected studies met a priori inclusion criteria that required original data describing an injury prevention strategy for any genre of dance. Studies were excluded if; no injury outcomes were reported, no injury prevention strategy was utilized, or if dance was used as a therapeutic intervention/fitness. Two reviewers independently assessed abstracts and full texts for inclusion. Study quality was evaluated using the Joanna Briggs Institute Level of Evidence tool. Results: From 2209 potentially relevant records, 8 studies met criteria for inclusion. Injury prevention strategies were diverse across conditioning and exercise programs, neuromuscular training warm-up, psychological coping skills training, and educational programs, with a range of duration and adherence measures. Due to inconsistent injury surveillance methodology, efficacy of these programs could not be determined. Quality of included studies was moderate to high, with moderate to low risk of bias. Conclusions: Efficacy and adherence to dance-specific injury prevention strategies are understudied in the dance science literature. Conditioning and exercise programs are currently the most common injury prevention strategies, with initial evidence suggesting they may be efficacious in reducing injury rates. Further research using valid injury surveillance methodologies and standardized injury definitions to examine the efficacy of these strategies in reducing dance-related injury is needed. Level of evidence: I., Competing Interests: Declaration of Conflicting InterestsThe author(s) declared the following potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: Meghan L. Critchley holds an Alberta Children’s Hospital Research Institute (ACHRI) postdoctoral fellowship and Carolyn Emery holds a Canada Research Chair in Concussion.

Background: Dancing offers several health and wellness benefits for older adults: it may promote physical literacy (PL) and positively influence the aging process. Yet, limited research considers the perspectives of those with experience working with older adults and in community dance programming., Objective: The purpose of this study was to understand program experts' perspectives on how older adult community dance can promote PL and contribute to age-friendly cities and community initiatives., Methods and Findings: Four themes were identified from semi-structured interviews with five program experts: (1) expert instructors tailor classes to participants' needs and interests; (2) the heart of what draws us to dancing: authentic experience and social connection; (3) elitist, ableist, and gendered assumptions of dance prevent social inclusion of older adults in dancing spaces; and (4) collaboration across sectors is needed to offer accessible, sustainable, and valued dance programming., Discussion: Recommendations for developing and implementing older adult community dance programming are described.