LAB:SYNC’s Dr. Aston K. McCullough will present new insights from a recent study on the relationship between free-form dance exposures, energy expenditure, and acute changes in mindfulness and affect at the New England Regional Chapter of ACSM (NEACSM) 2024 Fall Conference in Springfield, MA. The conference’s theme this year is “Building Bridges: Spanning the Gap Between Professional Silos.” In his talk, titled “Like No One is Watching: Measuring the Physical and Mental Health Benefits of Solo Free-Form Dancing in Adults,” Dr. McCullough will discuss his research findings on October 18 at 8:30 AM.
Full description—
Free-form dancing requires no prior training, very little space, and perhaps not even what one would typically think of as “music”—the freedom to dance however one wishes is available to everyone right where they are. This talk introduces both acute physiological and psychological responses to engaging in solo, free-form dancing among a cohort of 18- to 83-year-old adults with a range of 0 to 56 years of prior dance training. We will discuss the relative and absolute physical activity intensities of solo, free-form dancing, review the relationship between free-form dancing and changes in state mindfulness, and introduce a novel algorithm for identifying motor activity patterns related to curiosity using wearable sensors.