Can Dance Be Considered A Sport?

The dance culture has existed as a major part of the human history of rituals and celebrations. Despite this, dance has not been receiving the required attention at both national and international platforms. Currently, there is a great conversation to include dance in the 2020 Olympic Games in Toyo, Japan since it is considered a sport.

Discussed below are reasons to why dance is considered a sport:

Intensive Training

Just like any other sport, dancers have to train so as to master specific dance moves and routines. The training is conducted by a dance coach with ultimate experience just as soccer or a rugby coach. The training session is mostly featured in the early morning hours or evening or as per dance training timetable.

Dance Rules

Sports are guided by the international rules depending on the specific sport. Dance also applies rules and regulations. Respect and discipline is a requirement during training sessions and competitions. Failure to do so, one can get banned from competition or lose points. While performing a move, if the dancer stumbles, the judges deduct points. A well-executed dance move is awarded maximum points. Dance judges observe stage coverage, level of technicality of a routine among others.

Dance Uniforms and Gear

Just like football and basketball jerseys, Dance incorporates specific dance gear. The dance gear depends on the session such as training, type of dance, and gender factors such as male or female. As football and basketball or hockey has specific shoes, dancesport like zumba fitness requires specific Zumba shoes for male and female to boost stamina, prevent injuries, and ensure one gets the most of the Zumba dance.

Competition

The ultimate reward for all sport is winning a title or a cup such as the World Cup in football. Different dance has different competitions on both local and international platforms. Such competitions are held by either government parastatals or private institutions. A good example is the World Break-dance Championships and local street championships with either cash prizes or trophies. Salsa, Cha cha among other dances involve competition.

Ability

Renowned sportsmen and women express impressive ability through their skills. Dancing is also dependent on a dancer’s ability. Through training, a dancer is able to improve their natural inborn ability to perfection. A good example is the Barley dancers who have the ability to sustain their body weight through balancing on their toe and perform high jumps and splits.

Injuries

Injuries are a common phenomenon associated with sports such as rugby and football. Just like other sportsmen/women, dancers also face injury risks. Such injuries include broken and twisted legs, dangerous falls or accidents where a dancer accidentally hits another dancer causing injuries to both. Some injuries require first aid by paramedics while others may force a dancer to stay away from the dance for months and tears.

Strength

Sportsmen are considered strong through their ability and muscle structure. Rugby players are among the strongest. Dancer’s strength is also evident through their performances. A good example is the Break-dancers who can balance on their heads while doing spins.

To sum it up, dance is an important human aspect that should be considered as a sport in order to enhance its existence and development. Just like other sports, dance encompasses intensive training, dance rules, dance gear and uniforms, competition platforms, dancers ability, strength, and incidences of injuries. From the above similarities of dance and other sports, it is safe to say that dance is a sport.