Research on the brain asymmetry of qualified athletes using dance sport as an example

Aim: study of the asymmetry coefficient of qualified dancers. Material: the study involved 84 dancers of various qualifications aged 18–35 years, who were divided into 2 groups for identifying individual features: 1) highly skilled – 44 athletes (6 – honored masters of sports; 12 – masters of sports of international class; 26 – master of sports of Ukraine); 2) athletes of first adult category – 40 athletes. Since the study concerned dance couples, an equal number of men and women were represented in the sample. The study was conducted on the basis of the sport dance club "Supadance" of the National University of Ukraine on Physical Education and Sport (Kyiv, Ukraine). Results: a strong tendency to right-hemispheric activity was revealed in both groups of dancers. An asymmetry coefficient of highly qualified athletes was significantly higher than athletes of 1st adult category. Conclusions: it was confirmed the importance of a thorough assessment of the lateralization of brain function for the timely identification of the sinistrality in sports and professional selection. This is due to the large number of left-handers among leading athletes in different sports. Most of them are distinguished by a high level of creativity and abilities for original artistic oeuvre. The tendency to right-hemispheric activity has been determined. It can be considered as one of the most significant components for the selection of children in dancesport. This tendency supposedly indicates the presence of the makings of special abilities