Dynamic cartoon illustration of a dancer showcasing athleticism, representing dancing as a sport.
Growing up, whenever I was asked about the sports I participated in, and I mentioned dance, I often received puzzled looks. It seemed my answer wasn’t quite what people expected. I’ve heard it countless times since: “Dance isn’t a sport.”
But for me, dance is much more than just a pastime; it transcends even the definition of a sport in some ways. Dance is athletic artistry, demanding acute body awareness, intense focus, seamless cooperation, and considerable strength. Speaking for all dancers who dedicate countless hours and immense effort to this art form, I want to advocate for recognizing dancers as athletes, and urge you to see dance as the sport it truly is.
The apparent ease and grace of dancers often conceal the incredible stamina required for even a short 2-3 minute routine. Throughout that brief performance, dancers are constantly striving for equilibrium while executing turns, leaps, jumps, and floorwork. In those few minutes, dancers push their physical limits to the point of breathlessness, sometimes collapsing the moment they are out of the audience or judges’ view – something I can personally attest to.
This profound exhaustion from relentless physical exertion is a significant hurdle dancers overcome through rigorous practice, strength conditioning, flexibility training, and stamina building. The average heart rate of a dancer during a modern dance sequence can reach approximately 170 beats per minute. Interestingly, this is comparable to, and even slightly exceeds, the heart rates of basketball players, who average between 165 and 169 bpm, and soccer players, whose heart rates range from 150 to 184 bpm. This physiological data underscores the intense cardiovascular demands of dance, positioning it firmly within the realm of athletic activities.
Many globally recognized sports, such as soccer, golf, volleyball, and tennis, share a common element: a ball. Ball sports frequently dominate the conventional understanding of what constitutes a sport. While dance might occasionally incorporate props, it fundamentally requires no ball, yet it shares numerous essential attributes with ball sports, particularly the athletic demands on its participants. The distinctions between dancers and athletes in ball sports, like soccer players, are far overshadowed by their similarities. Both disciplines necessitate agility, unwavering focus, steadfast commitment, and effective cooperation.
Similar to tennis players who require exceptional body coordination for success, dancers also rely heavily on precise body control and awareness. Furthermore, akin to the intense concentration demanded in football, dance requires a comparable level of mental focus. In fact, numerous professional football players incorporate ballet training into their regimens to enhance strength, agility, balance, focus, and overall coordination. The skills honed in a dance studio are transferable and beneficial to virtually any sport, as refined muscle control is a fundamental asset for all athletes.
Dancers also engage in strength and conditioning programs to prevent muscle imbalances and optimize their performance. Consistent strengthening of core muscles enhances the stability and balance crucial for complex turns, while leg strengthening provides dancers with increased power for jumps and leaps. While robust muscles can mitigate the risk of injuries, the demanding movements inherent in dance still lead to a high incidence of injury, with approximately 80% of dancers experiencing at least one performance-affecting injury annually. This injury rate is comparable to that of athletes in many recognized sports, further solidifying dance’s position as a physically demanding athletic pursuit.
Despite the clear physical rigor and risk of injury, dancers often lack widespread recognition for their athletic capabilities, especially when compared to athletes in more mainstream sports. This lack of recognition is a misconception that needs to be addressed.
The meticulous process of refining a dance piece, known as “cleaning,” involves countless hours of consistent rehearsals and practices focused on perfecting every detail. Recently, I dedicated six and a half hours straight in the dance studio learning physically challenging choreography. My teammates and I were constantly turning, leaping, running, and lunging to nearly every beat of a high-tempo 150 bpm song. This intensive experience, while invaluable for our performance, left my entire back aching for days and my legs fatigued for even longer. The floor work resulted in bruises covering my kneecaps and the tops of my feet – tangible evidence of the physical demands we endure.
Despite routinely spending considerably more hours per week in dance training than typical students spend in physical education classes, dancers in Westview Dance Troupe (WVDT) do not receive physical education credits towards graduation. This is because the troupe is categorized as a club rather than an officially recognized class or CIF (California Interscholastic Federation) sport. This distinction further underscores the undervaluation of dance as a legitimate athletic activity within educational frameworks.
As any dedicated dancer will confirm, dance is undeniably more physically demanding than it appears. Despite this reality, there will always be individuals who dismiss dancers and the athleticism inherent in dance. However, I firmly believe that my response to the question, “What sport do you play?” is entirely valid and adequate. Dance is unequivocally a sport – a sport that uniquely requires the dedication of an athlete and the soul of an artist.
