Copy linkFacebookXPinterestEmailShare this article 0Join the conversationFollow usAdd us as a preferred source on GoogleNewsletterSubscribe to our newsletterBecoming a professional footballer requires you to take full advantage of any point of difference you can possibly find and proficiency in another sport can be a huge asset.Peter Schmeichel attributes his famous starfish sprawl to his handball background. Petr Cech believes playing as a goalie in ice hockey prepared him well for football. Didier Drogba points to the intelligence and footwork skills he learned playing basketball. Ruud van Nistelrooy and Zlatan Ibrahimovic both learned balance and body control from taekwondo.For Georgi Kinkladze, it was dance.Traditional Georgian dance is very physical"More specifically, it was the traditional stylings of Georgian folk dancing, which for men can be extremely explosive, fast-paced and involved a lot of spinning and quick, intricate footwork.That just so happens to be exactly how Manchester City fans would describe Kinkladzes work on the wing at Maine Road in the 1990s. You may like I dont remember Pep Guardiola telling me before a game, Jeremy, when you have the ball, do this and do that. He has given me a lot of freedom Jeremy Doku on the advice his former Manchester City boss handed him At a young age, I liked to dribble I got a lot of criticism from other parents because I didnt pass the ball to their children! Jeremy Doku on his journey from the playground to the World Cup What is the scorpion kick? Kinkladze remains an icon in the blue half of Manchester for his sensational goals and for sticking by the club for two more seasons even after their relegation from the Premier League in his first campaign in 1995/96.Asked if he believed his childhood dance lessons had an impact on the way he played, Kinklaze told FourFourTwo: Yes, I believe that they did.Get FourFourTwo NewsletterThe best features, fun and footballing quizzes, straight to your inbox every week.Contact me with news and offers from other Future brandsReceive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsorsBy submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.Traditional Georgian dance is very physical. With this kind of dance, you are on your toes, moving with high energy and with perfect balance.Taking dance lessons gave me the core strength to change direction instantly while keeping my upper body still.People said I looked like I was gliding when I played; that was thanks to the dance trainingKinkladze is also grateful to have got the opportunity to play international football for Georgia when he was still just a teenager, believing it put him on the radar for clubs like Boca Juniors and City before his later move to Ajax.He said: Back then, the Georgian league wasn't scouted heavily.Playing for the national team was my chance to show that I could perform on the big stage. Without those international caps, I might never have left Georgia and moved abroad.TOPICSManchester CitySteven ChickenSocial Links NavigationSteven Chicken has been working as a football writer since 2009, taking in stints with Football365 and the Huddersfield Examiner. Steven still covers Huddersfield Town home and away for his own publication,WeAreTerriers.com. Steven is a two-time nominee for Regional Journalist of the Year at the prestigious British Sports Journalism Awards, making the shortlist in 2020 and 2023.With contributions fromRich Chamberlain
