It is very evident that most typically played and enjoyed sports involve a ball and some sort of points system. Because of this social norm being taught at a young age, most people grow up with a set description of what a conventional sport is. However, the definition of a sport can range from someone’s physical abilities all the way to mental strength.  

The Dance Consortium of the UK makes the argument of comparing the definition of an athlete to the skills and abilities a dancer must embody. Having physical agility, stamina, strength, daily practice, commitment and many more attributes, can be applied to both a football player and a dancer.   

Dancing requires countless hours of working to better oneself physically and emotionally. The actual workouts that include five minute planks and furthering one’s flexibility but most of the time go unseen and unrecognized.  

“Dancers may not look as muscular as other jocks because their muscles are compact to make their dance moves better,” (The Odyssey Online). It is extremely important to stay in shape as to maintain the techniques and strength needed for jumps, turns, and flexibility.   

There is a selection of people that would not consider dance a “real” sport. “Sport Inspired” generalized this as men that say dance is not a sport is another way for them to have authority over women. Men and women that are not familiar with the dance world would defend this opinion by saying dance is not organized like many traditional sports are.  

For instance, the well known one-on-one team setting is most recognizable among sports, but dance does not follow this criteria. Dance is self-driven in the way that the biggest competition is oneself. It is a mental game of improvement and growth within one’s technique and performance.  

Even though dance does contain many differences from other sports, there is always room for diversity in any situation. “The Odyssey Online” explores the ways that dance is similar to other sports such as basketball, soccer, baseball, etc. It also explains the uniqueness of dance as a sport, as an art of performing, and telling a story through motion.  

Seeing with an open mind as well as experiencing what the sport of dance is really like can bring a new appreciation for many people. It is important to realize the differences in everything, including sports, and be aware of how an open mind can change a person’s perspective on something.