dancerbabe82 Posted June 14, 2012 Share Posted June 14, 2012 Hi everyone - I wondered what everyone thinks of the photo Dance Direct have put on their FB page today! Personally, I think it's good to show that a famous professional ballet dancer looks strong and athletic, but it appears that others aren't too sure! It's here: https://www.facebook.com/?ref=tn_tnmn#!/photo.php?fbid=10150964635150827&set=a.260130305826.141671.122638350826&type=1&theater Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anna C Posted June 14, 2012 Share Posted June 14, 2012 Ha! I saw that! I don't think it helps that the leotard is so extremely high cut, but are the Quads supposed to be that developed in ballet? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tulip Posted June 14, 2012 Share Posted June 14, 2012 Yuk not my cup of tea, it looks like a rugby players legs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anna C Posted June 14, 2012 Share Posted June 14, 2012 The photo has certainly raised some discussion and differing opinions! :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jan McNulty Posted June 14, 2012 Share Posted June 14, 2012 I think it looks horrible and it wouldn't entice me to watch ballet! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
porthesia Posted June 14, 2012 Share Posted June 14, 2012 I saw this too. Doesn't really fit with my idea of a ballerina but how much do the tights conceal? Maybe I have the wrong idea! DD's legs always look better in her tights - not that they look this picture! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anna C Posted June 14, 2012 Share Posted June 14, 2012 I think tights do conceal a certain amount of muscle tone, but they wouldn't be able to conceal the size of the muscles. I'm a ballet novice, but from what the dance physio has been telling dd, I didn't think that the quads were supposed to be that developed in ballerinas? Isn't it more about long, lean muscles and using the inner thighs for resistance? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kitschqueen_1 Posted June 14, 2012 Share Posted June 14, 2012 I think a lot of this is how the picture has been styled and lit and yes the high cut leotard contributes to this. I have seen Misty Copeland dance on other videos and her legs do not look so over developed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
primrose Posted June 14, 2012 Share Posted June 14, 2012 I thought it was ugly, the calf muscles looked very odd to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regattah Posted June 14, 2012 Share Posted June 14, 2012 I can't make out whether she's really sitting into her hyper extension or whether her legs are so muscular that they don't look straight anymore! Not that I'm criticising Miss Copeland! She's an absolute heroine to lots of people, isn't she? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lisa O`Brien Posted June 14, 2012 Share Posted June 14, 2012 The only attractive part is her feet. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anjuli_Bai Posted June 14, 2012 Share Posted June 14, 2012 I've been looking at more pictures of her on google/images and she certainly looks smoother in tights. In this picture she is pushing back on her knees which might be a contributing factor to how the calf muscle developed. Genetics could also be a factor (for all of us). As for the thigh muscles - I've seen many a ballerina undressed backstage in the dressingroom and seldom have seen this type of development. But, we are all different. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anna C Posted June 14, 2012 Share Posted June 14, 2012 Very interesting, because if you google "Misty Copeland Legs" (not a phrase I have ever thought about googling!) there are many images of Ms Copeland's legs, the vast majority of which show extremely muscular calves and quads which look more like a professional athlete than a dancer. In fact if you cover the pointe shoes, her legs look as if they belong to a weightlifter. I don't mean any insult by that; those muscles are hard earned, but they are not legs that I have ever seen on a ballerina. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sim Posted June 14, 2012 Share Posted June 14, 2012 Is that a tattoo you can just see sticking out on the left side of her horrible leotard?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julie 2 Milner Posted June 14, 2012 Share Posted June 14, 2012 I didn't "like" this and will admit when i first so the pic I had not read the caption and thought it a man. I know, blame middle age! Gymnastics is not ballet and I hate the increasing concentration on this. The artistry is lost when gymnastics are the focus. I have never seen her dance but must say don't feel any ballerina I have seen as appeared as such. Whether this is camera work, styling who knows. Honestly though i wonder if you looked at a hurdler, for argument sake, the muscles would be this exaggerated. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anna C Posted June 14, 2012 Share Posted June 14, 2012 I don't know if it's camera work because there are several more photos on google of her in similar poses, looking like a professional - and incredibly toned - bodybuilder. Each to their own, eh? :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peach3 Posted June 14, 2012 Share Posted June 14, 2012 I think she looks intriguing. I would love to see her dance. Imagine the power. I feel a little upset about people's reaction to a picture of a succesful ballet dancer who has managed to fight her way to the top despite not having the perceived "correct" body type. After all the discussions on here and worries that we have about our children going into an industry that may reject them at any point if they grow too big or wide or aren't tall enough. Yes we all like different things but how dull would life be if we didn't give new things a chance once in a while. 