Here's a thought, but not as silly as it sounds, Ballroom and Latin worldwide have a bigger following than in the UK, Ballroom dancers are treated like gods. So how about a trail event in 2012 if it is not to late.

I agree. And oddly enough I was saying the same sort of thing on another thread at exactly the same time as you. I'll add my post to this one...

You know I wish that there was more dancing on TV. Wouldn't it be great if they showed some of the professional competitions. I know a lot of people say that it's a minority sport but have you seen some of the bizarre stuff some of the satelitte and cable channels show. Surely there must be room for a little bit of Ballroom and Latin dancing.

Great idea. If Ice Dancing can be a sport, why not ballroom?

For at least the last 30 years people (mainly dancers) have been lobbying to make dancing an Olympic event.
I used to think' Aw come on... how can a bunch of men dancing as if they've got bean poles shoved up their bums, and a load of daft woman in sequins and tulle possibly call themselves athletes?'
Now I see how wrong I was. I reckon a pro dancer is as fit if not fitter than any athlete. They certainly train hard and have more disciplines to master. So I reckon dancing should be up there with any sport.

it was an exhibition event at Sydney but not adopted as an olympic event yet and no sign of it either

wrong post

I think thats a great idea especially as they are campaigning for darts and snooker to get in there. I love both sports BUT you hardly have to have an olympians physique, dancers are amongst the fittest athletes out there

the only slight problem would be how would the nationalites work? most couples don't come from the same country, in the olympics you have to represent your country that's why we aren't allowed a GB football team

It certainly would be great if it finally got included - brilliant - as long as they didn't clash the timetables with Gymnastics!!

Good idea for thread stinkies Dad - back at work now?

in dancing that is already sorted out when the partnership is formed they declare what country they are dancing for whilst that partnership lasts they cannot swap to the others partners country. Also they can take the nationality of parents or grandparents if they appy. The world competitive format is well founded and has been in operation over 80 years obviously their rules would be followed. It is only saddening that if it was adopted by olympics UK would probably not even get a couple in final let alone win it in Latin

Yes unfortunatley I have missed chatting in the daytime though.

we arent allowed a GB football team because the scottish and english FA's did not want to give Fifa the amunition to make us have one association

Oh diddums! we'll keep it going during the day in your absence! On strictly dancing topics - not Cricket (although do like one day internationals!)

DanceSport is recognised as a sport by the IOC - together with all sorts of activities including ballooning, bridge, chess, life-saving, mountaineering, orienteering, roller skating, snooker etc - but it has not achieved Olympic sport status yet. Bowling, golf, netball, rugby and squash (amongst others) are in the same position.

I think the IOC are quite adamant that if a sport is in the Olympics then winning to Olympic gold should be the pinnacle of that sport. That's the problem they currently have with tennis - most top tennis players don't even bother competing!

If dancing was to become an Olympic 'sport' (to me, it's more an art form than a sport, but that's a different discussion) do people think this would be the case? Would winning the Olympic gold be the most important thing a dancer could do or would other competitions take precedence?

It depends on the money, tennis is awash with money that makes it a farce.

I think there is a prestige in winning a title that has been won by many other people before... particularly if it is something you have grown up hearing about.. I know I used to feel that way... the competitions that meant the most to me were not necessarily the biggest but the fondest to my heart.

If we're using the tennis comparison.. it's like Tim Henman wanting to win Wimbledon and many other of the champions saying how much Wimbledon means because of the history... for an event with no history.. no names on the trophy.. no-one to follow... would it be popular?

I'm all for Ballroom to make it into the olympics (even though I probably fall more on the artistic side) but am wary about how it could work alongside sprinting.

Hi you are correct. The International DanceSport Federation www.idsf.net has been trying for years to get Dancesport recognised as a summer olympic sport. There is lots and lots of technical info on the wheres and whyfores of this on their web site which explains how close it is and why it will continue to be blocked for a few more years.

Also there is a World Games every 4 years organised in association with the IOC for sports still outside. These were held recently in Duisberg Germany - I thnik the opening ceremony attracted about 40,000 people. The dancesport events had sevarl thousand spectators.

There is a lot of coverage (or rather a lot more than we get)of dancing on continental stations - mainly German and Italian. I can find out more if you're interested.

I know this'll sound wierd coming from a fella, but I'd prefer to watch it over such things as beach volleyball & some of the other events that have been added in recent years, just to keep the American viewers happy (honestly, would prefer it to watching scantily clad women bouncing up & down in sand).

When you see the amount of training & the levels of fitness the dancers have to attain, you do see that it is very much akin to some of the more well known spectator sports.

Who is 'they' .... these sports have even less chance than dancesport of getting within a sniff of the Olympics. Big problem dancesport has is the judging element. The IOC really don't want any more events that involve subjective judging rather than slightly more objective measures like stopwatches and tape measures. Much more difficult to appeal against a stopwatch than against a judge!

Dancing would certainly work as part of the 'cultural' Olympiad though.

Emmmm, NO! Scantily clad women on a beach will always win - and watching that requires a huge amount of training and level of fitness - on the part of the AUDIENCE!!

If they were both on together you could watch the dancing and tape the beach volleyball and watch it again and again and again.

Maybe the perfect solution would be to invent "Beach Dancing" the you could watch Lilia and Erin and Karen do the rumba in a sequined bikini. Oh dear, medication required!!

What a brilliant idea! That way we get the best of both worlds - LOL (sorry getting a script error on the smileys tonight).

Obviously that's one bikini each, although come to think of it one between three would swell the ratings - in a good way Claud!