Are ballet dancers athletes?

What is an athlete? With a quick look at the internet, I find that an athlete is a person who competes in one or more sports that involves endurance, physical strength and speed. Steph Curry, Tom Brady and Buster Posey come to mind. Each of these athletes excels in their sport because they combine their unbelievable talent with endurance, strength and speed.

Is a ballet dancer an athlete? To many people, even asking the question is laughable. Of course, not many would bluster. A ballerina is a girl who floats around a stage wearing a white tutu looking pretty. How can that effort possibly be compared to an athlete?

Well, I beg to differ. Let’s see if I can break this down.

A ballerina must have endurance.

A ballerina must have strength.

A ballerina must have speed.

Ballet isn’t a sport — it’s an art form. It’s obvious that the physical attributes of a dancer are similar to those of an athlete, but there is much more to the art than physical virtuosity and skill. Musicality, creativity and expression are also included in the criteria of what makes a good dancer.