Exercise intensities during a ballet lesson in female adolescents with different technical ability

To investigate the exercise intensity during a typical grade five ballet lesson, thirty-nine dancers (13–16 yrs) were divided into three different technical proficiency groups: low level (n = 13), intermediate level (n = 14), and high level (n = 12). A progressively incremented treadmill test was administered to determine V˙ O2max, individual ventilatory threshold (IVT), and the individual anaerobic threshold (IAT). Oxygen uptake (V˙ O2), heart rate (HR) and blood lactate (La) were then evaluated during a grade five ballet lesson. Oxygen uptake at IVT, IAT and maximal oxygen uptake were greater (p < 0.05) in the high-level dancers indicating a higher level of fitness. HR and %V˙ O2max obtained during the various exercises of the ballet lesson were similar among groups. During the ballet lesson, low technical level dancers had moreV˙ O2 and La values above (p < 0.05) the IAT than the other groups. Correlation analysis revealed that the number of exercises performed above IAT was positively related to anthropometric characteristics (BMI, %FM; r = 0.36, p < 0.05; r = 0.46, p < 0.01), negatively related to fitness parameters (V˙ O2IVT, V˙ O2IAT, V˙ O2max; r between – 0.43 and – 0.69; p < 0.001) and to technical level (r = – 0.70; p < 0.001). The subjects classified as having low technical abilities had lower fitness levels and performed more exercises above IAT than the more skilled dancers.