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Politics and Weight in Dance Companies

Bolshoi Decides It’s Over Before ‘Fat’ Lady Dances
NYTimes.com; September 16, 2003; by Sophia Kishkovsky
A Reaction Paper

“Height and weight are not the test of a great ballerina,” said Anastasia Volochkova. This well-known ballerina was fired from the Bolshoi theatre for being “hard to lift” and not fit for a pas de deux. I agree with Ms. Volochkova’s statement. I believe that your strength, determination and willingness to work hard and constantly improve your abilities are qualities needed to become a great ballerina—not a certain height and weight. Physical skills are not the only factor in being a good dancer; a good attitude is crucial.
Dance, especially ballet, requires a lot of preparation, training and building muscle strength. These requirements are vital in order to avoid injury and to execute the movement you want—and execute it well. So of course you need to be physically fit in order to dance because it is quite demanding. Yet we are all o...

Posted by: John Mayes

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