ideal image of female beauty...

[morningstar]

Hi everyone,

Every day I pass by the National Ballet of Canada, and the attached photo is what I see, a poster of Xiao Nan Yu, a principal dancer with the company. She has amazing muscle tone, balance, grace, an arresting expression and tremendous charisma. Oh yeah, and she can dance! She is my ideal image of feminine beauty. I am so in awe of her, I am not even hoping to be like her some day. I am just happy to inhabit the same planet as someone that beautiful. And I'm not even gay!

I am curious, what's your vision of ideal feminine beauty?

 

[hiitdogs]

Brains!!!

I don't know, I think there are so many different women who I find beautiful but it is always based on a combination of physical attributes as well as attitude, character, personality, etc. In my view a woman doesn't have to fit the conventional picture of beauty for me to find her beautiful. Same for men!

 

[morningstar]

Brains!!!

I don't know, I think there are so many different women who I find beautiful but it is always based on a combination of physical attributes as well as attitude, character, personality, etc. In my view a woman doesn't have to fit the conventional picture of beauty for me to find her beautiful. Same for men!

Absolutely! I think Xiao Nan Yu is beautiful greatly because of her talent - ballet is the hardest sport and art there is and the woman can damn near float in air!

 

[eminenz2]

It is my understanding that many ballet dancers exhibit symptoms of eating disorders.

The sport is extremely hard on them physically, wrecking their bodies with injury and mis-shapen feet.

These talented women work so hard only to break down way too early!

Ah, what price beauty!

 

[MSJ]

It is my understanding that many ballet dancers exhibit symptoms of eating disorders.

The sport is extremely hard on them physically, wrecking their bodies with injury and mis-shappen feet.

These talented women work so hard only to break down way too early!

Ah, what price beauty!

Granted that this woman is certainly beautiful, talented, and hard-working--I certainly don't discount that--

However, eating disorders are extremely common in the dance world. I was an apprentice for a local ballet company as a teenager and they wanted me to weigh 95 lbs at 5'4--didn't care how I got there as long as I lost the weight. I never reached that goal (got as low as 105), but I did develop an eating disorder that still haunts me on occasion.

Not to mention all the head games and dog-eat-dog stuff that goes on behind the scenes....

Our daughters do martial arts. Because of my extremely negative experience, they will never dance.

Maggie

 

[morningstar]

Granted that this woman is certainly beautiful, talented, and hard-working--I certainly don't discount that--

However, eating disorders are extremely common in the dance world. I was an apprentice for a local ballet company as a teenager and they wanted me to weigh 95 lbs at 5'4--didn't care how I got there as long as I lost the weight. I never reached that goal (got as low as 105), but I did develop an eating disorder that still haunts me on occasion.

Not to mention all the head games and dog-eat-dog stuff that goes on behind the scenes....

Our daughters do martial arts. Because of my extremely negative experience, they will never dance.

Maggie

Martial artists are also amazing. I appreciate the issues with eating disorders; however, I don't think that it is fair to discount someone's talent, beauty, strength, grace and skill because some people have eating disorders and because there are head games in ballet. Even if Xiao did have an eating disorder, it is not her thinness that I admire about her. I had an eating disorder for 20 years, and I am not a dancer. Eating disorders are extremely common throughout North America, regardless of what you do for a living.

 

[JesusLives]

Martial artists are also amazing. I appreciate the issues with eating disorders; however, I don't think that it is fair to discount someone's talent, beauty, strength, grace and skill because some people have eating disorders and because there are head games in ballet. Even if Xiao did have an eating disorder, it is not her thinness that I admire about her. I had an eating disorder for 20 years, and I am not a dancer. Eating disorders are extremely common throughout North America, regardless of what you do for a living.

Just wanted to throw in my 2 cents, not meant to offend. However, if you suffered from an eating disorder for 20 years, I think you should stay as FAR AWAY as possible from "admiring" other women's bodies!!

 

[jonahnah]

ITA that she's gorgeous and while I've never seen her dance, I've no doubt that she's astronomically talented.

I LOVE watching ballet! I live close enough to NYC that I had season tix to the NYCB for several years and talk about a mesmerizing blend of grace and explosive power. Just wow. From what I've read, George Balanchine changed the body type for female dancers, creating the eating disorders that I agree are common among the women and even the men who perform ballet. (None of the men like to dance in the white tights--they think white makes them look fat!) The women will dance slowly, like lilies swaying in the breeze, just achingly beautiful. Then, they leap up and it's all crackling energy and sheer sinewy strength. Did I mention, that I love ballet??

While I know ballet artists sustain injuries and misshapen toes for their sport, they are professional athletes and I don't know of ANY sport where injuries aren't rampant when someone practices it that extensively. While you don't even have to ask about hockey, football, basketball, boxing, etc. there are many other sports that but bodies at risk. Gymnasts put their growth on hold and can sustain horrible injuries; divers damage their shoulders and eardrums routinely; wrestlers often develop eating disorders because they have to "make weight" for their matches. Golfers injure their backs. Volleyball players often have knee problems. The list goes on and on.

RE: martial arts--I watched my DD (13 yo) spar as part of her adult black belt test last week and I'm REALLY glad she doesn't spar regularly! She took several shots to her face and I couldn't believe she didn't get black eyes or a broken nose from it. I'm willing to bet MAs who compete in sparring get injured.

Personally, I rather watch 90 minutes of ballet than any other sport, but sadly the stars of ballet sure don't make the money, get the endorsements or even the retirement packages of the testosterone. shows.

