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Sport has been a part of human existence from ancient times. The proof we have of sport being present in years even before 4000 B.C. comes in the form of monuments and ancient objects in China. They seemed to be especially fond of gymnastics. There is proof of early sporting activities in Egypt in the form of illustrations in pyramids and other structures built for the Pharaohs. In Greece, of course, sport played a very important part of human lives and this is proven by the fact that the Greeks started the Olympics.
There are various types of sports in the world today. Most sports are played on a competitive level rather than just for personal enrichment and enjoyment. Sports like football, hockey and basketball are popular because of their fast and competitive nature. There are other sporting activities which are viewed more for their aesthetic value. Ice skating, gymnastics and synchronized swimming are examples of such sports which people enjoy more for their visual appeal. These sporting activities are considered a physical art by some. In fact, in Spain, the Bull Fights are reported in the art section of their newspapers and not the sports page. This is a good example of how certain sports are considered more of an art than merely a sport.
If you see performances of figure skating or rhythmic gymnastics, you value it more for the grace, flexibility and skill of the performer rather than only the physical activity. This way certain sports can be termed as artistic as they appeal to our aesthetic tastes.
Dance has been a part of a number of ancient rituals and celebrations, as it still is. Dance has also been dated back to ancient times through drawings and sculptures found in places like Egypt and India. There are many forms of dance in the different cultures like ballet and folk dances.
Just like sport, dance can also be termed a physical art form. Dancers move their bodies to the rhythm of the music which is a physical activity but appeals to our aesthetic senses. Of course, you cannot say all sports are similar to dance. I mean, can you imagine anything graceful and artistic in a rough game of football or ice hockey?
Dance has become a sport as well. There are competitions held for many dance forms, such as ballroom dancing and salsa. From merely being an art form, dance has evolved to become competitive in nature, drawing many more spectators to it. The form of dance as a sporting activity is called DanceSport and has two governing bodies. The International DanceSport Federation is for amateurs and the World Dance and DanceSport Council is for professional dancers.
Dance and sport seem to be mingled in certain activities. Take karate for instance. The movements or katas of karate have sometimes been compared to dance moves. Gymnasts use a lot of dance moves when they are performing rhythmic or aerobic gymnastics. It adds more style to their performance. Sport and dance both have a mix of physical exercise as well as entertainment value.
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