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Ideal weight for dancers?!!


swanprincess

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Hi Swanprincess

 

Sorry to hear that you are suffering from anorexia.

 

Just wanted to say that we were always told that it was more about body proportions than weight and for ballet they are looking for long legs and a shorter body. A dancer could be very thin but still not right for ballet.

 

Big hugs from me and my dd who, I believe, knows you from MTB. XX 

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Re the Russian stick thin look - I have to tell you that one of DSs close friends is half Russian and is exactly that- very very long arms and legs and (IMO) unpleasantly thin but he assures me she eats completely normally (and he lived with her for 2 years so I think he has a good idea). Thinking about the range of body types, there must be people at the very lean end of the scale naturally, just as there are some who are naturally larger. Perhaps it is partly that the Russian companies simply choose the extreme types (in the same way that international modelling agencies do). I find it hard to believe they are ALL (or even mostly) severely under-eating- how on earth would they cope with the physical demands? But as I said before-just because the Russians like sticky ballerinas doesn't mean all companies/countries do and there is good evidence for this.

 

My general experience with DS is that what people pick up on is the indefinable 'glow' that appears when he dances. It is FAR more important than even technical virtuosity. I have seen some of his school mates dance with technical brilliance but it was like watching a plank of wood.

Swanprincess what is important when you dance is not your exact body weight- it is the personality you project. So believe in yourself as a lovely person who cannot be defined by what a set of scales say.....

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http://www.b-eat.co.uk

 

Hi Swan Princess this is the beat website address. You may know of it already or similar organisations but it may be worth a look.

 

I was thinking that the people you have been working with may have already discussed with you some sort of reasonable and healthy weight for yourself given your height and frame size etc......so if they have then this may be what to eventually aim towards even if takes a while and the fact that you are doing ballet and hopefully aiming for a career in it should not interfere with this. Because largely you will dance a lot better if you are healthy.........so think of it as helping your career not hindering it.

 

I really hope you can get back on track very soon and if it does prove to be too difficult just now then remember there are lots of people there to help you :)

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Thank you all so much for your lovely responses, I am very grateful for your support :) I had been considering posting something about weight worries etc for quite a while- a few members may have noticed that I am only able to audition for 1 vocational school for 6th form- it is very close to where I live so I would be able to stay at home where my parents can continue to monitor my intake etc- so I felt that you deserved to know the reason why. You are all my friends and I trust you- I feel lucky to have such a wonderful support network!!!

Sorry if I unintentionally annoyed anyone by mentioning BMI- to be honest, the reason why I asked was because when I googled 'ideal BMI for dancers' looking for some reassurance, I could really only find articles about how emaciated the Russian dancers, such as Oksana Skorik, are!!!

 

Yes Hfbrew I have seen ballet theatre uk- I think they are all so beautiful and inspiring!! (And that is why I currently feel so confused and anguished- logic tells me that no British company would want a sickly, very thin dancer, yet the anorexia tells me that I'll never succeed unless I am thinner!!!!)

 

Beth4Ballet I know what you mean about proportions being important- I started taking ballet seriously around the age of 13, an age when children naturally start to become conscious of their physiques. I was worried that my legs were too short, so my (flawed!!) logic was 'oh well, I have no control over the length of my legs, but I can control my weight!! Also, (and it seems bizarre now) I thought that if someone danced better than me at, for example, an audition, it wouldn't matter as long as I was thinner, I would still get in... That logic definitely didn't work!!!! I will PM you as I am curious as to who your DD is!! ;)

 

I will look at that website, thankyou LinMM! :)

 

And also thank you so much for the PM's I have recieved, your kindness is incredibly appreciated :) xxx

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Not annoyed about BMI Swanprincess - just concerned, as I know how quickly young dancers make comparisons and was worried that some of these comparisons might be unhelpful. All the very best for your audition - we will all be cheering you on from the virtual sidelines :)

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I remember you saying your parents were reluctant to let you audition for some Vocational Schools. Now I understand why. Fortunately you seem to understand they have your health and best interests at heart for this reason,and you come across as being a very mature and sensible young lady.I wish you all the very best of luck with your health .And your audition.!

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Dear SwanPrincess, maybe you shouldn't be dancing and think about your life and health in the longterm? Is it really a good idea to put yourself through all that and be in a career where weight is always an issue. Surely it's better to think about having a happy healthy life where it's not an issue?

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By the way when you entered your piccie for the Bloch thing a few months.....was it a competition can't remember now.....your legs looked as if they went on forever in that picture!!

