What’s the difference between AcroDance and gymnastics? The similarities are obvious, but there are several key differences between the two.
Dance is considered a performing art, while gymnastics is considered a sport. This is an important factor in understanding the key differences between AcroDance and gymnastics, because it shapes the technical foundation for how skills are executed.
Dancers perform on stage and must consider their engagement with the audience, and the transitional movements between skills so that choreography flows, while gymnasts are usually observed from stadium seating and need to project 360 degrees around them.
Dancers typically don’t perform with equipment like mats, bars, vaults and beams, although they may use props. While choreography and music may have similarities for AcroDance and gymnastics, dance is performed on a ‘floating floor’ and gymnasts execute skills on a strung floor.
A floating floor, as seen in our Collingwood dance studios, absorbs the shock of landing to protect our students from injuries that can result from the rebound action of a sprung floor (ankle sprains for example). Therefore dancers adapt their tumbling skills to protect their joints and absorb the impact of landing on a floating floor.
Ultimately the greatest difference in comparing AcroDance and gymnastics is the artistic process and room for dance technique to fuse with acrobatic skills creating a piece of art (choreography).
For more information on our AcroDance classes click here.
