Ask Responses: Tough Questions #1
What is your opinion on today’s ideal of the long thin dancers that Balanchine liked/preferred and Russia’s immense popularisation of it (later becoming the new standard of the desired ballet body)? And why do you think Skorik, compared to other Russian dancers, get so much more attention regarding her body and how unhealthy she looks from the Western media?
I’ve received some tough questions recently (six of the, to be exact). I find these particular questions challenging for a number of reasons: some subject matters are potentially controversial; my personal opinion on certain subjects is not especially nice and I’m cautious when it comes to sharing it; or I simply don’t have enough information to give a good answer. Either way, I will do my best to answer these questions honestly.
I always get uncomfortable when the subject of the “ballet body” comes up. Over the past five years I’ve seen female dancers bullied online for the way they look. Either these women are too thin or too fat – there is no in-between – and people are always eager to let them know how they feel about their bodies. Often, these comments are presented in a form of “concern” for the dancers’ health, and I find this unbelievably patronising! People never stop to think about the effect their words can have on someone. I know that some dancers had to temporarily leave social media because these comments became too much to handle.
First thing’s first: we’re talking about female bodies, and we need to acknowledge that there is a lot of historical and societal context attached to this subject.
When it comes to aesthetics in ballet, I’ve learned that every country is different. Come to think of it, beauty standards – especially for women – also differ from culture to culture, and tend to change over generations. Back in the 19th and early 20th century, thinness was associated with illness (consumption), and you saw this beauty standard reflected in ballerinas of the time. Of course, since then ballet itself has changed drastically, and the evolving technique has affected the bodies as much as the evolving beauty standards have. I think what we’re seeing now is a resurgence of the old views, and thinness is once again equated with poor health. This is particularly prevalent in the West. The problem I have with this is that instead of questioning the system (and I’m not just talking about ballet here), people focus on specific women and their bodies, because, historically, society has always felt a lot of ownership over female bodies.
Umberto Eco’s “On Beauty” illustrates the evolution of beauty standards over the centuries. Go here and skip to page 15.
When it comes to modern-day ballet bodies, Zakharova is widely considered the golden standard: long, thin limbs; flat torso; small head; arches for days, etc. Her proportions really do make her look stunning on stage, and she follows a diet that keeps her healthy and strong, as well as thin! The problem with holding this one body type up as “the ideal” is that not that many dancers can live up to it. We all have different genetic make-up, and if we try to fit a template our bodies were never meant for, we can severely damage our physical and mental health. In the documentary “Beautiful Tragedy”, Oksana Skorik talks about being compared to (and comparing herself to) a classmate who was skinnier than her, and becoming anorexic as a result of trying to copy her. Trying to achieve uniformity without taking individuality into consideration can lead to disaster. This is something Joy Womack has talked about as well. During her time at BBA, she was pitted agains another student by her teacher to see who could lose more weight... By the way, I think that “Beautiful Tragedy” is partly the reason Skorik gets singled out in the West over other Russian dancers. She’d already gone on record talking about her body and her health.
I realise that this answer is turning into a bloody essay, so let me try and summarise my feelings in dot points:
Having a “standard” is fine, but dancers must be carefully guided to achieving and maintaining this standard, and their genetic makeup, body type and individuality must be taken into account.
Achieving complete uniformity is, ultimately, impossible. Instead, we should learn how each dancer can reach their fullest potential and get the most out of their body without compromising their health. Individual approach is key.
From the moment they start training, ballet students must be given tools to properly manage their health, weight and body image.
Different cultures have different “standards”. Instead of criticising each other for the way we look, we must investigate why those standards are there in the first place and question if these standards are healthy.
For the people in the back: You do not have the right to anyone’s body. Whether you’re a member of the media or a “concerned” member of the public – keep your opinions to yourself.
