Publication Date
12-6-2020
School
School of Visual and Performing Arts
Major
Theatre: Musical Theatre
Keywords
Warm-up, Performing Arts, Theatre, Injury Prevention, Dance
Recommended Citation
Sullins, Emily, "Fit for the Stage: The Function of a Pre-Performance Warm-up Routine for College Theatre Students" (2020). Senior Honors Theses. 1037.
https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/honors/1037
Abstract
College theatre programs require students to perform in stage productions that demand a high level of stamina, endurance, strength, and flexibility. This level of athleticism makes injury rates more prevalent with one dance study documenting a 74% injury rate among participants (Chmelar et al., 1987, as cited in Malkogeorgos et al., 2011). In sports programs, warm-up protocols are utilized as injury prevention techniques. Due to the physical demands on college performers, a specific warm-up routine should be designed and implemented for each production. A properly conceived warm-up will include aerobic exercise, dynamic stretching, and movement patterns resembling those in the show. Additional details such as timing and length of the warm-up will vary based on the needs of individual performers and productions.
