IT'S A REAL SPORT FOR MEMBERS OF THE DANCE TEAM\Athletic ability, lots of practice needed to succeed, hoofers\say.

Byline: Lee Barnathan Special to the Daily News

Members of the Valencia High School dance team say they used to hear it all the time: Dancing is not a real sport.

Not true, say Tracy Kim and Jenny Mastro. They do the same things as sports with the word "ball" in them.

Members say they practice just as hard and maybe even as long. They're on the squad for the camaraderie as well as the thrill of competition and representing the school. Performing in front of crowds at football and basketball games is nice, too, they say.

And they've won awards, too, taking five first-place team honors in competitions. One member, Jennifer Spriggs, took an individual championship at the Gahr High School Master of Champions. This year, the team will go to four competitions starting in February with a meet in Burbank. To the dance team, these contests are much the same as a swim meet, track meet or basketball tournament.

Members spent several hours Saturday giving a dance clinic to a group of about 90 children from ages 5 to 14 at the high school.

In the clinic, members clad in their black Valencia leotards and black or gray shorts taught various jazz and hip-hop dance steps, adjusting the degree of difficulty to fit the needs of the different age groups. The clinic, which netted nearly $900 for the program, ended with the participants giving a show for the parents.

"A lot of students came to our competitions last year and said, 'Wow, I didn't know you guys work that hard,' " Mastro said. "We maybe even work twice as hard because we have to be perfectionists" and are judged similarly to figure skaters.

"They compete, so they have to practice to perfect things, just like in other sports," adviser Annie Kellogg said. "And there's the strategy of moves, the difficulty of technique, appearance and showmanship."

Locally, Saugus and Canyon also have dance teams. Kellogg said the administration fully supports the girls. School registrar Becky Hurd said the girls receive physical education credit, just like any other sport.

But Gary Wexler, director of curriculum for the William S. Hart Union High School District, said the dance team is not considered a sport because it's not in a league and doesn't have a coach. Wexler said the team is listed as performance, and Kellogg is an adviser.

"Dance isn't my area, but after watching them, I see this is a sport," said Kellogg, a tennis coach. "The school day starts at 7:30. They're here at 6:45. They have a lot of dedication. In that way, they see it as a team."

According to co-captain Tracy Kim, players typically arrive at 6:45 for a 7 a.m. start. They stretch, work on technique and practice routines for upcoming rallies or competitions. Then they do it again three days a week after school from 3 to 4:30 p.m.

"You need flexibility, dedication and commitment, and you've got to work with a group," Kim said. "At this school, we have a pretty good reputation."

So much so that during the team's recent tryouts, 50 girls applied for 16 spots.

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Photo (1) Members of the Valencia High School dance team taught jazz and hip-hop at Saturday's clinic for youngsters 5 to 14. About 90 attended. (2) Dancers perform at Saturday's clinic, which raised $900 for the team. John Lazar/Special to the Daily News