The Sport and Art of Dance

Many people play sports in their spare time. Some examples include football, basketball, and golf. But the surprisingly difficult sport of dance is commonly overlooked. Shanna LaFleur once said, “It takes an athlete to dance, but an artist to be a dancer.” Dance expresses strong feelings and emotions through graceful or sharp, powerful movement, revealing to the audience every bit of passion behind it.
Countless forms of dance exist in the world. Jazz, ballet, and tap are the most common. When a person thinks of dance, they think of pink tights and tutus. Dance consists of so much more than that. Jazz, one of the most popular forms of dancing, usually consists of a more upbeat and fast tempo movement. The different types of jazz include: classic/stylized, lyrical, and street-funk. The classic/stylized form consists of regular clear lines (definite shapes of the body) and sharp (fast and precise) movements. These movements require quickness but also the ability to make them flow. Jazz works closely with musical theater. This is the kind you would see in a Broadway show like Chicago, a Las Vegas show, or in a TV show like “Fame”. Ballet represents the basis for all great dancers, because of its complex and difficult structure of movement. A recent study by medical researchers, of over sixty different athletic activities, ranked ballet second to only football in terms of physical, mental and environmental demands. This classical dance form demands grace and precision. The movement of ballet originates from turnout from the hip, the five positions of the feet, pointe (dance on top of toes), extensions (lines made by extending legs out), elevation (balance and height of jumps), and beats (fast actions of bringing legs together). Many describe it as elegant and refined.
Hip hop relies completely on a person’s rhythm and musicality. It allows the audience to see the music. Hip-hop includes various moves such as breaking, popping, locking and krumping. In order to be