The question is or is not a sport. There has been an ongoing discussion for some time as to whether or not dance is a sport. Although many people say it is not a sport, I believe it is a sport because it is extremely competitive, requires a variety of skills and abilities, and most importantly, it is a form of cardio. Not only is dancing a sport, but it is a very competitive sport. People compete in dance competitions internationally using a variety of different dances. For example, the TV shows “So You Think You Can Dance” or “Dancing with the Stars”. There is one or more judges appointed to determine the winner of said competition. There are also dance battles that take place between two dancers or dance groups to determine who is the better dancer or who has the best team, or in other words the team. It helps them build a reputation just like a football team or any other competitive sports team does. Dancing requires a variety of skills and abilities. You need to have balance and also be agile. Having upper body and leg strength is just as critical an asset in dancing as it is in playing soccer or any other nationally recognized sport. Just as a football player needs a good memory to remember all the different plays and routes needed to run, a dancer needs to remember the different steps and turns in each move. Dancers practice their movements in an effort to hone their skills and abilities to the same extent that other traditional athletes would. Dancing has also been proven to be a form of cardio. Just as running on a track burns fat and calories, so does dancing. Most types of dances use a constant movement in which it accelerates the heart rate thus burning calories. But......middle of paper......is dancing a sport or not? After being presented with this information, do you still feel the same way about the topic? Even though people say dance is not a sport, I believe it is because, like me before, it is extremely competitive, requires a variety of skills and abilities, and most importantly, it is a form of cardio. Dance offers most, if not all, of the benefits of participating in any traditional sport. All that remains to be said to those who still don't think of dance as a sport, is that until they witness firsthand the true athleticism that comes from dance, they will never truly understand the importance of why dance it should be recognized nationally as a competitive sport. Works Cited"Sports". Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, 2013.Web. September 28, 2013."Let's dance for health." AARP. AARP, February 14, 2005. Web. November 17. 2013.