Blog #11: Is Dance a Sport?
By: Priscilla Incle
Dance is a purposeful art form that requires physical, mental, and emotional dedication. It calls for the same dedication as any sport. A sport is defined as "an athletic activity requiring skill or physical prowess” which completely agrees with the concept of dancing.
Dancers spend years upon years training to reach their “prowess” or expertise in their style of dance. Training demands an individual’s time, energy, and determination. Some athletes even take dance classes, generally ballet, due to the bodily benefits. A professional dancer is accustomed to dancing for numerous hours on end and doing so for multiple days out of the week. This type of schedule is necessary due to the fact that this sport entails for the person to maintain strength, flexibility, stamina, and stability.
I have been dancing since the age of 3 and it has shaped me into the person I am today. I had dance class for 5 days a week with each practice ranging from 3-4 hours or sometimes more. Competition practices were always an addition to my schedule throughout the winter and spring, but besides that, dancing was constant all year round. Most athletic seasons are performed in specific time periods while dance is consistent throughout the entire year regardless of the season.
Dance is naturally a competitive sport that does not leave room for laziness and inconsistency. Spending the majority of my life within a dance studio, I gradually learned the importance of discipline, teamwork, and pushing myself past the boundaries of my comfort zone. Dancers may be considered artists, however, no one can deny the athletic traits needed to successfully perform.
My question is: Do you believe that dance is a sport? And if any reader is or was a dancer in their past, please share some insight on your personal experience.
Glad that we get a little insight into your talent, Priscilla, while also learning more about dance as a sport. At this point, I think it's silly to suggest dance is NOT a sport--as you have defended this premise quite well with some compelling personal details.
ReplyDeleteI myself have never taken formal dance classes but had lots of friends growing up that did. There is absolutely a huge demand - not only financially but also considering time, physical effort, mental drain, and more. I think it's fascinating to watch documentaries on the subject--especially competitive dancers who try to make a career of their talent. Ballet is so endlessly fascinating with the various restrictions on dancers' heights, diet, etc.
Dance is not for the faint of heart!
I agree with you, dancing is definitely a sport! The amount of skill, technique and hard work that goes into it is undeniable. I was enrolled in dance classes when i was younger and i have to admit, it’s not a sport for everyone. It’s super challenging and I commend anyone who does it! I feel like the only reason some people argue it is not a sport is that it “looks easy” but that is because it is supposed to look fun and effortless. It is anything but that behind the scenes. The flexibility, endurance and practice needed to perform any form of dance is incredible! Just like with any sport, top performing dancers in my eyes and peak athletes.
ReplyDelete-Sara Smolock
Dance is definitely a sport and is way more difficult than people realize. Personally I took dance classes when I was younger and I can say with 100% certainty that it is hard work. Even now when I'm trying to learn a dance for fun I sometimes just give up because it takes a lot of time and effort. I believe that most dancers are arguably fitter than people who play other sports. I mean, to be able to dance and make it look effortless actually requires someone to have a lot of stamina and body control overall. (since dancing uses all of your muscles) At the end of the day, there is way more to sports than just versus an opposing team on a traditional “field”. Defining a sport just by that notion would exclude tons of other activities that people view as sports. Such as Gymnastics, cycling, track and field and cheerleading.
ReplyDeleteEmily Smolock
Dance is most definitely a sport. The definition that you stated sport is automatically solidifies that dance falls under the category of being a sport. Dance involves the same aspects of what other people deem as “true sports” such as basketball, football, baseball, soccer, etc. Aspects like dedication, teamwork, hard work, coordination, and passion. In the art of dance you guys have the ability to create amazing and effortless routines. The endurance, practice, and flexibility that has to be entailed in order to make everything seem so easy is truly incredible. At the end of the day dance isn't something that should be taken lightly or even for granted.
