THE LONG AND THE SHORT OF IT.

I thought I would begin my blog to clarify to those who are maybe not as familiar with ballet why being a 5'11" dancer may not be a good thing. The most common response I get when I talk to people who are not affiliated with ballet about my height is "Wait..aren't dancers supposed to be tall?". Although dancers are very long limbed and give the appearance of height they are in fact of average height.

So what is the perfect ballet body? 

Wendy Whelan-NYCB

 Most classical dancers are around 5'6". So 5'7"-5'9" are considered tall and 5'3"-5'5" are considered short. Anything beyond that on either side starts becoming very problematic. Of course most people know that dancers are supposed to be thin. However, being too thin is also a problem. NYC Ballet principal Wendy Whelan has talked very openly about her frustration with being called "too thin" by critics.

Alright, we now know that you can be too tall, too short, too fat, and too thin. Whew... if that wasn't hard enough I'm not done. I could spent all day talking about the hundred things that makes dancing technically possible but that would be boring, so lets stick to the physical appearance.

 Let's talk muscles! As anyone who has seen a ballet dancer balance on on their toes with their other leg extended to their ear can imagine it takes a lot of strength to do ballet, but dancers are supposed to look ethereal. Most female classical roles are for the soft and super feminine person. Being very muscular does not fit into that feminine ideal, especial in the upper body. Most dancers are strong in their legs but problems arise when a dancer begins to look to buff. This goes for the male dancer as well. The men spend all day lifting women over their heads but you would never mistake a male dancer for a body builder.
 You may be asking yourself how do you develop the strength of a lion and keep the appearance of a swan? The answer is...IT'S HARD!



Lastly, in complete contradiction to my previous statement that female dancers are supposed to be the feminine ideal everything that makes a woman a woman...I'm talking curves...are a hindrance. Breasts and hips are a big no no in the ballet world. Barbie would not make a good ballerina.

Now of course this is all the ideal. This is not my personal opinion either. I happen to love a dancer who is different and unique. Ballet has come a long way, and more and more dancers are changing peoples perception of what is the ideal dancer.

Cheers to everyone who defies the standard look and makes dancing about just that...Dancing!