The act of dancing is an artistic way to express emotion, but competitive dance brings on a form of athleticism that can be described as nothing short of a sport.
Competitive dance is often described as “more of an art form” or “artistic not athletic” which is just the way to say that it is not a sport.
Competitive dancers train and practice more than other well-known sports. Practicing three hours a day five days a week for the school dance team then going to the studio and training for three to four hours multiple times a week. At the peak of the season, dancers are training around 30 to 40 hours a week.
Along with practice some dancers also see a trainer each week that helps build muscle and adds to the athleticism of the sport. The Eisenhower dance team trains once a week, for eight months at an athletic facility with trainer Lance Long who formerly played for the Detroit Lions as a wide receiver.
The commitment and discipline that dancers possess are not found in other sports. Having the ability to balance a social life, practice, training, homework and finding time to rest comes from the great time management skills dancers hold.
Being well-rounded becomes a must among dancers. The flexibility, agility, coordination, balance as well as overall strength and control of dancers is desired by many other sports. Many famous football players: such as Rob Gronkowski, a former tight end for the New England Patriots and Tampa Bay Buccaneers have taken ballet lessons to improve his balance and strength. The Dallas Cowboys even installed ballet bars outside the locker room to motivate players to stretch in different ways.
People often say that dance can’t be considered a sport because it is no contact, unlike football, basketball or soccer. This is hypocritical as, golf, bowling and swimming involve zero contact still given the respective title of a sport that dancers are not given.
Dance brings so many aspects of art into it; anyone can dance at a wedding or twirl in their kitchen at midnight and those special moments define the simpleness and expression of dance.
Competitive dance on the other hand shows a much more athletic and powerful version of the sport. Blood, sweat and tears are put into the passion and performances that dancers convey. Dance needs the respect that other sports get; the title of being called a sport.