ReplyDeleteDance is absolutely a sport. Not only is it a sport, but it's also a form of art. There are various forms of dance, such as competitive dance, ballet, contemporary dance, etc., and they are all sports. A sport is any activity that requires involving physical extension and skill. Dance falls under all of those things and is extremely popular and competitive. In my opinion, dance is underrated and should get more recognition because it's not something easy to do; you genuinely have to have the talent and skill to dance.
ReplyDeleteI 100% think that dance is a sport. The flexibility and stamina that comes from training is definitely not something that one can be simply born with. There have been experiments done before where professional athletes attempted to perform the same techniques as dancers and they were not able to do it. Ballet requires training just as football does.
ReplyDeleteI do think that dance is considered a sport. The amount of hard work put in day in and day out, and the effort that shows through their performances. The physical strain put on their bodies, and the mental stability that they must have is incredible. I have heard about this debate before whether dance should be a sport, and by far I think it is. Dancing uses almost every element in the body of sport. I used to dance when I was younger, but never to the old enough age to compete. I only dance when there is a song that strikes my mind and my body wants to flow with the music. I get so tired sometimes and I can only imagine how it feels to be an authentic dancer, it takes a lot. Dancing portrays emotions and tells stories, it is and art form sport- graceful and strategic.
ReplyDelete-Julia Brubaker
I agree that dance is definitely a sport, and it fits the definition perfectly. Anything that requires that much dedication and work is quite impressive. The fact that it takes not only a lot of stamina and flexibility, but also how it requires maintaining those is a feat in itself. It is also interesting how it can fit into both categories of a form of sport and a form of art. Although it may look easy to some, the amount of skill required is truly impressive.
ReplyDelete-Devin Boone
Dancing is definitely a sport. It challenges people to push their bodies beyond their limits. Growing up, the closest I would come to being a dancer is when I busted moves to Just Dance through the Xbox. But even after fifteen minutes of intense dancing, I would be huffing and puffing for air. It takes talent for dancers to effortlessly sway their bodies to match the melody of the song and create a routine. I hope you achieve all your dancing endeavors, Priscilla!
ReplyDeleteDancing is totally a sport, and a pretty awesome one at that!! The information you've given us in this post definitely proves this as a fact, seeing as so much time and effort goes into practicing and performing and the like. While I've never had any personal experience with dance, I've had numerous friends take part in the sport, and their routines always fascinated me whenever I had the chance to see them flourish on stage. It is definitely something to be admired and respected.
ReplyDelete– Antonia Sussina.
I won hundred percent think dancing is a sport. The amount of skill and movement it takes requires so much training on the body and the mind. They are different moves and skills you need to perform, along with keeping your body in tiptop condition. Needless to say that it is a sport.
ReplyDelete-Anthony Villanella
Dance is one hundred percent a sport. I have family who have danced for a majority of their lives, and I have seen the way that it has affected them physically and mentally, the exact same way my sport has affected me physically and mentally. The dedication that it takes to dance is the exact same as the dedication that it takes for other sports as you said. So it would be dumb to not think that dance isn't a sport because that is an insult towards dancers as athletes and as performers.
ReplyDeleteI beleive dance is like a sport in how it requires concentration skill and passion to do i have no experience with dancing dancing reqires focus and physical memory to remember the roles and movements that a specific song flows to.
ReplyDeleteI beleive dance is like a sport in how it requires concentration skill and passion to do i have no experience with dancing dancing reqires focus and physical memory to remember the roles and movements that a specific song flows to.
ReplyDeleteI do fully believe that dance is a sport. I have been dancing since kindergarten and over time I have had to dedicate my time and both physical and mental energy to this activity. Especially with competitions, I believe dance should get more credit with the rest of the sports.
ReplyDelete~Zoe Yllanes
DeleteTo be honest do I believe dance is a sport. By definition, it fits the criteria of being a sport; having skill or physical prowess. Ethically I thinks it's a sport because of the competitiveness, the heart, and soul that's put within the world of dancing.
ReplyDelete