Greek Folk Dance Systematic Participation Affects Quality of Life in Young and Middle Age Adults

Maria Bougiesi, Vassiliki Zisi, Stefania Gregoriou, & ElisanaPollatou

Department of Physical Education and Sport Science, University of Thessaly, Trikala, Hellas

Abstract

Dance and mainly Greek traditional dance comprise a significant form of physical activity for many Greeks of different ages. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effects of adults’ sys- tematic participation in traditional dance classes on factors of quality of life at different age level. The participants were 300 persons from two age groups (20-44, 45-65 years old). They were randomly se- lected an equal number of three subgroups traditional dancers, exercisers and non exercisers. The par- ticipants completed the Greek version of the SF-36 questionnaire for quality of life (Anagnostopoulos, Niakas, &Pappa, 2005). Multivariate analyses showed that ,there was a significant main effect of age in the factors of physical functioning (p<.001) and general health (p<.05). The younger scored better than the older and in the factors of social functioning (p<.001) and role emotional (p<.01) with the older scoring higher. There was also a significant main effect of the group with dancers scoring significantly higher from two other groups on the factors of body pain (p<.001), role emotional (p<.001) and mental health (p<.001) and significantly higher than the non exercisers on physical role (p<.05), general health (p<.01), vitality (p<.001) and social functioning (p<.05). In conclusion, dance does not only contribute in the formation of a cultural identity and the perpetual manifestation of customs but also comprises a pleasant kind of exercise, which significantly contributes in emotion management, in social relation- ships development and in a better quality of life.

Key words: social relations, exercisers, non-exercisers, dancers