Question

are girls who do dance in better shape than girls who don't do dance

Answer 1

Short answer: Often — but not always.

Why: Dancing is a form of regular physical activity that combines aerobic work, strength (especially bodyweight control), flexibility, coordination and balance. Compared with inactive peers, people (including girls) who practice dance regularly tend to show:
- better cardiovascular fitness and endurance,
- greater muscular endurance and control,
- improved flexibility and balance,
- leaner body composition in many cases.

Why it’s not automatic:
- “Better shape” depends on what you measure (cardio fitness vs. maximal strength vs. muscle mass vs. body fat).
- Benefits depend on frequency, intensity, duration and type of dance. Recreational dance a few times a month won’t produce the same results as several hours/week of training.
- Genetics, diet, sleep, other physical activities (or lack of them) and age all matter.
- Some dancers (especially in aesthetics-focused genres) may face higher risks of disordered eating, overuse injuries or stress from extreme dieting/overtraining.

Practical points:
- If your goal is general fitness, dance is an excellent and enjoyable option. To cover all fitness components, combine dance with at least some strength training and adequate recovery.
- Public health guidance: aim for 150–300 minutes/week of moderate activity (or 75–150 minutes vigorous) plus muscle-strengthening activities on 2+ days/week. Dance can supply much of this if done regularly.

If you want, tell me the age group and type/frequency of dance you’re thinking about and I can give a more specific comparison or suggest a training plan.