In this article, Adi will make an argument as to why ballet is a sport.
Ballerinas are not only athletes, but they are also artists. Being a ballerina requires strength and flexibility, but also mental toughness and pain tolerance. Ballet takes years of training, for hours every day, not including possessing the talent and skill, yet is still questioned as being a sport. When looking at this topic closer, there is a lot more to the art than there seems. So the question remains: is ballet a sport?
There is a stereotype for ballerinas. Ballet dancers are just seen as girls who twirl around in tutus. It looks easy enough, right? But in truth, ballet requires immense amounts of strength to balance and perform the skills correctly. A pointe shoe company says, “Achieving impeccable technique in ballet requires significant muscle strength throughout the legs, ankles, feet, and core.” Ballet requires high muscle torque, as well as flexibility, so the dancers do not injure their bodies while dancing– not to mention they are constantly on their toes, which can cause bruised and bloody nails, blisters and bunions, and can cause long-term foot and ankle problems. They have to have a high pain tolerance to fight through this pain endured by their feet and the other injuries they experience, such as muscle strains or stress fractures. Ballet also requires endurance to perform the various combinations that are a lot more difficult than they seem. Although the dancers execute the variations effortlessly, they are, in truth, very difficult. Ballerinas have to make the performances look easy. Otherwise, they are not executing them correctly, even down to relaxing their face muscles to appear at ease. Ballet is physically draining on the dancers and their bodies.
Not only is ballet physically demanding, but also mentally challenging. Learning choreography quickly and picking up on the various combinations performed throughout even a single class can be very difficult. Having coordination between the brain and the body is important for learning and executing correct placement. Professional ballerinas often experience mental health issues, as they are very hard on themselves. An article by the Butterfly Foundation, a nonprofit organization that combats eating disorders, says that “The ballet industry thrives on structure, comparison, and perfectionism.” Ballet can be very frustrating, as the dancer rehearses the same movements over and over until they get it right. They often compare themselves to others, striving for unrealistic goals. It is also common for dancers to develop eating disorders as the environment is very harsh in the body type companies are looking for in their dancers.
Some people might argue and say that ballet is not a sport because there is nothing to compete for. This is not true. There are various competitions held throughout the world for ballerinas to compete variations in. There is something called International Ballet Competitions which are prestigious competitions. Brittanica says they are “much like the Olympic Games on purpose.” Competitors can get scholarships for ballet, just like other sports. There is a lot more to the art than there appears to be.
Ballerinas are some of the most talented, self-disciplined athletes. Ballet is physically demanding and mentally challenging. The dancers are constantly fighting the stereotypes made, proving themselves and their sport. Maybe, if people understood ballet better, then they would see that it is true.