Despite the fact that ballet is both a physical activity and an art form, this is not always the case. Ballet can be viewed as a sport that is just as challenging and potentially dangerous as any other when carefully considered. It’s crucial to fully comprehend the difficulties of this sport and the best methods for overcoming them if you practice ballet or work with young, aspiring ballet dancers. This will help you maintain good physical health and prevent potentially career-ending injuries.
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What Is A Sport?
According to the Oxford Dictionary, a sport is defined as any activity where:
- Skill is required.
- It requires physical effort.
- Competitors can be either people or teams.
- This is a fun thing to do.
Ballet would not be considered a sport under this definition unless there was some sort of competition. However, there are many other definitions of “sport” that are less specific. A broader definition of a sport is provided by the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, which refers to it as an amusement or a physical activity that is enjoyed. In this situation, ballet would unquestionably be considered a sport.
Ballet At Its Beginnings
Because ballet techniques were simpler in the beginning, the question of whether or not ballet is a sport has only recently come up. A popular pastime in the court was dancing. Pirouettes and fast footbeats were not performed! The classical method was created in 1661 when Louis XIV founded the “Academie Nationale de Musique et de Danse.” There was an increase in dance professionals. The physical demands of ballet technique increased. Ballet, however, was viewed as a form of art with no other intent than to amuse.
The Practice Of Ballet
Ballet has a lengthy history. Although the practice may have existed earlier, it was first recorded being danced in the late seventeenth century, so we wouldn’t be surprised.
As was previously mentioned, ballet was not at first available to everyone. To achieve grace and elegance in their movements, the nobility first used it as a form of training.
Fast footwork, jumps, and turns performed with precision and speed make up the dance itself.
Even though it can take years to master techniques like dancing en pointe, the results are breathtaking.
Whoever said they resembled swans is using a perfect metaphor because the performers are as lovely as divine beings.
The Athleticism Of Ballet Dancers
Ballet dancers are expected to put in similar physical efforts to athletes in other sports. Dancers in ballet are extremely strong, quick, and fit.
For two hours straight during a performance, it takes a lot of energy to jump, and some poses require great endurance. The ability to coordinate movements and achieve a highly controlled technique also requires a lot of mental strength. The body comes under its control.
Ballet, like sports, requires intense training and dedication to reach the pinnacle of physical performance.
There are many similarities between their practice sessions, which necessitates long, demanding training sessions.
Regarding the competitive aspect, dancers do compete and work hard to land the lead role. However, musicians and actors also do. Ballet is not an Olympic sport, but dancers still compete for awards today. There are dance competitions like the YAGP (Youth America Grand Prix), the international prix de Lausanne, and the WBC (World Ballet Competition). Some people think that these competitions limit dancers to only performing tricks and destroy the art of dance.
Like ice dancing, synchronized skating, and synchronized swimming, some refer to it as “an artistic sport.” Sport and art are combined there. They use a very rigid technique that tests both the performers’ physical stamina and musical interpretation skills.
Ballet dance training is similar to high-intensity interval training in that it involves short bursts of vigorous activity interspersed with rest and lower-intensity moves.
The Time Commitment Of Ballet
For some people, the main difference between a sport and an artistic endeavor is the amount of physical effort required to engage in the activity. By the age of 15, students who want to pursue a career in ballet dancing should be enrolling in 10 to 15 classes per week, according to Kansas City Ballet, which compares professional ballet dancers to the best Olympic athletes.
Professional ballerinas frequently perform a wide range of exercises to prepare for their dance routines. Stretching, weightlifting, cardio, and core work are a few examples of this. The average practice time for these ballerinas is 10 hours per day. The amount of time required to pursue a career in ballet is on par with, if not even greater than, that required to play professional sports like football or baseball.
![13. Is Ballet a Sport2](https://www.exerciseworld.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/13.-Is-Ballet-a-Sport2.jpg)
What Counts As An Official Sport?
Our main objective is to determine and answer, “A sport or an art form, is ballet?“
As a result, we think it’s crucial to define both of these terms before drawing any conclusions.
According to the Oxford English Dictionary, the word sport means:
- “Diversion, entertainment, fun”.
- It is also “success, pleasure, or recreation derived from or afforded by an activity”.
- “Participation in activities involving physical exertion and skill, especially competitive activities regulated by set rules or customs”.
- Interestingly, it is also once defined as “a theatrical performance.”
What Is Art, Exactly?
Allow us to define the word “art” as well. We will use the definitions from the Oxford English Dictionary below to keep both terms on an even playing field.
The term art is defined as:
- “A skill (and) its display or application”.
- To be more specific, it is also “the application of skill to subjects of taste, as poetry, music, dancing, and the like.
- It is also “the application of skill to the arts of imitation and design.”
To prevent our answers from being influenced by our own opinions, we have opted to directly quote the definitions.
We want you to be able to determine the solution on your own as well.
Making Ballet Look Easy
Ballet is sometimes regarded as more of an art than a sport for a variety of reasons, including the manner in which it is performed. Despite the fact that ballet dancing is extremely difficult, dancers try to make it look effortless. The ability to keep even breathing and a composed facial expression is a skill required of ballet dancers. While those playing football can easily display their effort, a dancer’s job is to mask this.
Professional ballet dancers also work to maintain a certain physique that isn’t typically connected to athleticism. Despite the fact that they do strength training, ballet dancers do it in a way that keeps their muscles long and lean. They make an effort to avoid getting bulky because a key component of ballet’s art is forming long, slender lines. The fact that this requires a lot of physical effort is disguised to make it seem smoother, simpler, and easier than it actually is.
The Lifespan Of A Professional Dancer
Dancers have a relatively brief career, similar to other professional athletes. According to HuffPost, an athlete’s professional career lasts an average of ten years. According to this, professional baseball, basketball, and football players typically retire in their 30s. The same is true for professional dancers, whose careers typically come to an end around the age of 35. Rarely do professional ballet dancers continue performing into their forties.
All of these sports result in participants needing a second career after their first one ends. For the benefit of others interested in this sport, former ballet dancers frequently go on to teach ballet, start their own dance studios, or work as choreographers.
Conclusion
The study concluded that classical ballet could be compared to other forms of high-intensity interval training, but that, unlike athletes in sports, ballet dancers are not always physically ready for the demands placed on their bodies.
The potential of a dancer is restricted by this lack of conditioning, which causes injuries. Limiting the potential aesthetic effects of strength training on the body while also trying to fit it into their already packed training schedules presents a challenge.