Young girls are encouraged to be active and involved in sports from very young ages. Rather than participate in traditional team or individual sports, many girls choose to train in the world of dance. What was once a once-a-week class develops into hours of daily training for the purpose of obtaining a spot on an elite dance team.
Dancers are Athletes
A controversy still exists as to whether dancers are “athletes”. Typical qualities of an athlete include strength, flexibility, balance, coordination, endurance, and power. All of these same qualities are seen in skilled dancers.
All one has to do is watch a skilled dancer and analyze the movements and the physical ability that it takes to perform their technical skills. There is no question that highly skilled dancers are elite athletes.
Take for example multiple sequential alasacones (a 360 degree turn balancing on one leg while the other leg is held at a 90 degree angle from the hip).
This maneuver requires an incredible amount of strength in the quadriceps and hamstring muscle groups to maintain knee extension on the balance leg, core strength to hold the spine and pelvis in alignment, proprioceptive neuromuscular stability to maintain balance, and endurance to continue this maneuver for multiple turns.
High School Competitive Dance Teams
Most competitive dancers compete for dance studios. However, there is a growing trend of dancers moving from studios to compete with their local high school teams. The high school teams are every bit as challenging and talented as studio teams, but they compete against their peer schools at local, regional, and national competitions.
The downside with competing for a high school team is that the dance teams are not considered a “sport” and thereby receive no resources from the district and/or school. This translates into large fees for these student-athletes' families in order for them to compete.
Annual fees for high school competitive dancers run into the thousands whereas fees for sponsored teams remain in the low hundreds. The fees for these teams include the uniforms, costumes, practice clothes and gear, transportation fees, and coaches’ fees. These high fees can be a financial hardship on families and most likely eliminate many girls from competing on one of these teams.
Competitive dance teams can compete in a number of dance categories including hip hop, jazz, pom, modern, and lyrical. The choreography is designed by the coaches and includes requirements of specific technical skills in each dance.
Teams can compete in small, medium, or large groups depending on the size of their team. The coach also has the option of placing his/her team in novice, intermediate, or advanced categories depending on the skill level and years of dance experience of the dancers.
National Dance Organizations
Competitions are typically held on the weekends in large high school or college gyms. The events are hosted by nationally recognized cheer and song organizations (United Spirit Association, National Dance Association). These organizations provide a panel of judges along with awards, sound systems, multi-media capabilities, and staffing. Most of these organizations do charge an entrance fee for family and friends of the competitors.
Most dancers have years of dance experience (including jazz and ballet) to be able to compete on the varsity dance teams at the high school level. Dancers at this level compete year round with their competition teams and take private and/or technical courses outside of their team practices.
Dancers train every bit as hard as traditional athletes. It is time they are recognized for the athletes they are.
