There are many components to the Dancer Wellness Project (DWP)
screen including strength, flexibility, structural assessment, fitness as well
as technique. This technique screen has been developed to correlate with other
screening components in an effort to promote injury prevention and enhance a
dancer's technique. Many dancers, dance teachers, and medical professionals,
find this technique component highly valuable in understanding how all of this
data can be directly and individually applied.
A technique screen is not perfect
and the technique component of the DWP is not offered as the definitive
technique screen - additions are always welcomed. However, this information
section is intended to help you understand some of the considerations involved
and how best to implement the technique screen.
Technique Screening Goals
Dance is such a 'subjective' art form - each observer responds differently to
individual dancers and their dancing. The goal of the technique screen is to
collect the most 'objective' data about the dancer's execution of dance
technique. These observations are the basis of a dancer's capacity and function
at the time of the screen. The collection of unbiased technique data is the only
way to help correlate that information with other screening data with the goals
of providing the most factual responses to the dancers and to provide them with
as many tools and resources to assist in their technical development as well as
injury prevention.
Who should screen?
An individual who is considered masterful
in dance technique and able to observe and 'comment' on the execution of dance
technical maneuvers is generally qualified to conduct the technique screen. This
individual would likely be a dance teacher and/or dancer. Ideally, this
individual would NOT be their teacher, coach, or any other person who supervises
the dancer. If the evaluator is the subject's teacher, then the subject may
attempt to 'perform' in such a way as to meet the dancer's perception of the
teacher's expectations and not necessarily what they would do in a 'normal'
situation. A qualified evaluator that has no relation to the dancer would be
able to provide the most 'objective' evaluation. (It can be helpful if the
evaluator has some basic understanding of anatomical or kinesiological
terminology.)
Screening vs. Private Class
It is critical to emphasize that the screen is NOT a private class; the evaluator
must not provide corrections of any kind. They are there simply to ask the
dancer to perform certain maneuvers/sequences and to record what they see. The
evaluator must NOT perform the sequence for the dancer - this may negatively
influence the objective results.
If the evaluator is the dancer/subject's
teacher, this 'objectivity' may be quite difficult for some teachers. Teachers
can begin to experiment with objective observations and comments in their
technique classes prior to the screen as a means of developing this objectivity.
Familiarization
Because of the variances in some dance vocabulary, the DWP
technique screen utilizes anatomical and kinesiological terms to minimize
variability. Therefore, if an evaluator is unfamiliar with these terms, guidance
should be sought on the technique screen prior to the screen. Many members of
other affiliates are poised to assist.
Bilateral Assessments
Many dancers will
ask Why is only one side screened? which is a perfectly valid question.
However, this kind of question may stem from the fact that dancers may want to
know the technique data for both their 'good side' and their 'bad side' (or less
favored side).
The technique screen requires a great deal of observation and the
collection of a lot of information which is then entered in to the DWP website.
(Real-time data collection to the website is available and removes the need for
a secondary data entry step.) If bilateral assessments were conducted during a
technique screen (both sides evaluated), this would increase the amount of
information collected substantially thus slowing the screening process
considerably.
Choosing a side to screen
The technique screen is not meant to be
a means for the dancers to show how good they are but rather to help identify
where the problem spots might exist and how the other data collected during the
screen can be used to help address those citations. Therefore determining which
side to screen is important.
Many evaluators may ask the dancer prior to the
technique screen to identify their preferred gesture leg. The evaluator may then
wish to have the dancer make that their stance leg during the screen. On repeat
screenings, the evaluator may elect to use the opposite leg from the initial
screening.
It is important to notate and record in the DWP website which is the
stance leg. This will ensure that the data is processed correctly.
Summary
As with all aspects of the DWP screen, observations made during the technique
screen should NOT be construed as 'failures' but instead as identified areas
where a dancer can improve. Also, it is important to realize that there may be
underlying physical conditions that may impact a dancer's ability or
performance. The underlying goal of the technique screen is to collect as
'objective' an evaluation of a dancer's technique and correlate these data with
other screening data so as to provide as many fact-based responses to the
dancers to help them improve and hopefully prevent injuries.