The Effect of 12 Weeks Dance Education on Physical Fitness Values At Mentally Retarded Children

The purpose of the study was to examine the effect of 12 weeks of dance education on the values of physical fitness at children with mental retarded. 22 educable mentally retarded children from Dr. Günseli-Dr. Bülent Akınsal Secondary School and Working School participated in this study. Mentally Disabled children who participated voluntarily were grouped as the average age of 16.27± 1.00 year with11 people (9 males, 2females) of the experimental group and the average age of 15.90± 0.83 year to 11people(7males, 4 females) as the control group. Participants in the experimental group was implemented 12-weekdance education program including 2 days a week, 2 hours a day. Program contents included the basic posture correction, flexibility, ability to maintain a rhythm, motion diversity and self-expression skills, pair work and group work. Physical fitness values of experimental and control group were measured in before and after studies. After the 12-week dance education, It was determined that there was statistically significant differences in vertical jump, flexibility, sprint and balance parameters between the experimental and control groups.(p<0.05). In the study of comparing the experimental group in itself, statistically significant differences were found of the specified physical fitness parameters (p<0.01). As a result; physical fitness levels of the educable mentally retarded individuals who regularly participated in dance activities showed significant improvements. The results of this study, it was observed that after 12- week education program there was more development of many physical fitness parameters in the experimental group than the control group and this revealed that the importance of dance education on educable mentally retarded children.