One of the hardest things about being a dancer is the commentary that comes with it. I’m sick of constantly being told the idea that “dance isn’t a sport” or “you’re not a real athlete because you dance.”

Yes. Dance is a fine art, but that doesn’t mean it’s just a fine art. Dance is a sport too.

Dance is one of the hardest sports to train for. Not only is it a physical exercise, but a mental exercise too. In one class I take alone, we learn up to six or more exercises and combinations. You have to remember tense combinations all while doing them at the same time, which makes it even tougher.

The conditioning I do on a daily basis to strengthen myself for dance is difficult. The amount of stamina and energy it takes is insane.

I’ve talked to football players who think dance is not a sport about the training we do before we even dance in classes, and they were surprised at the amount we do. An hour of advanced dancing can end up being equivalent to running three miles, and that’s without our conditioning.

Dance works every part of your body, resulting in a great workout. I have participated in other sports before including track, competitive cheer and volleyball, yet dance still gives me a harder and better workout.

With the difficulty of dance, injuries are incredible common. Last December, a freshman injured herself while dancing and was told to go to the athletic trainers at the school. When she showed up, she was turned away because she wasn’t from a sports team and dancers aren’t on the list to treat. The freshman went to the doctor and ended up having a fracture in her foot which set her back because she was supposed to audition that week for the school’s dance team.

The way that people act toward dance frustrates me. Dance counts as an athletic credit in our school district so why is it not considered athletic?

Dancers always support other sports, so why not support ours?