A Correlational Study of Biomechanical Variables and Aesthetic Artistry in Grand Pas de Chat

The goal of jumping is to jump vertically as high as possible using one foot or both feet (Park, 2005). Of jumping movements in ballet, grand pas de chat, a technique that appears in many ballet performances, requires a high skill level. In grand pas de chat, following various preparation steps, the dancer throws the jumping leg forward, lifting it more than 90°, stretches the other leg backward in synchrony with power with two legs stretched in opposite directions as maximally as possible, and then lands on one leg. During the movement, the upper body should show soft, artistic expression, in contrast to the powerful legs, and a straight posture should be maintained until the completion of the jump. This jumping technique requires coordination among various body segments, and should be performed by effectively controlling the energy generated in each of the involved joints. In particular, lower limb muscle strength, as well as flexibility, can be an indicator of the ability to perform jumping movements in ballet with excellence, affecting the time in the air during the jump and the vertical height of the jump. Therefore, in order to improve ballet performance, it is very important for ballet dancers to strengthen the lower limb muscles. In ballet, the goal of body training is to develop interdependence among posture, balance, and harmonious movement, which is considered as the most crucial factor in aesthetics (Lee, 2000; Shim, 2004). Ballet dancers are increasingly practicing pilates or using fitness equipment for body training in order to efficiently develop ballet skills. Such exercises help ballet dancers not only with flexibility but also with muscle strengthening. To better enable ballet dancers to improve ballet skills through physical exercise training, it is necessary to provide ballet dancers with basic data on fundamental training approaches. Until now, kinematic studies on dancing movements have been only intermittently conducted. Of the studies conducted so far, Yoon (2010) has reported that the grand pas de chat movement is influenced by the type of running start, and that a forward jump using inertia is a crucial factor for grand pas de chat. In addition, Sin, Song and Choi (2009) conducted kinematic analysis on ballerinos' jumping motions and stressed the importance of the displacement of the center of gravity. Such studies as these are of significance because they not only examine techniques but also emphasize artistry. The aforementioned studies demonstrate that in dancing, jumping is not only a technique but also KJSB Korean Journal of Sport Biomechanics 2016; 26(2): 183-190 http://dx.doi.org/10.5103/KJSB.2016.26.2.183 http://e-kjsb.org eISSN 2093-9752 ORIGINAL