 

If the Rambert comes your way this year do try and catch their performances.......especially if Rooster is on the programme!!

The dancing is amazing and all the dancers just look so individual in their looks and body types etc.

 

Anyway lots of good wishes.

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LinMM the audition is March 23rd (getting close now eeek....) aww thank you haha :) I will look for fairly local Rambert performances!!!

 

BD19 I do understand what you mean, that would make sense.... But I don't see how I could ever be happy if I wasn't dancing- and I think that, without ballet to focus on, the illness might get worse- I know that I have to stay at a reasonable weight for ballet, so without that I don't know if I'd have the motivation to maintain the weight....

 

Thank you so much for your support, your kindness & opinions are greatly valued :) xxx

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Oh swanprincess that's just not how it is. I dance with a ballet company and let me tell you if you have problems its just the wrong place for any girl or boy with anorexia. In fact girls and the few boys who have had problems with food crash and burn pretty quickly and have massive issues and problems.

 

Believe me you can't do it if all your thinking about is your weight and have had serious problems already.

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Dear SwanPrincess, maybe you shouldn't be dancing and think about your life and health in the longterm? Is it really a good idea to put yourself through all that and be in a career where weight is always an issue. Surely it's better to think about having a happy healthy life where it's not an issue?

 

I agree with you Swan Princess -for many of us life without the Joy of dance would be unthinkable and so you should use that as a motivation to maintain a healthy weight for your energy levels to support that persuit that brings you so much Joy!

Best wishes for the audition ????

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Dear SwanPrincess, 

 

I'm definitely NOT an authority in this field, so this is my opinion only. I have never danced in my life, but I am an artist and I've worked in a tertiary level creative arts school where there were also dancers in their late teens. Now I have a ballet obsessed teenager. The things which affect visual artists are very similar to those which dancers deal with. We are all consumed with our art and we do it not because it is a career choice, but because it is a deep calling, something we simply can't switch off. 

 

With regard to whether or not it is too hard on your body to be a dancer. Honestly, only you will know that. If you are as passionate about dance as you appear, then I can't see that stopping dancing will solve your eating issues. The anorexia will still be there and you may not have a strong enough goal to keep you going. Clearly, you need to deal with it on a daily basis. 

 

I know someone who is going through a very similar situation to yours and she was told by the GP that ballet is too hard on her body. However - :), having seen a sports nutritionalist, he has assured her that if she can eat the correct, highly nutritious food necessary to keep her body fit for dancing, she should still be able to maintain a lean physique and be healthy at the same time.

 

We all know this anorexia is a double sided coin with mind and body issues to deal with. I encourage you to keep getting help and searching for answers for as long as the love of dance remains in your heart.

 

Wishing you all the best!

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Swanprincess, I've been thinking about you and just wanted to check that you have a Plan B in case - for whatever reason - you didn't get a place at Vocational school for 6th form?

 

I would advise all aspiring dancers to have a Plan B - for many reasons. Without being pessimistic, the chances of a student getting a place on a Classical 6th form course, completing their training, getting a classical contract in a company and sustaining a long career in a ballet company are relatively small. So you will need a back up.

 

The many adult dancers we have on the forum are testament to the fact that a person can do ballet for as long as his or her body (and finances!) can last. IF you didn't get a place at 6th form, could keeping ballet as a serious hobby still be feasible? Would that still be able to motivate you to stay healthy while you pursue an alternative career choice?

 

I am quite sure that you've thought about this already, and hopefully talked it over with your parents and support workers, and perhaps your ballet teacher too? I hope you understand that I'm not trying to put a downer on your plans, but just giving you the same advice that I would give my own dd - i.e. Always have a Plan B (and probably a Plan C and D too!)

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Yes, good idea, tricky when one is focussing energy and resources into trying achieve aim of being a dancer but very important to consider alternative plans. I think it has helps my dd to have to think about alternatives as it takes the pressure off a bit and puts things into perspective.

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Yes I agree.

 

If you can beat this anorexia.....and I think you can......then you would be in an amazing position to help others.....especially dancers.....on how to eat to keep their bodies in maximum health. There are several careers that can keep you in touch with dance and dancers from a different perspective......or the theatre..... if this is also appeals ....while you can carry on dancing and do some pretty demanding dance performances as an amateur dancer!!

 

This is a bit premature right now....because your audition is so close so you need to focus on that.....but it is wise to think "what happens if I don't make it professionally" and presumably you will get a chance to audition again......maybe in a years time?

