Dance is a sport
Persuasive Speech Outline
Dance is a Sport!
I. Introduction:
a) Attention Getter: What is the definition of a sport? A game played with a ball? Is it people in tight pants running around? How about “an athletic activity requiring skill or physical prowess and often of a competitive nature”? That sounds more like it. Football, baseball, and track fit those definitions, but so does another recreational activity that is not typically considered a sport: dance.
b) Personal Statement: I myself am a dancer and have been dancing my whole life. Being a dancer, one of the worst things anyone can say is that dance is not a sport and I want to prove them wrong.
Transition: Dance fits all those requirements. An athletic activity? Oh yeah! Requiring skill or physical prowess? Definitely! Often of a competitive nature? You bet! Dance is even recognized as a sport by the International Olympic Committee. Then why is this “fine art” not considered a sport?
II. Dance is an athletic activity.
a) The sport of dance takes years of training and hard work to perfect. Yes, I said sport. Although some believe that dancing is nothing more than tutus and twirling, it is a mentally engaging and physically demanding activity.
b) Dance is actually quite similar to one of the most popular sports in the United States: football. In both activities, athletes are assigned specific jobs, roles, or positions. Each follows choreographed plays. Both types of athletes travel using certain steps or passes. Similar, right?
III. Dance requires skill or physical prowess.
a) One difference between dance and most sports is the way the athletes present themselves. During a tennis match, the players grunt and groan when hitting the ball to show everyone how hard they are working. However, dancers must always look graceful and light as a feather. The best dancers can make the most difficult moves look effortless. It takes lots of practice to perfect those moves and make them look
Dance is a Sport!
I. Introduction:
a) Attention Getter: What is the definition of a sport? A game played with a ball? Is it people in tight pants running around? How about “an athletic activity requiring skill or physical prowess and often of a competitive nature”? That sounds more like it. Football, baseball, and track fit those definitions, but so does another recreational activity that is not typically considered a sport: dance.
b) Personal Statement: I myself am a dancer and have been dancing my whole life. Being a dancer, one of the worst things anyone can say is that dance is not a sport and I want to prove them wrong.
Transition: Dance fits all those requirements. An athletic activity? Oh yeah! Requiring skill or physical prowess? Definitely! Often of a competitive nature? You bet! Dance is even recognized as a sport by the International Olympic Committee. Then why is this “fine art” not considered a sport?
II. Dance is an athletic activity.
a) The sport of dance takes years of training and hard work to perfect. Yes, I said sport. Although some believe that dancing is nothing more than tutus and twirling, it is a mentally engaging and physically demanding activity.
b) Dance is actually quite similar to one of the most popular sports in the United States: football. In both activities, athletes are assigned specific jobs, roles, or positions. Each follows choreographed plays. Both types of athletes travel using certain steps or passes. Similar, right?
III. Dance requires skill or physical prowess.
a) One difference between dance and most sports is the way the athletes present themselves. During a tennis match, the players grunt and groan when hitting the ball to show everyone how hard they are working. However, dancers must always look graceful and light as a feather. The best dancers can make the most difficult moves look effortless. It takes lots of practice to perfect those moves and make them look
References: 1. Professor of Kinesiology, Jill McNitt-Gray. University of South California http://www.worlddancesport.org/About/All/Fit_Through_Dance 2. Pittsburgh Steeler wide receiver Lynn Swann, By Joe Horrigan. Courtesy of the Pro Football Hall of Fame http://www.profootballresearchers.org/Coffin_Corner/23-03-895.pdf 3. The Mayo Clinic, a published medical journal. The Health Benefits of Dancing -- Including Specific Benefits of Different Dances. http://www.sixwise.com/newsletters/05/11/02/the_health_benefits_of_dancing_--_including_specific_benefits_of_different_dances.htm 4. Santa Rosa High, The Press Democrat. The great debate: is dance a sport? http://teenlife.blogs.pressdemocrat.com/11749/the-great-debate-is-dance-a-sport/