Why is gymnastics an olympic sport and dance is not?

Question

Dance is very physically demanding, and maybe more than gymnastics, plus it is judged almost the same way. Why is gymnastics an olympic sport and dance or ballet is not?

Answer 1

Dance is counted more as an art, and not a sport, therefore will not be in the olympics

Answer 2

Dance isn't a sport.

Answer 3

Dance is very much a sport, and one of the hardest ones out there.

I imagine that all the styles and variations would make it very difficult to judge.

Olympic ballet would not be too much of a strech, but how could a judge compare a jazz dance routine to a waltz or tango?

Pardon me if i seem unfamiliar with dance.

I think that even if they just did ballet, it would be very badly judged.

Look at boxing and gymnasitcs.

Ballet is also an art, making it even harder to judge.

Answer 4

so i guess i play a sport everytime i hear techno music...

Answer 5

I do both gymnastics and dance! I totally know what you're trying to say. After all, why do they have table tennis and water polo in the Olympics, and not dance? That doesn't make much sense to me. However, I like to think of it this way: gymnastics and figure skating both have dance in them, so by including those two sports in the Olympics, it's almost like including dance in the Olympics.

Answer 6

Dance is a sport and should be in the olympics. I compete competitively and want to do it as a proffesion. Dancers are stronger than football players.

Answer 7

Because in gymnastics there are moments where you are flying through the air doing flips while thinking about keeping your legs together and toes pointed. You aren't performing moves on a 4 inch wide 4ft tall beam. Gymnasts do dance elements and tumbling elements on the beam.  There aren't really moments like that in dance, no offense. Dance is an art.  

Answer 8

Gymnastics is more controlled (uneven parallel bars, the rings, the pommel horse) and dance is not.

Many people have a real image of dance and it seems too open to interpretation to rate properly. I mean, the pommel horse is very straightforward. Not much you can do different than anyone else, except in sticking that landing.

I know folks will say that figure skating is like dance, but they still have to do certain requirements.

I think the real problem is that dance is not viewed as a "sport", such as track or swimming, and that may be simple prejudice

Answer 9

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