Dance Is Not A Sport
Start writing a post
Sports

Dance Is Not A Sport

Here's why it's so much more

57128
Dance Is Not A Sport
Dance Nerds Unite

If you're reading this, there's a good chance that you are a dancer, and your blood is boiling underneath your skin because I have tapped into my inner middle school boy and insulted your favorite thing in the world. Maybe you are one of the people who agree because all dancers do is tip toe around in pink tutus, and there's nothing athletic about that. I'm not a mean middle school boy undermining the skill it takes to be a dancer, though. Actually, I'm quite the opposite. I'm a girl who has dedicated her heart and soul to the art form; and that's just what it is. Dance is art, not a sport.

A sport is simply defined as, "An activity involving physical exertion and skill in which an individual or team competes against another or others for entertainment." Now, yes, some could say that competition dancing is a sport. In fact, when I was a competitive dancer I too considered dance to be a sport. However, as I further my dance training, I realize that dance is so much more than a sport. Dance is physical exertion and skill that is capable of tapping into an audience's emotions to make them feel a specific way. That's art, plain and simple.

Dancers are more than artists, though. Dancers are athletes that defy all normal human limitations. Dancers can bend in ways NFL players could never imagine and have the stamina of cross-country runners as they power through two to three hour-long ballets. Dancers do all this while maintaining a facade of ease. They are always performing, which is why people often think they are just running around on their tip toes in pink tutus. And hey, in pointe shoes, even that is painful. Let there be no confusion; dancers are athletes.

Dance cannot be confined to the definition of a sport. Basketball games don't tell love stories and tales of heartbreak. What dancers do is mix their pure athleticism with their passion and artistry to create something incomparable to anything else in the world. Dance is like a sport on artistic steroids. It takes physical exertion and skill to an entirely different level. Dance isn't about winning a tournament or competition, though. Dance is about the impact it has on the audience. A good dancer always has the audience in mind.

While many consider dance a sport, as a dancer myself, I would have to disagree. Although dance has the physical components of a sport, it also has artistic components that turn it into an athletic art form. With every movement, dancers are able to bring both themselves and their audience into an entirely different world. As Martha Graham herself said, "Dance is the hidden language of the soul."

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Student Life

Waitlisted for a College Class? Here's What to Do!

Dealing with the inevitable realities of college life.

41863
college students waiting in a long line in the hallway
StableDiffusion

Course registration at college can be a big hassle and is almost never talked about. Classes you want to take fill up before you get a chance to register. You might change your mind about a class you want to take and must struggle to find another class to fit in the same time period. You also have to make sure no classes clash by time. Like I said, it's a big hassle.

This semester, I was waitlisted for two classes. Most people in this situation, especially first years, freak out because they don't know what to do. Here is what you should do when this happens.

Keep Reading...Show less
a man and a woman sitting on the beach in front of the sunset

Whether you met your new love interest online, through mutual friends, or another way entirely, you'll definitely want to know what you're getting into. I mean, really, what's the point in entering a relationship with someone if you don't know whether or not you're compatible on a very basic level?

Consider these 21 questions to ask in the talking stage when getting to know that new guy or girl you just started talking to:

Keep Reading...Show less
Lifestyle

Challah vs. Easter Bread: A Delicious Dilemma

Is there really such a difference in Challah bread or Easter Bread?

26289
loaves of challah and easter bread stacked up aside each other, an abundance of food in baskets
StableDiffusion

Ever since I could remember, it was a treat to receive Easter Bread made by my grandmother. We would only have it once a year and the wait was excruciating. Now that my grandmother has gotten older, she has stopped baking a lot of her recipes that require a lot of hand usage--her traditional Italian baking means no machines. So for the past few years, I have missed enjoying my Easter Bread.

Keep Reading...Show less
Adulting

Unlocking Lake People's Secrets: 15 Must-Knows!

There's no other place you'd rather be in the summer.

951511
Group of joyful friends sitting in a boat
Haley Harvey

The people that spend their summers at the lake are a unique group of people.

Whether you grew up going to the lake, have only recently started going, or have only been once or twice, you know it takes a certain kind of person to be a lake person. To the long-time lake people, the lake holds a special place in your heart, no matter how dirty the water may look.

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

Top 10 Reasons My School Rocks!

Why I Chose a Small School Over a Big University.

135930
man in black long sleeve shirt and black pants walking on white concrete pathway

I was asked so many times why I wanted to go to a small school when a big university is so much better. Don't get me wrong, I'm sure a big university is great but I absolutely love going to a small school. I know that I miss out on big sporting events and having people actually know where it is. I can't even count how many times I've been asked where it is and I know they won't know so I just say "somewhere in the middle of Wisconsin." But, I get to know most people at my school and I know my professors very well. Not to mention, being able to walk to the other side of campus in 5 minutes at a casual walking pace. I am so happy I made the decision to go to school where I did. I love my school and these are just a few reasons why.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments