Whether you simply like to unleash your moves in the club, or you’re a Strictly professional, you may have witnessed, first hand, some of the exhilarating outcomes associated with dancing.
Our entire universe undulates with regular rhythms and movement, from the way that we walk, to our heartbeat and even the solar system! Music and dance synchronise to create essential biorhythms, releasing feel-good chemicals in our brain, slowing down the process of ageing, and even extending and enriching our quality of life. Personally, dancing constitutes what makes me feel energised and complete. From the age of 6, when I fell in love with my first ballroom class, I have never fully considered dance as a sport but simply as an expressive art. Now, when people ask if I do any sport, my answer is always that I dance. I usually get some funny looks. So, clearly there is a question as to whether dance is a sport or an art. But as my dancing progressed, I became increasingly aware that dancers are, in fact, athletes as well as artists.
As a competitive dancer, I would often have to sacrifice my social life for training, substituting parties and normal teenage antics for dance lessons up and down the country. Time, commitment, dedication, and a strive for self-improvement are all essential in the competitive dance circuit, as they would be with named “sports” such as gymnastics. This has left me questioning, why is dance not recognised as a sport? With women generally dominating modern dance, perhaps this could be one for feminist debates, perceived as being less “sporty” or may not be seen as skilful like more traditional sports.
So is dancing a sport or an art?
To answer this we must first define sport:
“Sport: (noun) an activity involving physical exertion and skill in which an individual or team competes against another or others.”
Dancers are athletes. Physically, dancers inevitably build strength, power and endurance throughout the body. Unlike other sports, however, a combination of flexibility, agility and a vast range of available movement in your joints are gained and makes up just a few of the ways the body benefits from dancing. Aesthetic improvements are also gained along with general good health and fitness. And yet, whether dance should be recognised as an olympic sport has been debated widely for some time. Some would say that it’s too subjective to be a sport, but so is gymnastics! Ballet has a technique just like gymnastics. It would be also be difficult to be representative of all styles as dance comes in all shapes and forms. Objectivity is at the centre of sports, and subjectivity is at the centre of the arts, so it is clear where confusion or corruption may occur.
“Art: (noun) the expression or application of human creative skill and imagination, typically in a visual form.”
Well that is definitely true about dance. Dance allows you to express emotions, can relieve stress, or can act as a form of communication, provoking thought and contributing to social movements. Many dancers and choreographers have been known for incredible emotions and stage presence. An example is George Balanchine. Balanchine was a choreographer who continues to be known for his musicality an expression of emotions. Creativity and imagination are also required to produce innovative dance pieces.
—Eldon L. Johnson
“Yes, dance requires hard work, years of dedication, self-discipline, and an understanding of your body that surpasses that of most athletes. But just because you have exceptional technique doesn’t mean you are an amazing dancer. Without passion, love, fearlessness, and a willingness to leave your soul exposed on a stage, dance is empty”
So my answer to the question would be that it is both sport and art, whilst being a great way to make friends and have fun! Dance enables me to express myself artistically, and is great exercise, which helps keep my body physically fit. The athleticism and body requirements from traditional forms of dancing is that of a sportsman and to me, no doubt, entails more physicality than olympic “sports” such as equestrian and bowling (which never ceases to baffle me).
Sources:
http://teenlife.blogs.pressdemocrat.com/11749/the-great-debate-is-dance-a-sport/?tc=ar
http://www.joyfulaging.com/JoyfulDancing.htm
Image Source:
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