The effect of an eyes-closed dance-specific training program on dynamic balance in elite pre-professional ballet dancers: a randomized controlled pilot study.

Visual conditions for a dancer vary greatly between theatrical performance environments and dance studios, and this variability may be detrimental to their dynamic balance performance, particularly under stage lighting. In order to maintain balance control, dancers reportedly rely heavily on visual input, yet those who rely more on proprioceptive strategies for balancing have been found to be more stable. The purpose of this study was to assess the capability of an eyes-closed, dance-specific training program to nurture in dancers proprioceptive mechanisms that may facilitate their dynamic balance control. Eighteen elite pre-professional ballet dancers were randomly assigned to either a control (eyes open) or experimental (eyes closed) group for the intervention. The balance abilities of all subjects were tested using five dance-specific variations of the Star Excursion Balance Test before and after a 4 week balance intervention. Reach distance and time to complete the tests were recorded separately as indirect measurements of dynamic balance. The intervention consisted of dance-specific, eyes-closed exercises integrated into the dancers' daily ballet class and designed progressively to challenge the dancers' balance. During the intervention period, the control group undertook the same exercise program with their eyes open. Results revealed significant improvements in time to complete the three "timed" balance tests, and distances reached significantly improved in one of the two "reach" balance tests. No significant improvements were observed in the control group for any variation of the tests. These results indicate that dancers can be trained to adopt proprioceptive strategies to maintain dynamic balance, which consequently improves their balance performance. Such findings could encourage use of eyes-closed training in daily dance classes due to its potential to improve dancers' balance control.