Ballet vs Football
If you google this question, you’ll find quite a few articles claiming that ballet is harder than football. But in reality, comparing ballet to football is like comparing a poet to a mathematician. To excel in either requires a great deal of skill and training. Both ballet and football require stamina and strength. But, for the sake of argument, let’s explore different aspects of each and see how they compare.
Are Ballerinas Stronger than Football Players?
On the surface, you may think football requires more strength, based solely on the amount of tackling and impact it involves. But when you look at it from the perspective of endurance and the biometrics involved in jumping and landing, ballet actually requires more physical strength to perform at an elite level. One study conducted by the New York University Langone Medical Center Hospital for Joint Diseases found that ballerinas are actually much more resistant to leg fatigue than athletes in general. They credit their endurance to extensive technique training and the fact that from a very young age ballerinas spend hours daily perfecting their landings.
While this study certainly provides some proof that elite level dancers are incredibly strong, it doesn’t necessarily prove that ballet is harder than football, or any other sport. A better conclusion might be that football players and other athletes should learn from ballerinas that an emphasis on technique can increase your endurance and protect you from injuries!
Do Professional Footballers do Ballet?
Yes! The smart ones do!
Perhaps the first pro football player to shine the light on the benefits of ballet for football players was Herschel Walker. All the way back in 1988, the Dallas Cowboys running back actually performed with the Fort Worth Ballet to demonstrate his dedication to the art.
Herschel and other famous football players, including Pittsburgh Steelers’ Steve McLendon, utilize ballet training to help with their coordination and strengthen their knees, ankles and feet. They have publicly stated that they find ballet to be much more difficult than football. Ballet should be difficult for anyone who’s not only never tried it, but moreover has spent the majority of their time developing a very different set of skills.
Why is Ballet Difficult?
- Ballet is all about precision. Dancers learn at a very young age to focus on the smallest of details, as even a minute change in body alignment can ruin a turn or leap.
- Ballet requires a high level of endurance. To execute a dance flawlessly, you must rehearse the dance over and over and over again. Dancers train for hours each day to perfect their technique before they even begin to learn choreography. After at least one to two hours of “warm-up” and technique, dancers will then learn the dance that they are going to perform. Learning a piece of choreography can take weeks, and one piece of choreography can range from a high intensity 3-5 minute song, all the way to a 20-30 minute piece. Dancers must rehearse the same piece for hours on end to perfect each movement and to synchronize their movements with other dancers. You might execute the dance perfectly, but if the dancer next to you is off, you’ll have to repeat the choreography again and again until everyone meets the standard. You will often hear a choreographer shouting “FULL OUT!” This means you must practice the dance as if you are performing it in front of a theatre full of people. If you “mark” the moves, robotically go through the motions of the dance, or simply dance it with less passion than the choreographer believes it warrants, you’ll have to start the dance all over again. To rehearse a dance with your full amount of energy over and over again requires a great deal of stamina and endurance.
- Ballet requires a high pain threshold. Ballerinas train for years to build the level of foot strength required to dance on pointe. Once they begin dancing in pointe shoes, they must endure a great deal of pain in their toes, feet and ankles. They are not only balancing their body weight on the tips of their toes, but they are executing precise movements, performing multiple turns and leaps, shifting their body weight over and over again–all of which causes serious friction to the toes. If you’ve ever been amazed at how difficult it can be to walk when you’ve injured your baby toe or rubbed a piece of skin raw on your foot, imagine having to dance on that injury over and over again. Callused feet are a requirement; so you don’t get to sit out a dance just because your feet hurt. Just as football players are required to get back out on the field after being tackled by a 300-lb line man, the show must go on for ballerinas who are dancing on blistered and bruised feet.
- Ballet requires mental toughness. Ballerinas must not only endure physical pain to survive the rigors of daily training and frequent performances, but they must also be mentally tough enough to survive daily critique, illogical beauty standards and harsh criticisms doled out by teachers and other dancers. Ballet companies conduct weigh-ins, requiring ballerinas to maintain ultra-lean physiques. Auditions for ballet companies consider not only a ballerina’s form and technique, but also her height and body composition. Complexion and hair texture have also traditionally kept many gifted dancers from earning positions with mainstream ballet companies. A talented dancer will receive rejection more often than promotion, so most of the ballerinas who have managed to carve out successful careers have done so by developing an incredibly strong mindset.
Why do Dancers Need Calluses?
Dancers–especially ballerinas–must have callused feet to survive the rigors of dance. Modern dancers often dance barefoot, so they are spinning, leaping and dancing around with their skin exposed to the floor. Try this for just a few hours and you’ll discover how painful it can be to dance with just one blister on your foot. Once you develop calluses, you can dance barefoot with ease.
Years ago, I performed with a modern dance troupe. We would rehearse daily for hours on end, always barefoot, and it never bothered me. But after a long hiatus away from dance, and we’re talking years, I decided to return for a farewell show. After just one week of practice, my feet were killing me. Oh how I missed my callused feet! It took at least two weeks to rebuild enough calluses to dance without pain.
Same goes for ballerinas who are executing high impact movements on the very tips of their toes. The shoes are constantly rubbing against their feet, requiring a buildup of protective skin to ease the pain.
Dancers not only commonly endure blisters and calluses, but they can also suffer from ingrown toenails, black or broken nails, sprained ankles, bunions, stress fractures, “dancer’s heel” or “dancer’s ankle” (also known as posterior impingement syndrome), pinched nerves between the toes and the ball of the foot, plantar fasciitis, metatarsalgia, hallux rigidus, and achilles tendonitis.
While they may not look or feel pretty, calluses are the least of a ballerina’s worries, as they provide protection to the dancer’s feet.
