George Balanchine's Ideal Ballerina

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ong legs and arms to match. A long neck topped by a small head. A short torso and a slender figure. These are the components that comprise George Balanchine’s ideal ballerina and have been the standard for the last century. While there is some variation here and there, the majority of dancers who do not meet these requirements never make it into the New York City Ballets of their dreams. Superficially, this does not seem like an issue of huge importance. Ballerinas are working professionals, and as such are expected to show up to work looking the part, right? Realistically, however, there are very few dancers who have these proportions. In chasing after these unrealistic standards, many dancers are driven to such extremes as eating disorders

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