The development of an instrument to measure women’s experience of an aerobic dance class

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to pilot an instrument to measure women’s experience in an aerobic dance class with regard to their descriptions of the general atmosphere, the music, the dance moves and routines, and the instructor. In addition, the participants were asked to rate a list of exercise benefits in order of personal importance. A sample of 27 women, ranging in age from 25 to 60 years participated in this pilot study. The women responded with positive endorsements for all aspects of the overall dance experience, but their most affirming descriptions revolved around the instructor. There was an almost unanimous agreement amongst the participants about the importance of the instructor’s role in their experience of the class. Their responses to the open‐ended questions supported these sentiments. The mental and physical benefits were rated as important for most of the women whilst a much lower percentage rated the social benefit as important. Two items in the semantic differential posed problems but the instrument showed promise in eliciting key aspects of women’s experience in an aerobics dance class.

Opsomming

Die doel van die studie was om ‘n instrument daar te stel wat die ervaring van vroue in ‘n fiksheidsdans‐klas meet: hulle ervaring ten opsigte van die algemene atmosfeer en die musiek, asook hulle opinie oor die dans‐roetines en ‐bewegings en die instrukteur. Die deelnemers is ook gevra om ‘n lys te maak van die voordele van oefening met verwysing na hulleself. ‘n Steekproef van 27 vroue tussen die ouderdomme van 25 tot 60 jaar is in hierdie loodsstudie gebruik. Die vroue het positief gereageer op alle aspekte van die algehele dansondervinding, maar hul mees positiewe ervaring was gesentreer om die instrukteur. Verder was hulle opinie rakende die belangrikheid van die instrukteur se rol in hul ondervinding van die klas byna dieselfde. Hulle antwoorde op die oop‐einde vrae het hierdie sentimente ondersteun. Die psigiese en fisiese voordele is as die belangrikste deur die meeste vroue aangedui, terwyl ‘n veel laer persentasie die sosiale voordeel as belangrik beskou het. Afgesien van twee problematiese items in die semantiese differensiasie, het die instrument belofte getoon om sleutelaspekte van vroue se persepsies van ‘n fiksheidsdansklas te identifiseer.