"There are some benifits to be had now dancing is offically a sport. It puts them on a par with other sports that receive government funding."
On the other hand, the organized, government-backed intensive training of young children into future champions has pretty much signed the death warrant of serious amateur competition.
With no legitimate, actualy non-professional amateur divisions remaining on the world stage, an honorable tradition of amateur achivement has been pretty much reduced to the sunday circuit... and the audience.