Originally Posted By wonderingalice Just for the heckuvit, I checked out a few routines on YouTube... Can't go back to my years ('73 - '76) for examples - the technology for filming was just that - film. This is from '89 and it is a fairly good example of the energy and style of the team I was on. Our kicks and splits were better, though... and I've never seen band members dance like this. ;-) <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oqOOWKXs6FM" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v...OWKXs6FM</a> Like I said, I'll concede for purposes of this thread that dance/drill team isn't a "sport," but I'll never, ever deny that our athletic letters were as rightfully EARNED as any male or female athlete in school.
Originally Posted By Ursus J Bear Silk ribbon dancing. Olympic event <a href="http://www.endlessyoutube.com/watch?v=c2kU0YRe5OE" target="_blank">http://www.endlessyoutube.com/...U0YRe5OE</a>
Originally Posted By wonderingalice Meant to mention... Our routines were choreographed for and performed by 24 - 28 girls - we were truly a "Large Team." The number of performers fluctuated at times due to injury, etc. Can't do flying splits with a muscle pulled or dance with an ankle sprained during practice.
Originally Posted By davewasbaloo Well, we just came back from vacation in Spain, and having participated in a Salsa class and a Tai Chi class on the beach, I came away feeling like I had participated in sports. lol. The question is, if Dance is not a sport, then why is Formula 1 racing? And by the criteria of sport beig where one person clearly beats another, does that make Poker or Roulette a sport?
Originally Posted By davewasbaloo Also, skiing, sport or leisure pursuit? And what about bobsleigh and luge?
Originally Posted By FerretAfros I haven't read all of the comments here, so this might have been covered already, but where do you guys stand on marching bands? In competative circles, it requires the speed of a sprinter, agility of a gymnast, stamina of a distance runner, lung capacity triple a swimmer, and gracefulness of a dancer, plus all the musical stuff going on at the same time. No, there aren't any direct head-to-head competitions, and it's judged, but the combination of skills and athletic abilities required for it are beyond anything else I can think of. Add in the musical/art components that require multi-tasking like no other, and it's a completely different animal than just about anything else. It also counts on the entire 'team' more than any other sport, since there's literally no way to call a time out and make a substitution. If one person screws up, there's nothing that can be done. Nobody else can help pick up the slack, but everybody is expected to be exactly in sync with everybody else, far more than a basketball or football team would ever do. There's definitely the subjective judging, but for the most part, it's categorized down enough that it can be done fairly consistantly. But the physical requirements of a show are a little beyond rediculous. Yes, it's only 9 minutes long, but it is more physically draining than anything I can think of. For those of you who are still unsure, check out 8:39, 1:50, or 4:57 in this video, and pay attention to the constant starting and stopping that individuals do. Yes, the overall image is impressive, but looking at how much each individual has to do to make that happen. Now, imagine doing that, while continuously exhaling as much as you can for almost 10 minutes without a break. <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9D4t5g2x_jE" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v...t5g2x_jE</a> So is it a sport? : )