 

There is no need to give up your ballet if you love it so much......I agree with Pastel on this ......and Anorexia is quite a complex problem and doesn't just go away easily unfortunately........as you say you will still have to deal with this whether you are doing ballet or not. You probably would need to give up ballet....for a while though.....if you yourself thought you might progress better with your eating by not doing it. And hopefully this is all discussed with mum and dad and GP......hope you have a supportive one......or the people you work with to beat this.

Anyway enough advice!!

Will be thinking of you on the 23rd March. Enjoy the day and give it your best shot.

Linda xxx

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I've been watching this thread and not wanting to add but I think at this point I want to agree with Spanner wholeheartedly. No-one can tell you what you should or shouldn't aspire to, only you can make that journey and deal with the challenges as and when they come.

 

I was desperate to train as a dancer, despite several issues during my teenage years. I got a scholarship to a college in London and was so excited to take up my place. It was all I'd dreamed of for years, I'd got a head full of expectations and when I got there it just didn't meet my expectations. I found a culture of 'competitive crazy' with dancers swapping stories of their eating disorders, and various other issues as well as some very obsessive personalities believing that the harder they worked the more turnout they'd get, or that they'd somehow get longer legs by doing extra Pilates etc. That culture, combined with my own injury was not good for me to be around. For various reasons I realized my 'call in life' was not on the stage, as it were, and I decided to leave.

 

So many people have since told me that I never should have gone, I was too intelligent to not use my scientific streak, I wasn't mature enough or emotionally strong enough but they'd all kept quiet because they knew I needed to figure it out by myself.

 

Seek the support networks that you already have in place (GP, family, therapist/psych etc) and keep them close by and make good use of them. The good point is that you know you're fighting this. We all have triggers that can send us back a bit but with the right support we can bounce back up. Good luck xx

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I've been watching this thread and not wanting to add but I think at this point I want to agree with Spanner wholeheartedly. No-one can tell you what you should or shouldn't aspire to, only you can make that journey and deal with the challenges as and when they come.

 

I was desperate to train as a dancer, despite several issues during my teenage years. I got a scholarship to a college in London and was so excited to take up my place. It was all I'd dreamed of for years, I'd got a head full of expectations and when I got there it just didn't meet my expectations. I found a culture of 'competitive crazy' with dancers swapping stories of their eating disorders, and various other issues as well as some very obsessive personalities believing that the harder they worked the more turnout they'd get, or that they'd somehow get longer legs by doing extra Pilates etc. That culture, combined with my own injury was not good for me to be around. For various reasons I realized my 'call in life' was not on the stage, as it were, and I decided to leave.

 

So many people have since told me that I never should have gone, I was too intelligent to not use my scientific streak, I wasn't mature enough or emotionally strong enough but they'd all kept quiet because they knew I needed to figure it out by myself.

 

Seek the support networks that you already have in place (GP, family, therapist/psych etc) and keep them close by and make good use of them. The good point is that you know you're fighting this. We all have triggers that can send us back a bit but with the right support we can bounce back up. Good luck xx

 

 

I think it took a great deal of strength and self knowledge to make that decision.  

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Yes Spannerandpony, my plan B (for now, it keeps changing lol) is to do A levels but specialise in drama, to hopefully go to drama school at 18, but at the same time I will keep up with RAD exams outside school so I could train to be a dance teacher eventually :)

 

LinMM your advice is incredibly appreciated, thank you :)

 

DrDance I agree with lovely Anjuli- your decision must have taken a lot of courage, and I respect you so much for having the strength to accept that, then also to move on and establish an amazing career in dance science!!! :)

 

Thank you everyone for your words of wisdom, every one of you has helped me so much :) xxx

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That sounds good Swan Princess.

 

I was going to suggest you can at least keep your RAD work going and take it as far as you can.

 

Just passing an exam like Advance 2 for example would be an amazing achievement for any dancer!!

I think you can do an A level in Dance now as well.

Have you thought about the Laban School? As you used to be able to study there from age 18 (rather than 16). And you could still keep the ballet going as well.

Anyway great to hear you are thinking about other options. It can sometimes be quite difficult at the young age of 16 to get a broad perspective on things. If I can find it by the way may post the Rambert doing extracts from Rooster!!

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I've been watching this thread and not wanting to add but I think at this point I want to agree with Spanner wholeheartedly. No-one can tell you what you should or shouldn't aspire to, only you can make that journey and deal with the challenges as and when they come.

