## 4 Discussion  
The most important finding from this study is that mental imagery influenced the muscle activity in parallel position, demi pointe releve, and demi plie. Five mental imageries according to the Franklin Method(r) were used: foot dome, the wheelbarrow, pushing the toes, space behind the kneecap, and the kneecap float. All of these resulted in increased activity of the selected muscles in the studied ballet tasks. These findings show how mental creations impact body functioning. The dancer who was tested in this study had 13 years of experience in using dance imagery in his work with dance students. His expertise in the field of mental imagery based on the Franklin Method(r) ensured that the basic dance posture and movements used in this study were performed correctly. Therefore, the differences between performances carried out with and without imagery resulted from the mental techniques used, and not from random variables connected to lack of expertise. Dance imagery influenced the ankle muscles the most. Activity of the LGAS muscle increased in all trials. In the case of FIB and TA, only one imagery in demi plie did not result in an increase in muscle activity. ES muscle activity also increased in all but one trials in demi pointe releve. The knee extensor was more active in parallel position and demi pointe releve with dance imagery, but no influence of imagery in demi plie was noticed. RA muscle activity increased bilaterally only in the parallel position with imagery and unilaterally in one visualization in demi plie. The BF muscle responded to dance imagery only partly and unilaterally in one case in demi pointe releve. In parallel position, all but one muscles were more active bilaterally with foot dome visualization. In demi plie, only half of the studied muscles were influenced by dance imagery, and most of them responded to visualization only unilaterally. In the demi pointe releve activity, most of the studied muscles increased with dance imagery. However, in most cases, the increase occurred unilaterally or in selected phases of the task. Based on the description of the studied visualizations [7], an increase in the activity of the selected muscles was expected with every dance imagery. The foot dome imagery aims \begin{table}
\begin{tabular}{c c c c c c} \hline  & **Parallel** & **Relev (1 st, 2 nd, and 3 rd Phases)** & **Plie (End Phase)** \\ \hline Examined muscle & Foot dome & Pushing the toes & The wheelbarrow & The kneecap float & Space behind the kneecap \\ \hline Rectus subdomains & Increased & & No & No & Increased (right) \\ \hline Erector spinae & Increased & Increased (left) & No & Increased (left) & Increased \\ \hline Vastus medialis & Increased & Increased & Increased & No & No \\ \hline Biceps femoris & No & Increased (left in 2 nd, 3 rd, & No & No \\  & & phases) & No & No & No \\ \hline Gastrocnemius & Increased & Increased (exopt for left, 1 st & Increased & Increased (right) & Increased (right) \\  & & phase) & & & \\ \hline Tibials anterior & Increased & Increased (right in 2 nd, 3 rd, & Increased (exopt for right, & No & Increased \\  & & phases) & & & \\ \hline Fibularis longus & Increased & Increased (both sides in 3 rd, & Increased (exopt for left, & No \\  & & phase right in 1 st phase) & 3 rd phase & Increased (left) & No \\ \hline \end{tabular}
\end{table} 
Table 1: Summary of the electromyographic assessment. to increase one's awareness of foot arches by visualizing a waterspout spraying upward from between the ankles [7] (p. 247). Therefore, with this imagery, the dancer focuses on the ankle muscles to supinate the feet. In our study, not only were the ankle muscles (TA, FIB, LGAS) activated, but also postural muscles (RA, ES, VM) that stabilize the upright standing position. In the wheelbarrow imageries, the dancer visualizes that (1) the foot turns into a wheelbarrow as the heels are lifted off the ground or (2) the toes push against the floor as the weight of the body is lifted upward [7] (p. 115).