To reinforce Dean's comments about PNB dancers, from a non-dance, but medical professional perspective, they all look fit AND healthy - not always an easy combination to achieve.

I am in my 3rd year of a dance degree, I am quite big and am not happy with the way I look. I would say that if I lost weight (and I am determined am going to by the end of this year) I would be more confident when I am dancing. However, thats not to say that you have to be stick thin to dance or enjoy dance.

I am planning on writing my dissertation on Body image and how the public percieve dancers, I would be grateful if anyone knows of any sites where I could get some info, thank you x

Twinkletoes, I encourage you to search this forum based on keywords like weight, image, aesthetics etc. There have a number of heated topics on the subject. See the search link in the upper right corner.

Thumbing through my Teacher's photo albums I find the women were very different in body type then. She, for many years danced under Madame Nijinska who was very demanding. However, the men then seem to be similar to present day dancers in regard to body type.
Looking over a substantial amount of photos from the past I tend to think we are expected to be a lithe group dependent on the director (as some of you have already mentioned).

Hello to all by the way. I'm new.
Cheers....

A good book that I am reading " Secret Muses" about Ashton, has some good photos of earlier dancers, discusses his limitation being too small and unable to effectively partner at that time, and also brings up the lithness of Markova, one of the first baby ballerinas. It may be an interesting reference, but it is a difficult read ( +600 pages ).

Welcome, lumineyes! As stated above, Balanchine had a big influence in changing the rules for women...

I once saw a wonderful book -- whose title I don't recall -- packed with photographs of famous ballerinas which had an actual photograph of 19th-century American ballerina August Maywood. Unlike the typical dancer of the old days, she was long-limbed and slender enough to look just like a typical ballet dancer of today. I don't know how tall she was, though.

Maywood's lifestyle did not endear her to the American public. Look her up -- it's worth a read.

<small>[ 17 December 2003, 07:16 PM: Message edited by: djb ]</small>

I know we dont see a lot of dancers, who arent super thin, but being on point shoes is hard on your feet. A dancer who is not the "ideal" weight, would most deffinitely injure herself. In the matter of jazz, tap, hip-hop, etc, I think a not so thin dancer would be fine.

I think it doesn't matter how thin you are but in ballet most girls have a flaw according to the standards and they feel bad about it.I'm like that because although I have most of the qualities thin,long neck,great technique(not too sound conceited)I could never go pro.I want to but I couldn't because of my chest in ballet you basically have to be flatchested and I'm not so don't feel bad because most people can't measure up tp the crazy Balanchine standards

Goldenhoney06, there's a company in Pittsburgh for people like you:

http://www.bodiographycbc.com/

You all talk about 'thin' dancers. But what is your definition of thin? Someone who is thin in everyday life won't be thin in Ballet. Most of female dancers are not thin, they are extremely thin.
And almost all directors prefer a female dancer who is extremely thin with light technic as a 'normal' thin dancer with strong technic.
I hope this way of thinking will change.

Does anyone think that thinner dancers ( within reason ) just appear more graceful on the stage?

I do.

Thanks Lucy - I don't want to be alone when I get nailed for this suggestion!

I did duck as I posted.