SLIPPERY ROCK - A Slippery Rock Universty student has been recognized for her research into how society and the media can influence dancers.

Melinda Planey, a dance major at SRU, has received the 2005 Student Literary Award from the National Dance Association. Her research paper focused on how the media and dance education affect dancers' development of body image

"I am truly honored," Planey, of Austintown, Ohio, said. "I hope my research will assist in bringing attention to some important issues in dance education."

The association's review committee, comprised of dance faculty from around the United States, selected Planey's "A Dancer's Body: Instrument or Enemy" at the association's recent convention in Chicago.

The Student Literary Award recognizes quality scholarship and writing on dance education by college students.

An edited version of her paper is scheduled to appear in Gold Rush magazine, a new dance magazine, said Colleen Hearn Dean, program administrator for the National Dance Association.

The agency also plans to post her paper on its Web site.

Planey found that media and societal influences, along with certain aspects of the dance classroom environment, negatively impact the body image of both male and female dancers.

"I also found that with appropriate knowledge, awareness and compassion, dance teachers have the power to create an atmosphere that fosters positive body image in their dancers," she said.