This PhD project focuses on the aerobic demands of contemporary dance and the aerobic capacity of contemporary dance students. A sufficient aerobic capacity is important for dancers in order to cope with the demands of classes, rehearsals and performances.

The Dance-specific Aerobic Fitness Test (DAFT) is a measure often used to determine aerobic fitness levels in contemporary dance students. In this project the psychometric aspects of the DAFT will be studied, with a focus on the validity and reliability of the test. Results of the DAFT will be compared with demands of contemporary dance classes and correlations with injury levels and aesthetic performance will be explored.

This project is funded by Codarts Rotterdam.