The aim of this study was to improve dancers’ performance in Sauté jump through “Thera-band ankle and foot exercises”. My hypothesis was that with “Thera-band ankle and foot exercises”, dancers can enhance jumping height, foot pushing impulse and calf muscles strength and power, to improve dancers’ jump technique.
Twenty undergraduate dance major students （17 female and 3 male） were chosen to participate in this study: ten of them were in an experimental grope with training intervention, and the others were in a control group without training. There were three methods used in this experiment:
1. Using Delsys Wireless EMG System to collect calf muscles activation.
2. Using Motion Analysis System to collect kinematic data.
3. Using AMTI force plate to collect foot push impulse.
The intervention of this “Thera-Band Ankle and Foot Exercises” used elastic exercise bands. Each practice was ninety minutes weekly for total of eight weeks. There were a series of training to assist dancers’ jump ability.
The data were entered in SPSS statistical software. These were shown in the average and standard deviation. The analysis depended on:
1. Whether training was received.
2. The data collected before and after exercises.
Tests were performed before and after the training intervention. The significance level was set at α = .05. The findings and conclusion were as follows:
1. Through the “Thera-band ankle and foot exercises”, the jump height of the ballet Sauté was significantly improved for the experimental group compared to the control group.
2. Through the “Thera-band ankle and foot exercises”, the push impulse of the ballet Sauté jump was significantly improved for the experimental group compared to the control group.
3. Through the “Thera-band ankle and foot exercises”, the muscle activation of the gastrocnemius during the ballet Sauté jump was significantly changed.
The results showed that eight weeks training with the “Thera-band ankle and foot exercises” for ballet Sauté jump significantly improved the performance. The findings of this study provided information for educators and researchers as a reference.
