When many think of sports and the struggles involved, they think of concussions from football, grueling soccer practices, or a black eye from hockey. Dancers aren’t usually thought of as hardcore athletes, but there are some beat-up ballerinas out there who work just as hard as any other athletes.

Sophomore twins Marcella and Celeste Schumacher take five to seven different forms of dance each, including tap, ballet, hip-hop, and jazz. The more forms, the longer the practices are. The Schumachers’ week consists of seven to fifteen hours of dance, and even more before a show or competition.

Besides actual dance class, dancers practice at home in a variety of ways to stay loose and in-shape. “I work out between classes at home. This includes stretching, yoga/pilates exercises, some light weights, and practicing dances for class. I also drink a lot of water,” Celeste Schumacher said. Sophomore dancer Sophie Sissi’s routine to prepare her for her long dance weeks is similar. “I have a Lifetime membership, which really helps. So usually I bike, run, [and] then stretch and do some abs,” Sissi said.

Just like other sports, dance can be very physically demanding, and can result in some serious injuries. Sophomore Lisa Sherman has had her fair share of dance-related injuries including sprained ankles, bilateral stress fractures in her hips, and hamstring issues, just to name a few.

“[I have]… a lot of hip problems. And then there’s the usual foot damage from pointe work, but everyone gets that to some extent,” Sherman said, referring to the type of ballet where one dances on the tips of one’s toes.

Junior Rachel Winton has also had her fair share of dance-related injuries. “Over the summer, I got tendonitis in my left ankle and could not dance. My sophomore year, I got tendonitis in my right hip. And in eighth grade, I fell directly on my knee while on pointe,” Winton said.

According to the dancers, it was unanimous that dance is a hard-core sport like all the rest. “Yes! It’s just as demanding on the body as other sports, but I think it’s also a challenge mentally, and it’s an art form,” said Celeste Schumacher.

Though time-consuming and physically and mentally draining, dancers seemed to agree that it all pays off.  Speaking about her goals as a dancer, Mara Schumacher said, “To dance with good technique and be the best that I can be is my goal.”

“I want to be a performer in the future in musical theatre especially, so dance will definitely play a key role in performing,” said Winton.

Advice from the dancers? “Girls like guys who can dance,” said Mara Schumacher. Her sister elaborated: “More guys need to dance at the dances. #actuallythough.”