Martha Graham once said, “Great dancers are not great because of their technique. They are good because of their passion.” This shows that dance is so much more than meets the eye. Dance is not just physical but also mental and emotional. Dance brings people together even if you can’t speak to each other, which is what the Olympics is all about. Dance should be a part of the Olympics because it takes a lot of athleticisms, requires extensive training, and unites a variety of cultures.
Dancers have to have body awareness, focus, cooperation, and strength. Dance appears full of grace and looks effortless. They must keep their stamina up for 2-3 minutes. During that time, they are fighting for balance, height for leaps, etc. In those 2-3 minutes, they push themselves to be better than they have been, while the audience doesn’t see them on the ground afterward.
Dancers also must condition their body. They must have the endurance to push through the number and you can’t just have that you must work for it. Dancers must also have the strength whether thats in their arms, legs, or back, they have it all. That doesn’t just come to them over night they must want to get better and condition their body. They train just as hard as Olympians do.
Finally, dancers bring cultures together. Dance is all about uniting and having fun together. Which is what the Olympics are all about. Yes, it’s a competition, but of cultures around the world, which is why it’s so unique. Dance is a place for everyone to feel welcome and that’s why it should be a part of the Olympics.
Now, the other side could argue that dance is an art, which is true. They might say you can’t score artistry. Yes, it is an art form and artistry, but you can score the technique. Dance isn’t about saying someone is better than others. Look at gymnastics, people could argue that it is in fact artistry, but you can still score the technique. The judges would have a score sheet with things like lines, feet, technique, or even difficulty. That can all be scored out of ten or one hundred. In defense to both sides, you can’t score how someone looks while dancing, but that’s not what the scoring comes to. It all comes to technique just like any other sport.
All this said, dance should be a part of the Olympics because dancers have to train, have athleticism, and bring cultures together just like every other sport in the Olympics. So, the next time you think about dance maybe try to change the conversation. Bring your opinion but also keep in mind that just because you can’t judge artistry doesn’t mean you can’t judge technique. So, would you make dance a part of the Olympics?
