There is a constant debate within the International Latin scene on whether we define ourselves as a Sport or Art. A debate which has been amplified with the World Dance Sport Federation’s (WDSF) constant fails to have us registered as an Olympic sport. My personal view is that nothing, not even the Olympics will ever remove the prestige of being a British Open Championship at Blackpool. I also believe their attempts (Including banning couples who reject their ideas) looks more like the greed or a federation in search of corporate sponsors, rather than the idea that a dancer could one day win a gold medal. However this question of sport and art got me thinking.
In my last article I began to explain from a scientific point of view where and how to create power. I also touched on mathematically how that power is transferred. Now dancing by definition is to “move rhythmically in a pattern of steps, especially to the accompaniment of music.” Once we recognise that dancing is primarily about ‘moving’ then at a competitive level I’m shocked to see the lack of research performed in the area of Bio Mechanics. Secondly if we are talking about a competitive dancer then we are talking about high levels of stamina. I believe dancers should be regulars at the institute of sports. Monitoring their body fat in hydro static tanks, measuring how much oxygen they are able to carry through their blood stream, nutritionist dissecting their diets, discovering which muscles to use for minimum energy to create maximum results.
Now by this stage you’ve probably assumed my stance on this is leading to a sporting conclusion. I’m afraid you’d be wrong. This biggest difference between the traditional sports found in the Olympics to the Art of dancing is beauty. Many of the reasons why we strive to create the shapes and the lines that we do is all in the name of beauty. The reason we enhance our stamina is so we can be more beautiful for longer. Even if you break down your steps in a sports science manner, you do so with the main goal to be a more beautiful in your movement. Which leads us to an even bigger question. What is beautiful?
I was watching a talk by designer Richard Seymour who is partners in one of the world’s leading product and innovation design consultancies. Richard’s opening statement was that the individual does not think beauty but feels it. It’s that cognitive emotional response that touches the individual in a way that can seldom be explained in words. When creating a product they try to tap into part of the human emotion. This reminded me of a lesson I had with Latin Coach Peter Townsend who said to us (After my partner and I had explained to him what we were working on) “How does it make you feel when you dance that step?” He went on to explain if I cannot associate a feeling with that step (Still understanding the science behinds it.) For as good as that step my look it will never be beautiful. It will never inspire the audience. It will be the difference from a good technical dancer to an internationally celebrated icon. Which leads me another discovery.
Every sports person that became famous in all areas of sport had something in common. They all were so passionate about what they did, it was so obvious they felt something beautiful whilst doing it. Which intern inspired an audience that loved them for it. So maybe we should stop asking is dancing a sport? And start recognising true athletes who make an audience feel something as true artist?
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