Did you know that a professional ballet dancer is in better physical shape than an Olympic athlete? (Scienedaily) If Albert Einstein called dancers "God's athletes," then why doesn't our society respect dance as a sport? Dance as a career requires an incredible amount of dedication and mental determination, just like Olympic sports. Before even reaching professionalism, a ballet student will train up to eight hours a day! (Womack) Because there are very few jobs available in the field, pre-professional dancers must also be very competitive to succeed. Ballet should be recognized as a sport because of the physical fitness, dedication and competition it involves. An important part of every sport is the physical impact it places on its participants and the incredible fitness they demand. Without a doubt, Olympic sports demand top-notch physical fitness from their participants. Likewise, the physical demands of ballet require top-notch fitness. Evidence of this physical prowess can be found in a study conducted by the University of Hertfordshire. This study confirmed that professional ballet dancers are in better physical shape than Olympic athletes! If the world had any doubts about the physical difficulties of ballet, they were put to rest by the results of this study. (Sciencedaily) Another testament to the difficulties of ballet is given by Steve McClendon, an NFL player who takes ballet for cross-training, and admitted that "Ballet was the hardest thing he's ever done." (Katzowitz 1) Certainly, if a professional football player respects ballet in this way, football fans should too! It is clear that the physical demands of ballet should qualify it as a sport. Another...... middle of paper ... would be enough to gain the public's respect. Another justification is the dedication required for ballet. It is an undeniable fact that all sports require dedication. The many sacrifices made by ballet dancers and the dedication of an immense amount of their time are things they all have in common. This dedication must be recognized when considering whether or not ballet is a sport. Competitiveness is another characteristic of ballet. The competition seen in other sports is also evident in ballet. Since competition is a very important factor in sport, its presence in ballet should not be ignored. These reasons all lead us to one conclusion: ballet is a sport. The fact that ballet is also an art in no way compromises this conclusion. Therefore, I implore you to give ballet your full respect as the sport that it is..