Most non-dancers don't like to think dance is a sport. What does it take for an activity to be a sport? Endurance? Stamina? Strength? Physical contact? According to Google, the definition of sports is, "An activity involving physical exertion and skill in which an individual or team competes against another or others for entertainment." Isn't that what dance is? When dancers perform, they need endurance or continuing to work hard for a long period of time. Without endurance, they would not be able to dance for a while. Also, dancers need the stamina to keep going at late-night or difficult classes so they can keep working harder. Then there is strength. Dancers need to be SO strong to do what they love, especially when they are holding three times their body weight on their toes during en pointe class. They need powerful muscles to execute choreography, or even stretches and moves. Lastly, there is definitely physical contact in dance. From lifts in ballet to dips in ballroom, there is a TON of physical contact in dance. So, why don't people think dance is a sport? Dancers always entertain their audiences. At competitions, there is a lot of competition between teams. What do YOU think? Let us know! We love hearing from our subscribers!!
This dancer needs lots of stamina and endurance to keep going during her solo!
These dancers are performing a duet, and in most duets, there is physical contact!
Here, you see a pointe dancer. When ballerinas are en pointe, they are holding three times their body weight on their toes!