The Cambridge Dictionary defines the word “sport” as, “a game, competition, or activity needing physical effort and skill that is played or done according to rules, for enjoyment and/or as a job.” To put it simply, sports are competitive physical activities.

This definition suits competitive dance and cheerleading perfectly, though some people still don’t consider them to be sports. This makes it difficult to find information on cheer and dance teams. Some claim that those activities are forms of art rather than sports, though it’s possible for an activity to be a sport and an art form. Just think of springboard diving, synchronized swimming, figure skating, and gymnastics; if they can be considered both forms of art and sports, why can’t dance and cheerleading?

Competitive cheer and dance are both activities that require lots of physical strength and endurance. They both include complex movements, such as jumps, tumbling, and sometimes even lifting other people. Competitive cheer and dance involve people from teams, gyms, and studios competing against each other, and using physical skills to do so. Teamwork is vital in several sports. Dance teams and cheer teams have to use teamwork in order to properly and safely execute tricks and routines.

Music is used in both sports, while rhythm, tempo, and the interpretation of the music determines what tricks, movements, and formations are included in routines. Cheer and dance express team spirit, energy, and emotion in every trick and move of the routine, whether it is for a recital, halftime/sideline performance, or of course, a competition.

Classifications of activities are not always mutually exclusive. Forms of art such as competitive dance and cheerleading can also be considered sports. They are sports because they require physical strength and endurance in order to compete with others. They are art forms because of the role that music plays in both of the sports.

If we recognize these activities as sports as well as forms of art, maybe the athletes can get the recognition they deserve.