Having been a dancer since the age of four I have had a lot of time to consider what it makes me in other people’s eyes. Does it make me an artist? An athlete? Does it make me stupid? Weak? Girly?
Dancers, especially ballet dancers, are bombarded with stereotypes that imply that dancing is merely pretty and frilly. While it might be true that some dancers are underweight and underfed, it is also true that many of us are stronger and eat more healthfully than the average person.
I have encountered many positive responses when I tell people that I am a dancer, or declare that I believe dancing should be considered a sport. At the same time, I have felt mocked and humiliated by my association with ballet. I have overheard strangers calling me a “stupid bunhead” as they judged me by the simple fact that I was wearing my hair in a bun. I have felt that having a tutu somehow implies that I am weaker than someone in shorts or cleats.
Too many young boys stop dancing because they have been teased or are afraid of being teased. Instead of being mocked, they should be praised for their determination and focus. In fact, some football players like Steve McLendon take ballet classes. Why? Because they recognize that doing ballet doesn't make them weak. It makes them stronger, more flexible, and more agile. If more people knew this, then maybe dance would be recognized for what it is: a beautiful, challenging, athletic art. An art that is just as rigorous as any sport.
Dancing takes strength, strategy, and awareness. It requires keeping your body nourished, and planning ahead, as well as endless training and conditioning. Does that sound like any sports you’ve heard of? To me, it sounds like just about all of them. So why is dance considered by some to be lesser than other sports? Is it the costumes or the shiny shoes? Is it the classical music? Is it because there are often more female dancers than male dancers? None of these things really outweigh the fact that ballet is a difficult, sweaty, exhausting activity.
This is how I see it: dancers are strong, intelligent, and capable. Professional dancers, especially, dedicate their lives and their bodies to dance. They work for hours each day to strengthen their muscles and their minds as they learn difficult movements and complicated choreography. They master nearly acrobatic movements and perfect balance.
Dancers create and learn constantly. As someone with years of dancing experience, I know the challenges involved, the determination it takes to push your body to do things that are not only unnatural but painful. Dance has taught me more about commitment and dedication than any other facet of my life. I certainly have not had the experience that someone who chooses dance as a career has had, but I can say this: dancers are not silly or weak. The act of dancing does not lower a person’s intelligence. It doesn’t make you a “stupid bunhead”.
A dancer has earned the right to say they are an artist because what they do is meaningful and provocative, just like every other art. A dancer has also earned the right to say that they are an athlete, because what they do is physical and mental, just like every other sport.
