Research

Seeking Adult Participants for Research Study on Dance

Researchers from the Laboratory for the Scientific Study of Dance (LAB:SYNC) at UMass Amherst are currently recruiting participants for a study they are conducting, “Measurement of Professional Dance Training Exposures and Health Correlates in 18 to 85-year-old adults.” The study is funded by the National Endowment for the Arts. The study is being directed by Aston K. McCullough.

NEWS Dance study

The first purpose of the study is to develop and test new methods for quantifying dance using various kinds of cameras, wearable activity monitors and questionnaires. The second reason the study is being conducted is to learn more about how much people have danced throughout their lifetime and how dance participation may be related to health status.

Researchers are looking for 18- to 85-year-old adults who are able to walk safely on a treadmill and who would be interested in dancing solo (in their usual way) while in our laboratory. No prior dance training is required to join the study.

During the study, participants will be asked to: 

  • wear an activity monitor on their wrist while engaged in their daily business as usual for nine days 
  • make three visits to the lab at UMass Amherst (about 6 hours in total) and
    • complete a small number of physical health assessments, including resting energy expenditure and an EKG
    • provide saliva and fingernail samples; complete an iDXA scan
    • complete questionnaires on mental health status 
    • walk on a treadmill  
    • dance in the lab 
    • describe their experiences of dancing in the lab 

All study participants will receive up to $100 for their time. 

Participants must be adults (ages 18- to 85-years old) who are:

  • able to refrain from eating any food or drinking any beverages, except for water, for 4 to 8 hours
  • able to walk safely on a treadmill
  • able to engage in vigorous exercise
  • nonsmokers; not pregnant; without a pacemaker or other implanted medical device
  • not taking medications that may impact cardiovascular responses to exercise
  • without a bone, joint, or soft tissue (muscle, tendon, ligament) problem that could be made worse by becoming more active
  • without a chronic medical condition, such as a heart condition, metabolic or renal disease

To be considered for participation, fill out survey.