#learn ballet

The ideal body for classical ballet has long legs and a short torso, which, so says Pointe Magazine, became fashionable after the choreographer Balachine became famous, as that was preferred aesthetic. As someone with long legs and a long torso (ending up several inches too tall for the petite look traditional companies aim for), I certainly wouldn't make the cut.  However, there is room for dancers of different body types depending on the style of dancing and company you work with. Supposedly there are different niches of dance that are ideal for different body types. For example, contemporary dance tends to have dancers with more muscular builds. It all depends upon the aesthetic that the director is trying to create, and what is fashionable and popular at the time. Dancing is a visual art, and the way a person looks factors into that as well as technique. Different bodies create different lines and may not look harmonious with other bodies. Even Russia's alternative ballet company, the "Big Ballet", which hires dancers who are overweight, has to keep this in mind, and has certain requirements to keep a symmetrical aesthetic - the minimum weight to join is 15 stones, or 210 pounds.

Dancer from the Big Ballet (acquired from thisisthinprivilege.tumblr.com)

There are niches for a variety of body types in the dance world, but the fact is, though, that standards are extremely stringent, especially in more traditional companies. Anastasia Volochkova was fired from her position as prima ballerina from a Russian company after getting 'too heavy' at 110 pounds. Ballet is also an extremely popular pursuit and competition for having a real career in it is high, which makes the standards even higher. This means the number of extra 'chances' that Tara and Kat and other students seem to get in the TV show 'Dance Academy' is really unrealistic, especially for a prestigious school with high integrity. It also means that my chances of having a career in ballet are incalculably close to zero.

I don't have dreams of becoming a prima ballerina, but I genuinely wish lots of luck to those of you who do. :) I'm seriously impressed by you all who are pushing the limits of dance even higher through hard work. Just don't kill yourselves doing it, please.