The master's thesis deals with experiences and evaluations by the majorette society members on how activities in the majorette group affect their well-being, group relationships, self-image and identity. In the theoretical part, I presented the meaning and effect of dance, pointed out the correlation between self-image and dance, and researched how this type of activity affects dancers' emotional state and well-being. I explored the effect of dance on psychological and physical health and the formation of social skills. I presented dance with a stick and the sport »twirling«, which is performed by the majorette society. The description of how this sport was introduced and developed both in Slovenia and abroad is followed by the presentation of the Slovene Majorette Society. I theoretically defined the nature of group activities and the preventive role of group dance. I also touched upon the elements of group dynamics and team work.
In the empirical part, I researched how girls who perform this genre of dance, experience dance, how body awareness develops through activity and dance, the nature of interpersonal relations in dance groups and other groups, experiences with performances and competitions, and what does it mean for majorettes to be among the members of these groups.
By conducting focused group conversations with members of the majorette society, I gathered their opinions and evaluations and then compared them to try to establish the similarities and discrepancies with reference to their age and the duration of majorette training. The findings reveal that dance, according to the respondents' evaluations, has an important impact on the formation of their identity, their psychological and physical state, social relations and self-image, because they are satisfied with their bodies and therefore more relaxed and energetic. Dance also impacts body posture, body awareness, emotional intelligence, authentic social relations and, according to their own evaluations, significantly improves the quality of their lives. They see group dance as something that should be experienced by every individual, because relationships within a dance group are just as important as those outside of it. When discussing the importance of relationships in the group and the formation of self-image, they stress the crucial role of the trainer. The findings reveal that with years of training in the majorette society the positive effects are reinforced and become even more pronounced.
|
