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Strength Training Is The Primary Component Of Injury Prevention

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Dance, as a sport, is often underestimated and due to its grace and fluidity, it is not taken seriously. Grace, fluidity and flexibility are all essential for dancing at a professional level, however, as is strength and agility, skills are often overlooked by the general population. As dance requires a high level of physical fitness and skill, the impact of injury on a professional dancer’s career can be severe and can affect their ability to perform at a professional or even amateur level. Strength training is the primary component of injury prevention.

BACKGROUND
Evidence suggests that dance originated from ancient rituals, spiritual gatherings and social events, and the way dance has evolved throughout history greatly varies between different societies. This lead to the modernisation of current styles, such as ballet, jazz, contemporary, hip-hop, tap, salsa and the tango.
Jazz, hip-hop and tap dancing are genres that originated from African American vernacular dance, whereas salsa and tango originated in the Caribbean and South America.

THE PHYSICS AND ANATOMY OF DANCE AND THE BODY
Injury is becoming more prevalent in dance due to the fact that dancers bodies are stressed beyond their design limits. The competitive nature of dance has lead to younger and more talented performers. The competitiveness of the field results in increased physical and mental pressure on dancers to be better than their peers. Being ‘better’ equates to greater flexibility, balance and

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