Amelia 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

🩰 UK pre-professional dance students (18+) wanted for a study on attentional focus, coping skills & performance anxiety in dance training

Complete a short survey and get £5 for taking part.

👉 Take part here: standrews.eu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_...

#DanceScience #Research

These are early findings and part of a larger PhD project that I hope to publish eventually. But already, there are clear implications for how we train dancers to manage attention and pressure. More soon - and happy to chat if you’re interested! 💬 (5/5)

What’s surprising: cognitive flexibility increased the use of both internal and external focus in class - which was actually associated with higher performance anxiety too. Cognitively flexible dancers engage deeply, but it can backfire if they over-monitor. (4/5)

It turns out that where dancers direct their attention (internal vs external, in class vs on stage) plays a big role in performance anxiety levels. Internal focus on stage (thinking about your body) was the strongest predictor of performance anxiety. (3/5)

One big takeaway: cognitive flexibility - the ability to shift your thinking or focus - is linked to lower performance anxiety. Flexible thinkers cope better under pressure. But there’s more… (2/5)

I'm in the process of analysing some of the data from my PhD study exploring performance anxiety in dancers. 1,012 dancers took part and early results are in. I think they’ll interest dance educators, coaches, and choreographers 🩰🧠 (1/5)

Excited to share that I’ll be presenting my PhD research at the 35th IADMS conference in Las Vegas this September! An incredible opportunity to contribute to a global academic forum in dance medicine & science. #IADMS2025 🇺🇸💃🏻🧠📚

A race day pic from yesterday! #Inverness

First volunteer credit at junior parkrun this morning! A cold one, but what a fab way to start a Sunday 👏🏻

Is an external focus for everyone? Contrasting approaches in dance While much research suggests that adopting an external focus of attention improves performance, Andrade et al. (2020) found that this was not the case for experienced amateur and professional ballet...

Thank you! Building on last week’s article, I dive into when an external focus might not work and explore alternative approaches. Read more: amelianewton.co.uk/blog/is-an-e...

Is an external focus for everyone? Contrasting approaches in dance While much research suggests that adopting an external focus of attention improves performance, Andrade et al. (2020) found that this was not the case for experienced amateur and professional ballet...

Thank you! Building on last week’s article, I dive into when an external focus might not work and explore alternative approaches. Read more: amelianewton.co.uk/blog/is-an-e...

Is an external focus for everyone? Contrasting approaches in dance While much research suggests that adopting an external focus of attention improves performance, Andrade et al. (2020) found that this was not the case for experienced amateur and professional ballet...

Building on last week’s article, I dive into when an external focus might not work and explore alternative approaches. Read more: amelianewton.co.uk/blog/is-an-e...

Optimising ballet performance through attentional focus The demanding world of classical ballet requires dancers to execute intricate movements with precision and grace. While traditional training emphasises perfecting technique through rigorous practice, ...

Sharing my latest insights on ballet performance: how an external focus can boost performance under pressure 🩰 amelianewton.co.uk/blog/optimis...

Update - 10/10

Loud noise has always been quite overwhelming for me, so I’m giving Loop earplugs a try. 🌀 They’ll help take the edge off without blocking out the world entirely - great for sensitive hearing and navigating busy spaces more comfortably. Away to try them out during the Aldi shop!👂🏻✨

Thanks so much, Gill!

Great read from @amelianewton.bsky.social

Bar graph showing global parkrun attendance by date

Table showing largest week-on-week decreases in parkrun UK Saturday attendances

Bar graph showing parkrun UK attendance by date

Yesterday saw the lowest global Saturday #parkrun attendance since last Dec, thanks to Storm Bert hitting UK/Ire. parkrun UK saw their the lowest attendance since Dec 2022, and largest absolute drop aside from the COVID pause (although Beast from the East in March 2018 saw a bigger decrease as a %).

Browsing The Observer on the PressReader app with my cat

Spent my Sunday morning on the sofa discovering the PressReader app - such a game-changer! 🛋️📰 Got free access through my local library and now I can browse newspapers from all over the world. Perfect for a chilled, coffee-fuelled start to the day. ☕🌍

Alistair Brownlee: Double Olympic triathlon champion retires aged 36 Two-time Olympic triathlon champion Alistair Brownlee announces his retirement from the sport at the age of 36.

🏅 Alistair Brownlee retires after an incredible 15+ years. A two-time Olympic gold medallist and the first ever to defend his Olympic title, his legacy includes inspiring millions through his sportsmanship and rivalry with brother Jonny. 🌍💪🏻

Read more: www.bbc.co.uk/sport/articl...

How social comparison impacts dancers A new study by Rasheed and Runswick (2024) published in the Journal of Dance Education explores a topic very familiar to those of us who have spent time training and performing in dance: social comp...

🩰 Just wrote about a recent study on how social comparison affects dancers, shedding light on the psychological challenges of performing in a competitive world.

Check it out: amelianewton.co.uk/blog/how-soc...

Would love to hear your thoughts!

The towers of New York New York at night

The Fountains at the Bellagio lit up, with Caesar’s Palace in the background

Using this opportunity to showcase some film photos I took on a recent holiday to Las Vegas 🎞️

#photography #filmphotography #lasvegas

amelianewton.co.uk/photography/...

Physical fitness can lower risk of dementia, research finds Regular exercise can delay dementia onset by 18 months, says study in British Journal of Sports Medicine

🧠🏃🏻‍♀️ Staying physically fit can lower the risk of dementia, new research shows. Another reason to keep moving for both body and mind!

#physicalactivity #research

www.theguardian.com/society/2024...

🌟 A little about me:

🧠 PhD student investigating performance under pressure in dancers.

🏃‍♀️ Parkrun lover.

⚽ Big football fan!

📸 Film photography enthusiast, capturing life one frame at a time.

🐾 Proud cat parent to two mischievous felines.

Looking forward to connecting!

Hello bluesky 👋🏻