[fullmetal]

so let's look at some past and present Olympic sports and see how they stack up to ballroom dancing (and some others)so let's look at some past and present Olympic sports and see how they stack up to ballroom dancing (and some others)

Current Olympic sports
- Rhythmic gymnastics
- Synchronized swimming
- Ice dancing (or figure skating in general)
- Ski/snowboard aerials

Rhythmic gymnastics is included under the auspices of FIG, which also includes artistic, trampoline, aerobic, and acrobatic disciplines.  I think only artistic, rhythmic, and trampoline made the cut for FIG's Olympic disciplines.  FIG probably has too much sway for the IOC to cut rhythmic.

Similarly, synchronized swimming is governed by FINA, which governs all swimming and diving disciplines.  FINA is pretty big.

Figure skating and ice dancing are overseen by the International Skating Union, which administers all figure skating, ice dancing, and speed skating disciplines (short and long).

All three international federations have existed since before 1900.

As for the ski/snowboard events, that's been a very successful addition to the winter games lineup, and the winter games have been struggling to maintain popularity.

DanceSport is relatively new federation, and it is neither as wildly popular/relevant as ski/snowboard or as tenured as gymnastics/swimming/skating.  It doesn't meet the "smell test" of being an athletic event, and a close reading of the DanceSport Wikipedia page reveals a marginal, at best, case for consideration as a sport.

Some dance is very athletic, but DanceSport's ballroom disciplines are not, imho.

[fullmetal]

so let's look at some past and present Olympic sports and see how they stack up to ballroom dancing (and some others)so let's look at some past and present Olympic sports and see how they stack up to ballroom dancing (and some others)

Current Olympic sports
- Rhythmic gymnastics
- Synchronized swimming
- Ice dancing (or figure skating in general)
- Ski/snowboard aerials

Rhythmic gymnastics is included under the auspices of FIG, which also includes artistic, trampoline, aerobic, and acrobatic disciplines.  I think only artistic, rhythmic, and trampoline made the cut for FIG's Olympic disciplines.  FIG probably has too much sway for the IOC to cut rhythmic.

Similarly, synchronized swimming is governed by FINA, which governs all swimming and diving disciplines.  FINA is pretty big.

Figure skating and ice dancing are overseen by the International Skating Union, which administers all figure skating, ice dancing, and speed skating disciplines (short and long).

All three international federations have existed since before 1900.

As for the ski/snowboard events, that's been a very successful addition to the winter games lineup, and the winter games have been struggling to maintain popularity.

DanceSport is relatively new federation, and it is neither as wildly popular/relevant as ski/snowboard or as tenured as gymnastics/swimming/skating.  It doesn't meet the "smell test" of being an athletic event, and a close reading of the DanceSport Wikipedia page reveals a marginal, at best, case for consideration as a sport.

Some dance is very athletic, but DanceSport's ballroom disciplines are not, imho.