12 Shaw Bronner, Ph.D., P.T., O.C.S., Director, ADAM Center, Dept. of Physical herapy, Northeastern University, Boston, MA and Director, Physical herapy Services at Alvin Ailey, New York, New York. Sara Rakov D.P.T., Physical herapist, Physical herapy Services at Alvin Ailey, New York, New York. Correspondence: Shaw Bronner, Ph.D., P.T., O.C.S., ADAM Center, Department of Physical herapy, Northeastern University, 360 Huntington Avenue, Boston, Massachusetts 02115; shaw.bronner@gmail.com. Copyright © 2014 J. Michael Ryan Publishing, Inc. htp://dx.doi.org/10.12678/1089-313X.18.1.12 Abstract As the technical performance demands of dance increase, professional companies and pre-professional schools are implementing pre-season screenings that require an eicient, cost efective way to measure dancer aerobic itness. he aim of this study was to assess an accelerated 3-minute step test (112 beats·min -1 ) by comparing it to the well-studied YMCA step test (96 beats·min -1 ) and a benchmark standard, an incremental treadmill test, using heart rate (HR) and oxygen consumption (VO 2 ) as variables. Twenty-six professional and pre- professional dancers (age 20 ± 2.02 years) were itted with a telemetric gas analysis system and HR monitor. hey were tested in the following order: 96 step, 112 step, and treadmill test, with rest to return to baseline heart rate between each test. he step and treadmill tests were compared using Intra-class Correlation Coeicients [ICC (3,k)] calculated with analysis of variance (p < 0.05). To determine whether there was a relationship between peak and recovery HR (HR peak , HR recov ) and VO 2 (VO 2peak , VO 2recov ) variables, Pearson product moment correlations were used. Diferences due to gender or group (pre- professionals versus professionals) were explored with MANOVAs for HR peak , VO 2peak , HR recov , VO 2recov , and itness category. The 112 step test produced higher HR peak and VO 2peak values than the 96 step test, reflecting a greater workload (p < 0.001). For HR peak , there were high correlations (r = 0.71) and for HR recov , moderate correlations (r = 0.60) between the 112 step test and treadmill test. For VO 2peak and VO 2recov , there were moderate correlations between the 112 step test and treadmill test (r = 0.65 and 0.73). No diferences between genders for VO 2peak values were found for either step test, but males displayed lower HR peak values for both step tests and higher VO 2peak values during the treadmill test (p < 0.001). Recovery HR was lower in males for the 96 and 112 step tests (p < 0.05). his was relected in higher itness scores. here were no diferences between groups in any of the variables when only females were compared. For the 112 step test, correlations between HR peak and HR recov were high (r = 0.85), and correlations between HR peak and itness category were very high (r = 0.98). It is concluded that the 112 step test provides an eicient, acceptable tool for testing dance populations, though further testing in larger groups of dancers representing a diverse range of genres and training levels is needed. T he technical demands of dance performance have in- creased over the years, requir- ing greater general itness to meet the requisite skill requirements. Dance medicine health professionals and scientists have strived to assist dancers in meeting these demands through screening of physiological parameters, such as aerobic itness, strength, and lexibility. 1-14 Pre-season screening of groups of dancers is becoming a standardized annual practice across professional companies and universities. 2,14-19 he focus of a pre-season screen is to detect red lags indicating potential health problems and to assess whether each dancer has an acceptable level of preparedness to begin rehearsals or pre-professional training. 17,20,21 To be accepted by professional companies, pre-season screens must also be ef- icient. Currently, the Dance/USA post-hire health screen allows only 20 minutes in total per professional dancer for the assessment of medical history, vital signs, itness, and other physiologic measures. Hence, there is a need for a simple, short test of aero- bic itness that can be used in “ield” settings, such as dance studios. Maximal oxygen uptake (VO 2 max) is related to the intensity of physical work capacity and is ac- cepted as the criterion indicator of cardiorespiratory itness and aerobic performance. 22 Generally, VO 2 max is determined using one of a number An Accelerated Step Test to Assess Dancer Pre-season Aerobic Fitness Shaw Bronner, Ph.D., P.T., O.C.S., and Sara Rakov, D.P.T.