Emotional intelligence of Spanish dancers and its relationship with personality traits

Abstract

Emotional intelligence and personality traits are aspects that have been studied in the field of Sports. Some research studies establish a relationship between psychological characteristics and sport performance. Certain psychological aspects have also been studied in the field of Dance, in which some dancing styles identify with the culture of a country. This is the case of the different styles of dance that exist in Spain. However, studies that focus on the psychological aspects of these specific styles are scarce. The aim of this study is to assess Spanish and flamenco dancers’ emotional intelligence, particularly with regard to the age at which they began dance training and whether or not they belong to the Spanish National Ballet of Spanish Dance. The second aim is to analyse the connection between emotional intelligence and personality traits. The research follows a descriptive quantitative methodology with the use of a survey. The total number of participants was 143 dancers: 96 women (67.1%) and 47 men (32.9%) between the ages of 18 and 51 (30.52±7.86). The most important results show statistically significant differences between emotional self-regulation and the age when they began dance F (4) = 2.940, p = .02; and between emotional utilisation and whether or not the dancers belonged to the National Ballet, t (28.818) = 2.067, p = .04. Furthermore, the results show that emotional intelligence is related to the personality traits developed by dancers, highlighting the characteristics of responsibility and agreeableness. The results of this study can have a practical aspect, since they provide more and better information to directors/choreographers about the psychological profile of Spanish and flamenco dancers.