You Can Dance If You Want To
A fascinating New York Times article exploring the idea of what it means to be a plus-sized dancer in the world of modern dance.
“I was probably the first woman in a major company with a body that was not the expectation,” she added. The press coverage, overwhelmingly focused on her body, was devastating.
“For all the attention, I felt very unseen,” she said. She described finally losing her cool at a postperformance discussion, after a woman lavishly praised her for being able to dance like everyone else despite the 40 extra pounds on her frame: “I was like, you know, 60 years ago, somebody would have said: ‘I can’t believe you’re a doctor, and you’re black. You’re as intelligent as the white people, I guess, congratulations.’ It’s not a compliment, it’s a crazy statement.”
The article talks about a lot of different things, but it mostly explores the misconception that there’s a certain “dancer’s body” and if you don’t have that body, you can’t be, or aren’t, a dancer. Makes me want to take a dance class.
Thanks, Kari, for the link!
Posted by mo pie
Filed under: Theater
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It’s amazing to me how this idea sort of penetrates all sorts of activities. And how it is present in my own brain.
I just took a trip this weekend – an amazing hiking and camping trip to the beach. I hiked in with my pack. But it was as I was hiking out and we were seeing a lot more people on the trail that the stoopid thought crept in wondering what these people thought about fat me hiking with a pack on my back. And it wasn’t a feeling of pride at my body being able to do this that accompanied that thought, it was a worry that they would be judging me too fat.
OMG! Are we now identified and defined by our size? I know this is no revelation to anyone, but honestly, what year is it?! I totally agree with her “doctor/race” statement. If I swim, does that make me a brave fat swimmer? What else? Am I a daring fat volleyball player. too? I also feel invisible at times which makes me wonder if people deliberately try to pretend that my fat-self doesn’t exist or is it that they don’t want to put a face to fat? I am leaning towards the latter.
Definitely take dance classes!!
Do everydamnthing you want to no matter what your weight!
I learned how to scuba dive when I was 300 pounds! Best time of my life. (And, no, a custom-made wet-suit is *not* that expensive!)
I also took dance lessons in Japan, where, as a 5’9 size 10 woman, I was often the largest person (woman or man) in the room.
Damn, that was fun!
Alexandra Beller also came out of Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane. They have something of a reputation for encouraging “non-standard-size” dancers — both bigger and smaller — to work next to the “standard” size dancers.
IMO there’s more of us walking around than standard media generally shows. But when was that ever different?
I’ve been dancing for eight years with women of all shapes and sizes. It’s one of the best things I do.
Watching people who have never seen tribal bellydance before is always interesting–there’s always a couple of guys who have their “No Fat Chicks” asshole faces on at the beginning of the set, who, by the time the show is over, are tripping over themselves to run backstage and get the dancers’ numbers.
Dancing is awesome and everyone should do it. Mo and all y’all other Bay Area people, check out the grandes dames of tribal at Fat Chance Bellydance if you ever get the chance. It will blow your mind and serve as an excellent reminder (and inspiration!) as to what gorgeous fat bodies are capable of.
I just started Belly dance lessons as gift to myself this last Christmas and I’m addicted to dancing now and have graduated to the 2nd level class.
I’m also the biggest girl there…but you know what?
No one cares.
There are really skinny women, women with giant breasts, old ladies, high schoolers, a burlesque show girl expanding her groove and me.
My teacher has a little pot belly that she proudly juts out when she struts her stuff…
It’s just very cool…the only time I’ve ever been in an excersize class of any sort and I looked in the mirror and thought “Wow…you’re pretty graceful and beautiful”
That quote was effin brilliant. Inspired me to start belly dancing at the local Y starting today. Just thought id say thank you for posting it.