By LUCIAN McCARTY lmccarty@saratogian.com Twitter.com/SaratogianCDesk

SARATOGA SPRINGS It seems self-evident that the rigorous exercise of pilates would help dancers with their form, but simply saying Pilates is good wasnt enough for Meghan Del Prete.

I wanted proof, said the pilates instructor and owner of Reform, a True Pilates Studio on Division Street. Now, after a 10-week study with three dancers of different ages, she says she has it.

Del Prete, who is also a member of Skidmore Colleges dance department, will be presenting the findings of her study and discussing the results at 10 a.m. Monday at the National Museum of Dance for Dancers Health Day, which will feature a number of lecturers and presentations.

The dancers in Del Pretes study submitted to measurements by two physical therapists of their balance, coordination, flexibility, core strength and other factors important to their craft throughout the 10-week study.

The participants attended about three classes weekly and Del Prete said the results were clear.

You can see how the increased core strength helps balance and the quality of their movements, Del Prete said. Theyre less wobbly.

One of the physical therapists practiced dance-specialized therapy and measured hip rotation, balance and movement-based tests.

Del Prete said she got the idea for the dance-focused study because she was a dancer through college and in the years following. It improved my dancing significantly, so Ive always wanted to work with dancers, she said. I felt strongly it made a big difference.

Before the dance study, she had conducted a similar study on men who golf and practiced pilates.

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Reform. a True Pilates Studio owner to present study findings on pilates for dancers