Sport Should Be Considered A Sport

Golf has been under fire for several years now about its legitimacy as a sport. People all have their different takes on the matter which has caused many debates to arise. The more popular claim is that golf is indeed a sport. What is a sport? According to Dictionary.com a sport is:“an athletic activity requiring skill or physical prowess and often of acompetitive nature, as racing, baseball, tennis, golf, bowling, wrestling,boxing, hunting, fishing, etc.” Golf is a sport because it meets all the requirements found in the definition of sport; It requires physical exertion, is played in a competitive manner, and requires a overwhelming amount of skill and time. Not to mention golf is literally used as an example in the definition of sport.

Dance began as a form of communication and storytelling. Thousands of years ago dancing served as a way for people to tell a story and helped distract themselves of the hardships they faced. Furthermore, dance was a form of storytelling through communication, which then turned into using storytelling through dance as entertainment. According to the History World, many dancers during the BC time danced in front of only a few people to get a story across. That later turned into hundreds of thousands of people as dance was used by many. Today, dance is also a form of entertainment and storytelling, but in a modern sense. However, today perfection and technique are stressed more than they were in the past. Yet, the passion for dance has not changed. Many dancers who share this passion also have many of the same qualities. Among a discourse community of trained dancers, one expects to find individuals who are healthy and active athletes, expect perfection from themselves through competition, and religiously attend dance performances.

“ And those who were seen dancing were thought to be insane by those who could not hear the music.” said by Friedrich Nietzsche. Although many will argue that competitive dancing should be considered an art over a sport, I have a different opinion. Though I do believe that dancing has many qualities that would consider it an art, I still believe that there are even more qualities that should make it considered a sport. Keep in mind that i'm talking about competitive dance, not just a couple classes throughout the week. Competitive dancers go to competitions with a judging system that ensures objectivity, fairness, and transparency. Dancers also require good stamina, speed, flexibility, and muscle. Dance also requires a very strong level of discipline and strength.

Along with other sports, dance involves physical exertion and requires skill. It can be inferred that when athletes undergo physical activity, they push themselves to their limit, which results in them becoming sore, and possibly even injured in some cases. This also pertains to dancers. Dancers can pull a muscle by overstretching or by not stretching enough. They can also break any bone by doing turns, flips, jumps, and tricks. In Ronald Smith’s article, he proceeds to explain

Dance is a unique sport because it combines the grit and sweat of sporting events, such as track and field, with the style and extravagance of a fashion show (D.Fowler, 2000).

a) Many ask, “How can dance be a sport? You can't judge on time and the scoring is subjective!” Just like figure skaters, competitive dancers are judged on many criteria: technique, posture, timing, line, hold, poise, togetherness, expression, presentation, power, and foot or leg action. Dancers have a lot on their minds while performing. They are constantly asking themselves, am I extending correctly? Is my technique right? Is my head facing the right direction?

Three laps around the gym, minute long planks, crunches, sit-ups, and pushups in a matter of thirty minutes. As a dancer, experiencing and realizing the strength that needs to be present in order for an athlete to grow is vital. We go through long hours of choreography sessions, pain and strain on our bodies, and vigorous training. Many people will disagree on the status of if dance is a sport or not. Both Mary- Elizabeth Esquibel, in her article “Why Dance Will Always Be a Sport” and the infographic entitled “Is Dance a Sport?” attack this controversial dilemma. Even though these arguments use different formats, they use rhetoric similarly.

According to Hannah J. from learnenglishteens.britishcouncil.org, “This is despite the fact that dancers have just as rigorous training regimes as rugby players do, for example. Dance improves strength and stamina just as much as football and skiing do.” This is true because it is really hard to train and memorize things in dance such as your routines. Also, if you ever have seen Misty Copeland, you can tell that she has been training really hard for a long time because she has a lot of muscles and she is extraordinary at dancing. Since I do dance, I have noticed a difference in my shape and my stamina due to my training. Next, Hannah says, “Dance has an overall goal or objective to win and tell a story (just like a runner who wants to beat a time, or a footballer who wants to score goals).” So, this is something I agree with because they are showing emotion to the audience when dancing but they are also trying to show as much talent and emotion as they can because that is what will make them win. The emotional

Football, baseball, soccer, and all other typical recreational sports fit those definitions, but so does another activity that is not usually considered a sport: dance. Dance should be considered a sport because it satisfies the definition of a sport, it carries out a strict set of rules

As everyone continues to ask “How can dance be a sport? You can’t judge on time and the scoring is personal.” Just like figure skaters (an Olympic sport), competitive dancers are judged on technique, posture, timing, formation, hold, pose, togetherness, musicality, and expression, presentation, power, foot and legwork, shape, and travel space. Dancers have a lot on their minds while performing on stage. Some of the thoughts are “Is my foot pointed? Am I extending my arms correctly? Is my technique clear? Is my head turned the right way?” That’s a lot to think about while under enough pressure by being on stage.

It takes both an athlete and an artist to be able to dance. Dance requires you to have muscular strength, flexibility, physical and emotional endurance. People usually question why dancers love what they do when there is a whopping 80% of professional dancers that get injured every year. The answer is simple though, what keeps them going though is the constant love and encouragement from friends and family.

In the essay You Knock My Brains Out This Sunday, I Knock Your Brains Out the Next Time We Meet written by Steve Almond, we are shown a pressing issue in our society. The pressing issue he highlights is our society’s love for action-packed entertainment without the aspect of putting ourselves at risk. As a result of such love, sports have surged in popularity and have essentially filled our wishes. Looking at the NFL in particular, Almond explains what our love for action is doing to fellow humans and how football sadly evolved from just a sport to a business. With the business mentality in mind the author feels as though the NFL is trading off concern for players to amass revenue.

Nevertheless, dancers compete just as all other sports do. Although dancers are able to express themselves in their own way, dancers have to put forth months of preparation for one competition because the rules and specific way a move must be executed is so strict, while most sports only have a couple practices before a game. Perfection isn’t a far-fetched goal or dream in the sport of dance, it is a requirement. Dancers are expected to uphold the reputation of looking and performing perfectly at all times, but have you ever stopped to see what goes into making them look that way? “…proper use of the feet and ankles are imperative to a successful and healthy dance career.

Some forms can be that dance is a beautiful form of art, it is definitely qualified as a sport for fun, as a hobby, as a passion or even go for a career in dance.("Dancers as Athletes.") Some of these dance forms may be less intense then others. However, many people are unaware and uninformed about how serious and competitive the dance world can be. Dancers have the same demands on their bodies, health, diet, self esteem and self discipline as any other athlete. (A.Y. Chu and C.H. Wang).

Playing a sport is tough enough as it is, tasks such as training, potential for injuries, mental preparation and making sure the team reaches their full potential are all factors. Now, imagine not feeling like a part of that team due to the person you want to love. I was fortunate enough to be able to have a first-hand look into what being a gay athlete is like. My ex-teammate and friend Ryan Houchen, great athlete, even better person. Ryan himself is a homosexual athlete, he played hockey for Metro State as well as the University of Colorado Denver. He, as well as others, are observing that a growing number of gay athletes are emerging and as Ryan says, “Things are definitely on the up”. What he means by this is that it is becoming more