I was desperate to train as a dancer, despite several issues during my teenage years. I got a scholarship to a college in London and was so excited to take up my place. It was all I'd dreamed of for years, I'd got a head full of expectations and when I got there it just didn't meet my expectations. I found a culture of 'competitive crazy' with dancers swapping stories of their eating disorders, and various other issues as well as some very obsessive personalities believing that the harder they worked the more turnout they'd get, or that they'd somehow get longer legs by doing extra Pilates etc. That culture, combined with my own injury was not good for me to be around. For various reasons I realized my 'call in life' was not on the stage, as it were, and I decided to leave.

So many people have since told me that I never should have gone, I was too intelligent to not use my scientific streak, I wasn't mature enough or emotionally strong enough but they'd all kept quiet because they knew I needed to figure it out by myself.

Seek the support networks that you already have in place (GP, family, therapist/psych etc) and keep them close by and make good use of them. The good point is that you know you're fighting this. We all have triggers that can send us back a bit but with the right support we can bounce back up. Good luck xx

Wow drdance this is so inspirational to read... Thank you so much for sharing with us ;) really brings home to us what is good for one person certainly doesn't mean it suits another!! A lot of people can learn from this and so be less judgemental about children and the choices they make in life... Certainly struck a cord with our dd who even now she still at times beats herself up about the choice she made to give up on the vocational training she started. What didn't help was as you mentioned was listening to comments from peers and parents re: what to eat, who was the best or the worst dancer, turnout, flexibility etc it didn't help and only added to her own issues of course!

So thank you ;)

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  • 4 years later...
On 03/03/2014 at 12:17, swanprincess said:

I'm sorry if this is a bit of a sensitive subject, and I'm also sorry if this post turns into a rant, but I am looking for some advice.....

As a few of you may know, I have been battling anorexia for about 4 years. Recently, I have been doing well, and as such, have been discharged from outpatient treatment. However, with the pressure of auditions, I have been struggling again. I am trying to find some information to reassure myself that I don't need to be emaciated to go to ballet school (from a young age, I was in awe of the Russian dancers, particularly those at the Vaganova, who all seem so desperately thin), so what BMI (or weight range- I am just under 158cm) should a ballet dancer have?? I just feel trapped in a vicious circle, of trying to eat 'normal' amounts to be healthy, which results in feeling fat, which results in cutting down my intake even more..... Will being underweight prevent me from getting in to dance school?

 

I just wanted to say congratulations!

also, having read your blog, you sound like you made a very  wise decision to eventually leave vocational school.

 

i went through something somewhat similar when I decided to leave my own dream of being an opera singer (was at university, but I knew the chances of making it are like playing in the premier league or Formula one, and I didn’t want to teach..)... so I left and went to medical school instead.

 

We all have our own natural gifts in life— for some people, especially in ballet, it’s a long neck, leanness, turnout, feet...  

But, like you— my greatest gifts are not my physique or coordination, but rather my mind.  I am naturally long and lean, and the normal population considers me to be skinny. But, order to meet the height weight requirements of ballet or modeling, I would have to become anorexic. (As I would have to go 20-25 pounds under my ‘natural’ comfortable weight.. which for my body would be seriously underweight and would be an almost impossible task when it comes to restricting and being preoccupied with maintaining such an artificial demand.) 

 

Meanwhile, you see vaganova girls turned prima ballerinas.. who seem to flourish with ease... even having several children (so clearly fertility was not impaired, despite being 5’6” and 101 pounds), and then returning to the stage, body as perfect as ever. 

 

Personally, I feel you can do much more with a gifted mind than anything. Not to mention the limited earning potential even for those dancers who “make it”.  You’re still too young and supported by your parents to have to deal with that yet, and so it hasn’t really hit home— but trust me, one day it will. 

Dance, or any art form, is a path of passion and a love— but if it is a career,  what you put in should be reflected in remuneration. Ballet is seriously broken in this respect.

Any other professional athlete, orchestra musician, etc. are all paid a comfortable living wage. 

 

 

Personally, I think the smartest dancer would be the one who becomes a physician. Particularly an orthopedic surgeon! One who specializes in dancers, as the demands on the body and injuries are so very particular and specific to ballet. 

 

Dance critic (Oxford would give you an almost free ride to the top), scholar and writer of books, management, teacher... all of those would let you indulge in your passion but pay you at least twice as much. 

 

You have so many options!! :)

 

 

ETA: the weight chart for the bolshoi is available by google search. It is quite eye opening, if you haven’t seen it.. amazes me that some body types are able to be so very very tiny, yet have the strength and energy to perform so brilliantly, and still be *healthy.* 

Edited by Stumbellina
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