How Late is Too Late for Ballet?
The answer to this question varies greatly and depends on your goals. Most ballerinas who become professional dancers start at a very young age–most often between the ages of 4-7 years old. But there are exceptions to every rule. Misty Copeland, who was the first black woman to become the principal dancer for the American Ballet Theatre (ABT), didn’t start taking ballet classes until she was 13 years old.
Young dancers aren’t able to start dancing in pointe shoes until they are 13-14 years old, after the bones in their feet and ankles have hardened, which typically occurs between the ages of 8-14. So a “late” start such as Misty Copeland’s introduction to ballet at age 13 wasn’t all that late in terms of her physical development. She started at just the right time to move quickly into pointe technique. Ms. Copeland was a rarity, however, in that she possessed both natural dance ability and an extreme work ethic. She was passionate about learning, so she was able to make phenomenal strides in her dance development, earning a spot in American Dance Theatre’s Studio Company after only 4 years of training.
In truth, it is never too late for ballet, or for any other dance form. You can always train your body to enjoy the art of dance. But if you desire to dance professionally, no matter your age, you will need to dedicate much of your life to training and development. Even if you never perform in a major theatre or in front of a large audience, it is still possible to make a career in dance as a teacher, or become involved in your local dance theatre.
Which is the Most Difficult Dance?
Most agree that ballet is the most difficult form of dance to master at an elite level. It requires years of training and puts intense physical demands on the body. But there are other forms of dance that also require grace, precision, and elite level athleticism.
- Aerial dance has become increasingly popular in recent years as the demand for more awe inspiring performances has increased. No longer confined to circus acts or the Las Vegas strip, you can find trapeze artists and dancers gracing the air via silk hammocks at a local night club or as entertainment for a large holiday party. This form of dance requires serious training, and there is little room for error.
- Break dancing is another form of dance that requires a great deal of athleticism and finesse. This form of dance often gets dismissed due to there being fewer facilities that offer “formal” training and established technique, but it requires extensive training, as well as technique. At the elite level, where international competitions offer grand prizes, B-Boys and B-Girls perform acrobatic moves that take years to perfect. They rival gymnasts in their strength and execution, yet combine those skills with rhythm and creativity not found in any gymnastic tournament.
- Lindy Hopping and tap dancing should also not be left off of this list. Although these dance forms are largely left to the annals of history, they require energy, athleticism and precision, not to mention that with Lindy Hopping you must execute acrobatic dance moves in tune with a partner, so there’s an added layer of synchronicity that rivals any elite team sport.
Who is the King of Dance?
If you do a google search with this question, you’ll be led to believe that Michael Jackson is the “King of Dance,” just as he has been labeled the “King of Pop” by various media outlets. While Michael was an amazing dancer and performer who brought B-Boy dancing to the mainstream, he stands on the shoulders of countless other talented dancers.
Gregory Hines, The Nicholas Brothers and Savion Glover performed some of the most show stopping dances of their time. Mikhail Baryshnikov is often hailed as one of the greatest ballet dancers of the 20th century. Alvin Ailey was an iconic dancer who rose from extreme poverty in the segregated U.S. South to create one of the most successful dance companies in the world. Bob Fosse revolutionized dance for Broadway and the Hollywood film industry in the 1970’s and 1980’s, and his influence can be seen in popular culture even today. Any one of these dancers might be considered a “King of Dance,” but the credit is often given to Michael Jackson because of his global impact in bringing American culture–specifically dances born out of African-American culture–to the world.
Benefits of Dance for Athletes
Learn more about how to be an athlete.
Dance offers so many benefits for anyone who loves music and wants to learn to express their creativity in a physical way. But athletes, in particular, have a lot to gain from dance training. Some of those benefits include:
- Increase coordination
- Build strength
- Increase flexibility
- Gain finesse
- Increase muscle memory
- Exercise cerebral and cognitive thought processes
- Improve spatial awareness
- Reduce cortisol and increase the release of the “feel good” brain chemicals: dopamine, oxytocin, serotonin, and endorphins
Are Ballerinas Stronger than Football Players?
Yes and no. Researchers have found that ballerinas are more resistant to leg fatigue and endurance than athletes. But ballet is not a contact sport and does not require constant impact or consisten exposure to concussion inducing activities.
Do Professional Footballers do Ballet?
Yes! The smart ones do! Herschel Walker and Steve McClendon are two famous football players who credit ballet training to their on the field preparation.
Why is Ballet Difficult?
Ballet requires strength, precision, endurance, a high pain threshold, and extreme mental toughness to carve out an elite level career.
Why do Dancers Need Calluses?
Dancers must build up calluses to protect their feet from daily abuse.
How Late is Too Late for Ballet?
It's never too late to learn to dance ballet. But if your goal is to become a professional ballerina, the earlier you start and the harder you're willing to work, the better your chances.
Which Is the Most Difficult Dance?
Ballet is probably the most difficult dance form to master at an elite level. But there are other equally demanding forms of dance that rival elite athletics, including aerial dance, break dancing, and Lindy Hopping/tap dancing.
Who is the King of Dance?
Most people credit Michael Jackson as the King of Dance. But other less famous, yet equally (or more) talented male dancers include Gregory Hines, the Nicholas Brothers, Savion Glover, Mikhail Berishnikov, Alvin Ailey and Bob Fosse.
What are the Benefits of Dance for Athletes?
Increase coordination, build strength, increase flexibility, gain finesse, increase muscle memory, and exercise cerebral and cognitive thought processes, improve spatial awareness, reduce cortisol and increase the release of the 'feel good' brain chemicals dopamine, oxytocin, serotonin, and endorphins