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tomuchtallent Posted June 14, 2012 Share Posted June 14, 2012 I dont care about anybodies shape i just love watching dance! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peach3 Posted June 14, 2012 Share Posted June 14, 2012 Not sure how to share a link but in this clip on you tube her legs seem in proportion to her body Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alison Posted June 14, 2012 Share Posted June 14, 2012 The picture turns my stomach, for two reasons: firstly the angle between her thighs and her lower legs, and secondly the fact that my brain insists that her thighs are facing forwards while her knees are turned out! And the cut of the leotard doesn't improve things. Fortunately, I've seen Ms Copeland dance on several occasions, and she's never looked like that. Edit: and where that YT clip has stopped on my computer (in mid-jeté) only reinforces my feelings about split jetés. Ugh. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aurora Posted June 14, 2012 Share Posted June 14, 2012 Funny how she talks about ballet remaining pure and true to its origins and yet she's doing super high leg extensions and over split leaps lol! Fab dancer, very muscly but yes the tights and proper clothing make her seem less so. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amber21 Posted June 14, 2012 Share Posted June 14, 2012 I have been tempted to look at misty copeland on you tube and was quite impressed at her beautiful figure as well as her dancing. Misty certainly has a more curvacious figure with a fuller bust and hips. Maybe because misty does not appear to fit into the typical shape that most ballet fans expect to see this is why there is alot of controversy around the development of her leg muscles. I also think that with age muscles can develop more, there may not be many dancers or sports people who would have the same size muscles at 20 as what they do at 30. I also found a video of misty dancing at 15 and she did appear to have the expected ballet body that everyone is used to seeing. The video write up stated she had only been dancing a few years, quite impressive. Ax Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jellybeans Posted June 15, 2012 Share Posted June 15, 2012 Didn't she start dancing quite late as well? She seems to defy so many of the perceived norms of the industry, so good for her! I personally don't like the legs or the over splits but she is obviously very successful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aileen Posted June 15, 2012 Share Posted June 15, 2012 I think that the whole photograph is designed to be controversial. The cut of the leotard and the tattoo peeping out are very unflattering. It also confirms (for me) something that Anjuli said in another thread, namely, ballerinas really should wear tights. Both scrawny and very muscly legs look far better in tights. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jan McNulty Posted June 15, 2012 Share Posted June 15, 2012 I think this repulsive picture has been taken to cause controversy (and it has!) and probably doesn't reflect what you would actually see when she is dancing. Anyone can be made to look ugly by the camera! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anna C Posted June 15, 2012 Share Posted June 15, 2012 Happens to me all the time Janet! :-( ;-) 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pups_mum Posted June 15, 2012 Share Posted June 15, 2012 Happens to me all the time Janet! :-( ;-) And me! Mirrors do it too....I can't understand it! 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pups_mum Posted June 15, 2012 Share Posted June 15, 2012 I think she looks intriguing. I would love to see her dance. Imagine the power. I feel a little upset about people's reaction to a picture of a succesful ballet dancer who has managed to fight her way to the top despite not having the perceived "correct" body type. After all the discussions on here and worries that we have about our children going into an industry that may reject them at any point if they grow too big or wide or aren't tall enough. Yes we all like different things but how dull would life be if we didn't give new things a chance once in a while. That's a really good point. I confess I looked at the photo and went "ewww", but your comment made me re think. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anna C Posted June 15, 2012 Share Posted June 15, 2012 There's a good mirror in the loo at Starbucks near Holborn - very flattering! :-) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nana Lily Posted June 15, 2012 Share Posted June 15, 2012 (edited) Well what ever we all think she is very successful. Put her in pair of tights and a tutu and its a different story, she looks gorgeous here! http://www.martinipink.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/10/meisty-copeland-2.jpg edited with correct link! Edited June 15, 2012 by Nana Lily 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anna C Posted June 15, 2012 Share Posted June 15, 2012 That's beautiful. What a difference tights and a tutu make! :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aileen Posted June 15, 2012 Share Posted June 15, 2012 This goes back to a point which I made on another thread, namely, the trend for female dancers wearing leotards (without skirts) and pants/vests, often without tights, requires a very specific physique which as well as being extremely thin and rather androgynous has little visible muscle. I personally really like the leotards with attached skirts which I have seen the female dancers wear in Balanchine's Apollo and Ballo della Regina recently. I find them very attractive and flattering on the dancers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anna C Posted June 15, 2012 Share Posted June 15, 2012 Yes, those costumes for Ballo were lovely; very flattering and such pretty colours. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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