Finally, re: backstage politics and scheming, why should ballet be different from the theatre or movies? It's all about performance and face time with the audience.

 

[morningstar]

I don't post much but just wanted to throw in my 2 cents, not meant to offend. However, if you suffered from an eating disorder for 20 years, I think you should stay as FAR AWAY as possible from "admiring" other women's bodies!!

Excuse me? I think appreciation of beauty is part of what makes us human. It is a huge assumption to say that admiration of beauty causes eating disorders. Eating disorders are much more complex than that and have many causes, individual to the person with the disorder. I have never admired skinny women; I admire muscular women. I admire fitness, not waifishness. Admiration of women that are strong, fit, talented and not emaciated is a positive thing, regardless of whatever issues someone may have. It is clear that you know nothing about eating disorders. For someone that "didn't mean to offend", you have done a remarkable job of offending me in just two sentences.

 

[Clarissa]

Geesh - I guess you better watch what you post around here. People are apparently in the mood to attack today. Admire her if you want; she looks lovely. What the heck is the difference to anyone?

 

[morningstar]

While I know ballet artists sustain injuries and misshapen toes for their sport, they are professional athletes and I don't know of ANY sport where injuries aren't rampant when someone practices it that extensively. While you don't even have to ask about hockey, football, basketball, boxing, etc. there are many other sports that but bodies at risk. Gymnasts put their growth on hold and can sustain horrible injuries; divers damage their shoulders and eardrums routinely; wrestlers often develop eating disorders because they have to "make weight" for their matches. Golfers injure their backs. Volleyball players often have knee problems. The list goes on and on.

RE: martial arts--I watched my DD (13 yo) spar as part of her adult black belt test last week and I'm REALLY glad she doesn't spar regularly! She took several shots to her face and I couldn't believe she didn't get black eyes or a broken nose from it. I'm willing to bet MAs who compete in sparring get injured.

I agree. An active life almost always leads to injuries at some point. Even taking great care with correct form, gear, recovery periods, etc. doesn't guarantee an injury-free existance. When you work your body, you take a risk. For me, and for most active people that want to be fit, the risk is worth it, especially when you do what you can to ameliorate the risk by doing things the correct way.

 

[Ronne]

Geesh - I guess you better watch what you post around here. People are apparently in the mood to attack today. Admire her if you want; she looks lovely. What the heck is the difference to anyone?

ITA!!! I feel sorry for the OP. I saw absolutely nothing wrong with what she said. Just because you admire someone it doesn't mean that you're going to kill yourself trying to make yourself like them! Lighten up, people! We are all adults after all, aren't we?

 

[JesusLives]

Excuse me? I think appreciation of beauty is part of what makes us human. It is a huge assumption to say that admiration of beauty causes eating disorders. Eating disorders are much more complex than that and have many causes, individual to the person with the disorder. I have never admired skinny women; I admire muscular women. I admire fitness, not waifishness. Admiration of women that are strong, fit, talented and not emaciated is a positive thing, regardless of whatever issues someone may have. It is clear that you know nothing about eating disorders. For someone that "didn't mean to offend", you have done a remarkable job of offending me in just two sentences.

Actually I know plenty about eating disorders since I struggled with one most of my teen years and early 20's. I never said admiring beauty causes disorders. I just THINK it's dangerous to "admire" other women's bodies when you, yourself, have struggled in the past with your own image. It's just my opinion that I wanted to share out of concern, it's okay that we don't agree. I actually just posted what I did for genuine concern and care about another human being, not for any other reason. Again, I didn't mean to offend and hope you can appreciate the genuiness of the concern behind the post!

 

[morningstar]

Actually I know plenty about eating disorders since I struggled with one most of my teen years and early 20's. I never said admiring beauty causes disorders. I just THINK it's dangerous to "admire" other women's bodies when you, yourself, have struggled in the past with your own image. It's just my opinion that I wanted to share out of concern, it's okay that we don't agree. I actually just posted what I did for genuine concern and care about another human being, not for any other reason. Again, I didn't mean to offend and hope you can appreciate the genuiness of the concern behind the post!

So we can assume then that you do not admire the beauty of any woman? Perhaps you should only speak on your own behalf, that you find it dangerous to think of other women as beautiful, rather than assuming that all people that have had eating disorders should be afraid of admiring the beauty of other women.

 

[LauraMax]

How can you have goals without a role model? I admire Cathe & I strive to look like her. Does that mean I have body dysmorphia?

This isn't meant to be snarky, it's a genuine question.

 

[pixiesis]

I just THINK it's dangerous to "admire" other women's bodies when you, yourself, have struggled in the past with your own image.

Is it possible to not notice and admire beauty, whether it's a painting or a human body? Why criticize someone for this natural human instinct that we all have?

Amy

 

[jdawnc]

Let's get back to the topic, ideal image of female beauty

My ideal image of female beauty would be the likes of Scarlett Johanson, Marilyn Manroe, Dita Von Tesse, and Kate Winslett.

 

[Clarissa]

My ideal image of female beauty would be the likes of Scarlett Johanson, Marilyn Manroe, Dita Von Tesse, and Kate Winslett.

All very lovely women. ITA.

 

[cindi1]

Remember those pictures of Helen Mirren in a bathing suit? Talk about aging gracefully!

 

[diane57]

My ideal image of female beauty would be the likes of Scarlett Johanson, Marilyn Manroe, Dita Von Tesse, and Kate Winslett.

Yes, I agree with this. My first thought on seeing the ballet dancer pictured was that she looked much thinner than I think of as being attractive. Different perspectives, I know...