Doya Vibes

I’ve danced for most of my life, only stopping when I arrived at Pitt. Before I stopped, people were often amazed at what my body could do. Many asked how I moved the way I did, how I became so flexible, and how I trained to achieve such abilities.

These questions were common because dance isn’t widely accepted as a sport. People often complimented how graceful I looked on stage but rarely acknowledged the time, effort, dedication, and intense physical training that went into reaching a high level of performance.

Like other sports, people often don’t grasp the intensity, work ethic, and stamina involved in dance unless they’ve been a dancer themselves. Dance engages every aspect of a person—physical, mental, and emotional. From my experience, dance is often dismissed as a sport, even though it demands more physically than any other sport I’ve participated in. My body still feels the lasting impact from years of dance.

A sport is defined as an activity involving physical exertion and skill, where individuals or teams compete for entertainment—by this definition, dance qualifies. Dance requires athleticism. Without endurance, strength, agility, and flexibility, and hours of conditioning, perhaps people could argue dancers aren’t athletes. But consider having to complete 12 spins flawlessly in a row—without proper balance and coordination, dizziness would set in, and you’d likely topple over.

Competition is another key aspect of sports. While some people don’t view dance as competitive, there are dancers who participate in regional and national competitions. Even dancers who don’t compete face intense competition within their studios.

Interestingly, coaches from other sports incorporate dance into their training. Football players often take dance classes, including ballet, to improve flexibility, balance, and strength in ways that traditional practices don’t focus on. If football players can benefit from dance, why is dance still not widely accepted as a sport? Taking dance classes doesn’t make a great football player, but the fact that they use dance to sharpen their skills shows how valuable dance skills are in athletics. So why isn’t dance recognized as an actual sport?

In my experience, many people who don’t see dancers as athletes hold sexist views. Dance is largely seen as a feminine activity—73.4% of dancers are women, while men make up only 26.6%. The tutus, costumes, makeup, and hairstyles add to this perception, but these factors don’t lessen the athleticism required in dance.

Some argue that dance is simply an artistic expression, not a sport. They may think of professional dancers in prestigious companies like the New York City Ballet or the American Ballet Theatre. These dancers devote their lives and careers to their craft. In these cases, dance is recognized as a physical performance that evokes emotional responses, defining it as art. Dancers always combine athleticism with passion and artistry. Many dancers, including myself, view dance as an “athletic art form,” where dancers are both artists and athletes.

While I agree that dance is an artistic expression, labeling it solely as art diminishes the value of dancers compared to other athletes. Dance combines complex elements of both athleticism and art. Reducing it to just an art form dismisses the physical and emotional dedication poured into perfecting it. Every dancer, regardless of how long they’ve danced, has pushed their body to the limit in the pursuit of this art form.

My lifelong experience with dance makes me biased, but I believe society’s perception of dance as a sport needs to be reevaluated. A good starting point would be for people to examine their biases, especially regarding a sport dominated by women.

4o