When I was younger, I bought a shirt at a dance competition that said, “If dance were easy, it’d be called football.” I wore it almost everyday proudly avoiding washing it whenever I could so I could show off to everyone at school. Just like other athletes at school got to wear their own jerseys or rep their favorite player, my shirt was a reminder that dance deserved to be taken seriously.
Of course the football players were always so quick to roll their eyes and say “all you do in dance is twirl,” but they were wrong for two big reasons:
1. It is called a “pirouette.”
2. Dance is full of the same strength, skill, and discipline any sport demands. In fact, football players like Lynn Swann and Rob Gronkowski trained in ballet in order to excel on the field.
But if you’re still not convinced, here are three solid reasons why dance is a sport and should be respected as such.
1. The Pain is Brutal
I honestly don’t think my toes will ever be the same. Do you realize that being en pointe requires you to literally stand on your toes for hours at a time? The truth is written in our feet—the blood, blisters, and bruised toenails. Not to mention the back pain that comes with trying to bend over backwards or the hamstring injuries that result from leg extensions. However, unlike other athletes that are on injury reserve for their toe injuries for weeks, we wrap them up and get right back at it the next day.
2. Competition and Pressure is Fierce
Competitive dancers step on stage to get critiqued head-to-toe by judges. The pressure to be perfect is expected. One misstep or shaky landing and your score drops. Being weak on one leg? Not an option. Lacking clean technique? You’ll stand out in the worst way possible. Dancers have to memorize full routines just like other athletes memorize plays, but instead of short bursts, routines are three minute long, high intensity sequences set to music. It takes focus, precision, and a deep connection between body and mind.
3. Intense Training
Dancers train in a bunch of different genres from tap, to hip-hop, ballroom, to ballet. This means juggling multiple classes every day. These classes come with conditioning, learning new techniques, and repeating a routine until everyone nails it. One of the things I remember most about being a dancer was how insecure I was of gaining muscle, but now I know it just proves how hard I was working. On top of all of that, you’re also learning a new language—French. Mastering the terminology is a part of the training and adds another level of complexity to training. The physical stamina and mental focus that a dancer requires is no joke.
To all of the young dancers out there, remind the doubters that you do everything a football player does, but just look fabulous doing so. Remember that behind every pirouette is power. Behind every pointed toe is strength. And behind every sparkling costume is a fighter with grit and never quits.
