What size should you be?

[SaphireDancer]

 

Hi! I am wondering how tall is too tall for ballet. I just turned 13 in September, but i'm already about 5'3 and a half! I am pretty average height in school, but at my ballet school I am considered tall (but I am also veryyy skinny). Because of being taller I never get quiet the parts i deserve... So am I too tall to be a ballerina?

Pleas answer!

 

S.

p.s- my mom is short (5'1) and my dad is average (5'11), so is it possible that I'll stop growing?

[Victoria Leigh]

Hello SaphireDancer, welcome to Ballet Talk for Dancers

 

I think it is way too soon for you to be worrying about that! At just 13, you may have had a growth spurt, and will grow a bit more, but I doubt that you have to worry about being too tall. There is no set limit on height, and some companies really like tall dancers.

[Mel Johnson]

Hi, Saphire, you're right "in the groove" for normal-sized people, which is of course, what most dancers are. And the late Duchess of Windsor was only half-right, you can never be too rich, but you can be too thin. Now, "being a ballerina" is not just a matter of physical stature, it's like being in the Major Leagues in professional baseball and always being in the starting lineup of batters. "Ballerina" is a rank, like a General in the army. Getting to that very high rank involves a lot of hard work, excellent training, intelligence, and a genuine talent. But just being in the corps de ballet of a major company involves the same things, too. (There is also good luck involved!)

[SaphireDancer]

Hello SaphireDancer, welcome to Ballet Talk for Dancers

 

I think it is way too soon for you to be worrying about that! At just 13, you may have had a growth spurt, and will grow a bit more, but I doubt that you have to worry about being too tall. There is no set limit on height, and some companies really like tall dancers.

 

 

Thank You for answering!

(this website is great!)

[MD1991]

Hi SaphireDancer,

Don't worry about your height if you love what you are doing nothing else matters. I am 16years old and 5'6 and 3/4. I have been dancing for about 7 years . I am one of the tallest in my class but that just mean you get to be in the middle more dependeing on how your teacher works. It is fun to be tall and that should not stop you from presuing anything. Just have fun and take it day by day trust me it not that bad

Edited December 16, 2007 by MD1991

[Rachie]

I'm also your age and height! Since I have really large feet (size 10!) I end up with a really beautiful leg line on pointe! Since a lot of girls stop growing around the ages of 14-16, and 5' 4" is the average height for a woman it sounds like you'll be a little over average. Sorry moderaters if I'm not aloud to say this since I am NOT a doctor. Please remove it if necessary .

[DanaD]

i'm 13 and 5'10, so you have NOTHING to worry about! And as for other's getting the parts that you deserve, there will come a day when someone calls for a tall girl (Odette) and you'll be a shoo-in!

[Claude_Catastrophique]

There are so many different companies in the world and they are all looking for diffrent body types. I noticed that companies, that are from countries where people usually are taller (like the Netherlands or so) they are looking for tall dancers and the other way around. Sometimes they just take you because you are different and they were looking for a different dancer to have someone standing out. Ilja Louwen (was a very tall dancer in Zurich) got many solo parts and I'd say she was one of the most famouse dancers in this company, especially because she was so tall (never fit in a corps but she was good enough to be a soloist so she always got very special parts that made her famouse)

[Victoria Leigh]

The above post is remaining because we feel that the information is helpful to the topic, especially since it comes from a European view. [Claude, this is YD 13-16, so, please do not respond again, even though I left your post here. ]

[BalletMarie]

I honestly don't think there's such a thing as being too tall a female dancer - I always find the tallest to be the most sylph-like and beautiful!

[2dance2dream]

I am fourteen and a half, I am only 5 feet and half an inch, and I am probably done growing

[little_dancer123]

I am fourteen and a half, I am only 5 feet and half an inch, and I am probably done growing

 

 

Hey, same as me! I want to be taller. Will companies reject me because I'm small? My mom is a little smaller than me and my dad is 5 ft 7.

 

From little_dancer123 x

[2dance2dream]

Even though I also wish I were taller, because I am so short, I often get put in the front of dances!

[Mel Johnson]

I don't see a problem simply from height. There are some companies who seem all to be tall, and yet there always seems to be this one short boy who needs to have a partner....

 

And yes, I do recommend that you have a body. There is nothing quite like one for keeping the arms, the legs, and the head from interfering with one another.

[Rachie]

Well, a lot of times being short is an advantage. When companies end up with FABULOUS short male dancers they need really short ballerinas, since they will be on pointe!