What sets dance apart from other sports is the element of art and visual beauty within it. Dance is meant to be an artistic medium, which means the dancers must always be wearing their best face and putting on the most captivating performance. Because of this, it’s often viewed separately from other sports, despite how physically grueling it can be.
According to Rose Levine, a sophomore ballet dancer, “(Dance is) basically like running, but then you also have to look good doing it … Like if a football player made a tackle and had a terrible face, it wouldn’t matter. But if a dancer fell and had a terrible face, it would be the front page of the newspaper.” She shared that dance has helped her learn composure, while physically exerting herself. Controlling movements carefully involves rooted discipline from a young age. “The art form can kind of be a little harsh sometimes, physically demanding too,” Levine said. “But it just made me a more balanced person in general and I think it’s honestly made my anxiety a lot better.”
Ballet is notorious for being demanding physically because of its formal and rigid movements. Because of this, it involves a lot of strength and time commitment. Lots of dancers have felt similarly in how dancing has improved their diligence. Senior ballet and contemporary dancer Allie Weinberger stated, “When I was young, (dance) had a really big impact on how I learned work ethics and everything, because a lot of the little kid ballet teachers are very strict and taught us how we’re supposed to act in the world as well as in our class.” She has made strong relationships and memories throughout her years doing ballet. Weinberger said, “Dance is more focused on community and working together, especially in performances. It’s like an art and a school.”
Keller Greer, another sophomore ballet dancer stated, “It’s a lot of discipline, but kind of in a good way.” She continued to share that she likes the individual and team aspects of dance, “You’re a community, but you’re not only on a team. You’re kind of by yourself, so you can continue to challenge yourself.”
Greer has felt overwhelmed by the sport at times, but she explained, “ I don’t quit because I’ve been doing it for such a long time that I know I should just stick with it. And a lot of times it can get fun, especially with my friends and shows are fun. So (I) stay with it and trust the process.”