Quote Originally Posted by wallylutz View Post
I hate to break you but but this has nothing to do with IJS. A judged sport has conventions and they can't possibly be eliminated so long as human inputs are required in order to get to the results. Ice Dance is quite different from the other 3 disciplines in that being well matched is particularly critical since Singles has no matching issue and Pairs focus mostly on unison first and foremost. You don't need to be handsome couple in order to win Pairs events - but you need a really big man and a small woman. Pairs and Ice Dance have very different expectations of what each partner should do and need. But by & large, Ice Dance couples are far more physically attractive than Pairs teams for obvious reasons, even though I am sure some obstinate posters will try to argue otherwise and claim it's still all subjective. :sheesh:

Your reply does not "break me" as I think Ice Dancing can be entertaining and even beautiful to watch but I hardly consider it sport.
It is different from the other disciplines and for me harder to judge.

The use of the word "sport" seems to be getting too much play. Ice Dancers are very good athletes and very good skaters.

We typically hear of "dance competitions" more than "the sport of dance."

With that in mind I think of Ice Dancing as a competition that depends on more than just athletic aspects to produce a winner or a podium.