Sport Dancing and Dance-Related Sports
Sport dancing, also known as competitive dancing, merges the artistry of dance with the discipline of athletic competition. It includes styles like ballroom dancing, Latin dance, and even modern forms such as breakdancing, which has gained international recognition as a sport.
Beyond traditional sport dancing, there are other sports that incorporate dance-like movements, such as figure skating, rhythmic gymnastics, and synchronized swimming. These disciplines require exceptional skill, coordination, stamina, and creativity, combining physical exertion with the grace and rhythm typically associated with performance art.
dance sportIs it Sport?
The debate over whether these sports match the definition of a sport often centers on its dual nature—blending artistic expression with intense physical demands.
By definition, a sport involves physical skill and exertion, has a set of rules or customs, and is undertaken competitively and capable of achieving a result. All of these are inherent in dance.
Competitive dancers train rigorously, following strict regimens to master their technique and build endurance, often competing in structured events judged by precise criteria.
Like athletes, dancers face injuries, require immense dedication, and work tirelessly to achieve peak performance. While the artistic elements of dance sports may set it apart, its athletic rigor and competitive aspects undeniably align it with traditional sports.
Below is a comprehensive listing of dance sports, sports performed to music, and sports with some dance like qualities.
Some Dance Sports
- Dancesport — Dancesport is the competitive form of Ballroom and Latin Dancing, in which contestants perform dances before judges.
- Pole Dancing — participants perform various types of acrobatic moves like spins, climbs, twists and body inversions around a pole.
- Breakdancing — an athletic style of street dance.
- Wheelchair Dancing — all of the participants of a team perform dance routines while riding in a wheelchair.
- Latin Dance: In this dance sport, couples compete in five dance types - Samba, Rumba, Paso Doble, Jive, and Cha Cha Cha. There are three rounds in this competition - First Round, Semi-Final, and Final. 14 couples get into the Semi-finals, while 6 couples get to the final.
- Standard Dance: In this type of dance, the couple dances are Quickstep, Slow Foxtrot, Tango, Viennese Waltz, and Waltz. Also, this competition format is the same as Latin Dance.
Dance Sport at the World Games
Dance sport was first featured in the 1997 Lahti World Games, with just two disciplines - Latin Dance and Standard Dance. Rock "n" Roll was added to the list of dance sport disciplines in the 2005 Dulsburg World Games.
Apart from Rock "n" Roll, Latin Dance, and Standard Dance, Salsa was another dance sport discipline that was added to the 2017 Wroclaw World Games. But, Salsa was removed at the 2025 Chengdu World Games. Here are the medalists who won gold at this event:
| Event | Medal | Name | Country |
|---|---|---|---|
| Latin Dance | Gold | BALAN Marius MOSHENSKA Khrystyna |
Germany |
| Standard Dance | Gold | GLUKHOV Alexey GLAZUNOVA Anastasia |
Moldova |
Gymnastics to Music
- Acrobatic Gymnastics — team of gymnasts work together to perform acrobatic moves in combination with dance moves.
- Rhythmic Gymnastics — uses the elements of ballet, gymnastics, dance, and apparatus manipulation.
- Equestrian Vaulting — a gymnastics and dance discipline completed on horseback.
- Floor (Gymnastics) — gymnasts perform a tumbling and dance routine on a floor space.
- Calisthenics — a competitive team sport in which athletes perform elements of rhythmic gymnastics and ballet.
- Sport Aerobics — the objective is to perform high-intensity gymnastic moves in sync with background music. Also called Aerobic Gymnastics.
- Aesthetic Group Gymnastics — a team sport where a large group of gymnasts perform coordinated continuous movements.
- Cheerleading — a dubious sport in which groups of cheerleaders do routines that are subjectively assessed.
Dance-Like Martial Arts
- Tricking — performers combine martial arts movements with flips, kicks, twists and various dance moves to show off their tricks.
- Capoeira — a form of martial art from Brazil which has a combination of aspects of dance moves, acrobatics, movements and music.
- Chinlone — the traditional sport of Burma or Myanmar, a team sport combined with dance (also known as Caneball).
Other Sports to Music
- Artistic Roller Skating — is a sport that consists of a number of events (Figures, Dance, Freestyle and Precision Teams) usually accomplished on quad skates, though sometimes inline skates are used.
- Synchronized Skating — a sport of the figure skating discipline in which 8 to 20 skaters perform routines as a team on an ice rink.
- Figure Skating — an artistic ice skating sport where athletes perform routines on an ice rink. Includes the disciplines of Ice Dancing and Synchronized Skating.
- Synchronized Swimming — athletes perform synchronized dance routines to music while floating in the water.
- Sport Kite — using a stunt kite to fly the kite in several patterns in time to background music.
While Playing Music
- Marching Band — a large team of participants play musical instruments as they perform various routines while moving around on a huge outdoor field.
- Drum Corps — a competitive, performance-based activity featuring precision marching, brass, percussion, and color guard ensemble.
- Color Guard — teams perform routines to music, combining dance, flag spinning, rifle and saber handling.
- Winter Guard — an indoor sport of the color guard discipline in which teams perform several routines using supporting equipment to recorded background music.
- Baton Twirling — a metal rod called a baton, is manipulated, while simultaneously making coordinated dance moves.
Unusual Sports
- Canine Freestyle Dancing — dancing with your dog.
- Broom Dancing — you dance with a broom
- Just Dance — an e-sport event
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