Abstract
Since the aesthetic component of dancers’ performance is heavily related to their fitness level, the assessment of its qualitative aspect is highly needed (Angioi et al., 2009). This study aimed to assess the qualitative performance of classical ballet dancers by means of an adapted version of the “Performance Competence Evaluation Measure (PCEM)”, developed and validated by Krasnow et al.(2009). Eight female classical ballet dancers (age: 19,3±3,37 years; height: 165±4,65 cm; weight: 52,6±2,26 kg; total years of dance training: 10,5±2,26) were recruited to perform a movement sequence (“adagio”) lasting 80 seconds and specifically choreographed for this study. All participants were free of injury and not involved in any supplementary fitness training or other sport activity. Each performance was video recorded, randomly ordered in an edited video and handed together with assessment guidelines to three judges (two very experienced and one professional). Then, the judges’ scores for each one of the four parameters [1) Full Body Involvement (FBI); 2) Body Integration and Connectedness (BIC); 3) Articulation of Body Segments (ABS); 4) Movement Skills (MS)] were collected based on a Likert scale ranging from 1 to 5, in order to assess the inter-rater and intra-test-retest (one week after the first) reliability of their decisions. With regard to inter-rater reliability, the Kappa values were ranging from moderate (between 0.4 and 0.6) and very good (over 0.8) for FBI and MS and from good (between 0.6 and 0.8) and very good for BIC, while the professional judge differed from the others for ABS. With regard to intra-test-retest reliability there was mostly a very good agreement between all judges for all parameters. The reliability of the measures suggest that the PCEM can be serve as a useful tool to assess the aesthetic component of the performance of classical ballet dancers.
