What will they research next? From The Scotsman.<P> <BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>BALLERINAS are naturally small and their growth has not been stunted by extensive training, contradicting previously-held theories, researchers claim. <P>Studies have found that female ballet dancers tend to be smaller than average not because their profession has made them that way but because their size led them to choose dancing as a career. <BR><HR></BLOCKQUOTE><P><A HREF="http://news.scotsman.com/index.cfm?id=141052002&rware=MWRZITYDVZKV&CQ_CUR_DOCUMENT=1" TARGET=_blank> <B> MORE </B> </A>

It may be mis-reported, but on the face of it this sounds like a dotty research result. One US male dancer reported most of the women ballet dancers he knew had had some sort of eating disorder at some stage of their career. Thus it may well be a combination, due to the selection process that will occur in the major dance schools, but nurture sure as heck plays an important part in the way that ballet dancers look and their bone structure.

I cannot help but feel that the argument "...their size led them to choose dancing as a career." is looking at it from the wrong angle. What about those who would have loved nothing better than to choose dancing (ballet) as a career but did not because the knew they were the wrong "build" and therefore would not stand a chance in the ballet world? My guess is there msut be quite a few of them. It is a bit like the age old 'chicken or egg' debate isn't it?