ideal image of female beauty...

Sophia Loren period. She is my ideal of the "prefect" woman. I prefer a little meat on the old bones and some curves, but her face? Oh dear, such beauty. Can you imagine if Angelina Jolie had Sophia Lorens body along with that face? Yowza.

I also admire the ballerina's long limbs since mine are not. I admire the fitness gals defined muscles, I admire J.Lo's and the Kardashian sisters butts, wish mine looked large and in charge. I admire all sorts of body types and women. And I am just referring to looks, the smart thing is another story.
 
I agree that curves are also fabulous - I kinda have to, considering my own rather abundant curves! There's a lot of different kinds of beauty out there -and ain't that a great thing?
 
I danced for many years and I agree that many dancers have eating disorders. Many even take up smoking as ways to curb their appetites. They are not the picture of good health. They are the picture of deprivation. I wasn't allowed to join the dance company here because of my stature, yet I took every class with the company. Just couldn't perform or tour with them. My technique was perfect, but my body wasn't. In the dance world body type is way too emphasized IMO. And honestly, it is nicer to see a svelte dancer floating across the floor. But many are underweight IMO.

The picture of feminine beauty to me is a pregnant woman. You can't get more powerful than that IMO.
 
Sorry to see a good post go bad LOL. I think the dancer in the picture is beautiful. I take tribal belly dance lessons and I think my full figured instructor is beautiful also. Watching her dance is mesmerizing. She made me realize that having hips can be beautiful.

Of course I admire Cathe not only for her dedication to her personal fitness but also as a talented instructor, business woman, and mom. And for her ability to juggle it all. There's no way I could do it all.

I guess there is no one size or shape that I admire the most. Thin, muscular, or full figured doesn't matter. I think when a woman radiates with inner strength, you can't help but admire her.
 
I think it is great to "admire" others because for me, at least, it means I can appreciate other people regardless of how I see myself.

As far as thinking I must look (or for that matter act, be as highly educated, funny, sophisticated, etc) like others, I am what I am and what I make of myself to the best of my ability and where my willpower takes me.

Here's another thought: I would bet that there are others out there that admire each and every one of us for one trait or another. . .

Let's think of Beavs, Ms. Lee, Fitness Freak, Shelley Limecat, Carola, McMain, etc. (not meaning to leave anyone out, but have you seen how many members Cathe forums have ! :eek:) - I admire all of them for their different qulities and the rest of you too as I read all the posts here. It is our personal qualities that make us who we are and I like seeing others with wonderful qualities I don't have myself.

I come here when I need a pick me up or just want to veg. So many "friends" and so little time you know?

Yes, Xiao is strikingling beautiful in that picture - thank you for sharing.
 
Now I need to see this woman dance. I love your passion, Arwenlong. I know about falling madly in love with an image (or sound) and wanting to share it with everyone, hoping someone who sees it will be as excited. That said, I'd love to see the picture you supplied blown up more because it's tough to really see clearly.

A long time ago I saw an old unidentified black and white photograph. I don't recall where and It didn't immediately register in my head as anything special but, as time went by, I couldn't get that image out of my head. It was a photograph of people walking in what looked like morning sunlight alongside what must have been a very tall building. Sounds simple, right? No big thing? But there was something about the image... the way it was framed... the way everything was arranged and forms were juxtaposed against one another... the way the light and shadows stretched out in a slight diagonal... the inherent power of black and white... years went by and I never got that image out of my head. One day, I was flipping through The Metropolitan Museum of Art (NY) holiday gift catalog that photo jumped off the page at me. So I ordered the featured book of the photos of Paul Strand and learned his 1916 photo "Wall Street" was actually quite famous. As I'm looking at it now I realize it reminds me of that scene towards the end of Dr. Zhivago where Zhivago, a broken man riding a cable car, sees a statuesque blonde beauty walking very fast down a crowded city street. It's his beloved Lara and he has to get to her. The Strand photo reminds me a lot of the moment when Zhivago, racing not quite fast enough towards Lara (who has no idea he's behind her), meets his tragic end. In a million years, I never got Wall Street from that photo. For me, it was a Moscow street, long ago.
 
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Now I need to see this woman dance. I love your passion, Arwenlong. I know about falling madly in love with an image (or sound) and wanting to share it with everyone, hoping someone who sees it will be as excited. That said, I'd love to see the picture you supplied blown up more because it's tough to really see clearly.

A long time ago I saw an old unidentified black and white photograph. I don't recall where and It didn't immediately register in my head as anything special but, as time went by, I couldn't get that image out of my head. It was a photograph of people walking in what looked like morning sunlight alongside what must have been a very tall building. Sounds simple, right? No big thing? But there was something about the image... the way it was framed... the way everything was arranged and forms were juxtaposed against one another... the way the light and shadows stretched out in a slight diagonal... the inherent power of black and white... years went by and I never got that image out of my head. One day, I was flipping through The Metropolitan Museum of Art (NY) holiday gift catalog that photo jumped off the page at me. So I ordered the featured book of the photos of Paul Strand and learned his 1916 photo "Wall Street" was actually quite famous. As I'm looking at it now I realize it reminds me of that scene towards the end of Dr. Zhivago where Zhivago, a broken man riding a cable car, sees a statuesque blonde beauty walking very fast down a crowded city street. It's his beloved Lara and he has to get to her. The Strand photo reminds me a lot of the moment when Zhivago, racing not quite fast enough towards Lara (who has no idea he's behind her), meets his tragic end. In a million years, I never got Wall Street from that photo. For me, it was a Moscow street, long ago.

I'm sorry; it's all I could find; the Ballet has now changed the picture. I know the Paul Strand photo you speak of - and I agree that it is quite haunting; there's something about the light in it, and the shadows of the people that get you.
 

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