INTRODUCTION: The purpose of the study was to examine if dance-specific aerobic fitness test (DAFT) heart rate variables were associated to lower-extremity injuries in contemporary dance students. METHODS: A total of 235 first-year contemporary dance students (18.6 ± 1.2 years) were prospectively followed over the first 4 months of their academic year. Peak heart rate (HR RESULTS: Lower-extremity injury prevalence was 36.2% (n = 85), 13.6% (n = 32), and 22.6% (n = 53) for all-complaint, substantial and time-loss injuries, respectively. There were no significant associations between HR CONCLUSION: Aerobic fitness measured with the DAFT was not associated with lower-extremity injury risk or injury severity. Higher age was associated with substantial and time-loss lower-extremity injuries.