Dance not a sport?

isthisusernametaken

isthisusernametaken

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May 22, 2020
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I'm working on the USNA application, and dance is listed under non-athletic extracurriculars. I'm confused by that, since besides the fact that it's more than physically demanding enough to be considered a sport (I've danced for almost all of my life, so... I am a little biased), schools treat it as a sport with team captains, letters, etc. the same way they do for cheer, which is listed as a sport on the application.

Anyone know the reasoning behind it?
 
I’d guess the reasoning is that, while yes it is physically intense, dance is a performing art, not a competition. However I don’t think that means that your achievements in dance will be discounted. If you feel that it has been an avenue for leadership development you can still express this on your application.
 
... or even if it's just been a part of your fitness program.
 
I assume OP means the HS dance team. My guess is, eventually, it will become a 'sport' for USNA soon after NCAA considers it one. Its still relatively new compared to other competitive events at the HS level.
 
Back when I was in High School, and the Air Force's planes were still horse drawn, we had (boys) football, with cheerleading being a sport for girls, boys and girls basketball, and boys baseball, with gymnastics for boys and girls in the spring IIRC. Girls often had to do "city league" sports due to the paucity of opportunities for them at my small school.

Dancing all your life, probably included ballet, which is most definitely athletic and a real "team" sport (much more so than the golf team, and a few others I could think of). And while someone said it's a performing art, performers are judged against each other (quite harshly), just like on a team sport. Shame no one takes it seriously. Maybe if you could work a ball into Swan Lake somehow...

I'm with you though, and I think you ought to make an argument for it (later on in your life). For now, I suppose if there's white space on the application, talk about your dance experience as if it were the basketball team.

Unfortunately, life ain't fair, never was, probably never will be. I wish you the best.
 
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