Thread: Does anyone else feel pressure to loose weight? A dancers size

Hi Girls,

I am a UK size 10 which is a perfect healthy great size to be and I feel and always have felt incredibly lucky to be the size I am naturally even after eating tons of junk every day!

However, I have been watching tons of bellydance clips and dvds (ie bdss) and I feel a huge pressure on myself to be alot thinner and toned if I ever want to get anywhere. I know this comes from me and my own head but it is a fact that tons of the "famous" dancers are toned and ripped to perfection. Is this through sheer dance or is it an image thing? I only ask because I see tons of dancers who are more curvy and they probably dance just as much?

Such is the fate of all of us, it seems. I've always been "the skinny one", but now that I'm older....the weight creeps up. I feel great pressure on myself to get rid of my belly fat - even though I can see in the mirror that there's really not much there. DOESN'T matter! I feel this nagging sense of failure anyway.

Well, someone I know was told personally by Miles that she needed to lose about 15 pounds to join the BDSS.

And she's absolutely gorgeous with amazing curves.

But I think if you realize that you don't want to be in BDSS, then you are freed from those expectations.

Yeah, it really sucks, because I think in general, our dance form is really open to all sizes and shapes. But, from a stricly commercial point of view, the perfect toned body is what you need if your going to dance with BDSS and that's a shame. To me as a viewer, it's really about how good a dancer is and not her size that matters. I've seen some really good dancing from women who would never be considered for BDSS because of their size. Likewise, I've seen some awful dancing from some very pretty skinny dancers.

It really depends on who you're dancing for. If you aspire to be a BDSS, then you're going to need to hit the gym and be prepared to eat a strict low fat diet.

It all depends on your goal - if you wanna dance like Rachel Brice, having the matching body is helpful ; with my body, that project would be rather ridiculous.

Hiowever, if your goal is to be a great dancer, you will anyways have to find your own style, which matches your soul and your body.

I am no professional, God knows. And at my age, I will never be because I started too late in life, but I feel a great deal of pressure to stay in shape. If I cant be young..I can be ripped, right? Please tell me I am right!

Originally Posted by steffib

It all depends on your goal - if you wanna dance like Rachel Brice, having the matching body is helpful ; with my body, that project would be rather ridiculous.

Hiowever, if your goal is to be a great dancer, you will anyways have to find your own style, which matches your soul and your body.

This is exactly what I think. Well said.

Originally Posted by anala

I am no professional, God knows. And at my age, I will never be because I started too late in life, but I feel a great deal of pressure to stay in shape. If I cant be young..I can be ripped, right? Please tell me I am right!

I think we should be in shape for health. I feel like at 42, I've had "my time" and now I just need to be realisitc about gravity and just live inside the best body I can have. Strength, flexibility, grace in movement, and heart health now replace the flat tummy tight buns priority. But Anala, I suspect you look amazing with all the dancing you do and there is nothing wrong with wanting to be ripped. God knows I'm still attempting some form of muscle definition, but don't you think it's all in the attitude? I've seen dancers with BDSS bodies- all technique, no passion, and then I've seen my instructor, 59 and also some fuller figured ladies and they just blow my socks off. The joy, enegy and grace they project is inspiring to me. And it's not just because I am a woman. The whole audience was much more responsive to these sassy women than the younger one. (Not to knock being young, I just meant that this particular young dancer had a smokin' bod but no fire)

Emma, I saw your progress footage on the other thread and girl what are you worried about? You have a fine size, You have passion for dancing and you are in your 20's so use the time ahead of you to dance! Remember too that BDSS is a product. Yes, yes, of course talented dancers etc, but still an entertainment vehicle.

When I began I watched the BDSS performance dvd's and thought that was the standard. But thanks to the women here I got educated real fast! study youtube clips of the greats and you will start to see the attitude come through, not just their body and technique. Save them to your faves and study them. Watch their faces. Start a thread asking for other's fave classic clips in the style you like and you will see what I mean. I know Egyptian classic is not your thing, but watch some clips of those just for the attitude and the passion they exude.

Honey there is room for everyone.

Originally Posted by anala

I am no professional, God knows. And at my age, I will never be because I started too late in life, but I feel a great deal of pressure to stay in shape. If I cant be young..I can be ripped, right? Please tell me I am right!

I think if you want to be a performer and be on the stage, part of that job is looking good. I agree with Anala -- you're right!. I wish I had more time for the gym, but my time is so precious right now I usually have to choose between dancing and the eleptical machine.
I also agree with the other women who say that it depends on your goals. If you want to make a career out of performing in a big market area (LV, CA, NY, etc), than having a fantastic body will probably help you. If you want to dance "classical egyptian style" or folkloric, having softer curves looks pretty great.
All that being said, UK 10 (a US 6 right?) is a pretty desirable size. Probably focusing your goals on being fit would serve you more than just losing weight. (btw, I'm a size 6 and I totally hear you and have been dealing with the same thoughts; especially since I dance in the same area as Rachel B's homebase and Zoe J. and Mira Betz and other gorgeous dancers).

thanks girls...despite my obsession with the BDSS I do not aspire to be one. I would love to one day perform to audiences who appreciate the art and to join a troupe (like fat chance etc) but I don't want to be or ever audition in eyars and years to come to be a BDSS. I have heard horror stories of how that Miles works them poor chicks!
Plus I could never be one. I dont dance well enough and I have a family who I like to be with too much.
Thanks for the views on the weight issue.
I am nto worrying myself because I know my frame is fine but you get the impression that to be any good and perform lots that you need to be 'ripped' and slender.

As my hubby said though about Sonia...of bdss...i thought it was bellydancing...she has no belly..she needs to eat a meat and kidney pie!
Now I dont think thats fair as she may be naturally that slender but i think bellydancing does look better with curves...more womanly I think!

Originally Posted by Tribal_Butterfly

Hi Girls,

I am a UK size 10 which is a perfect healthy great size to be and I feel and always have felt incredibly lucky to be the size I am naturally even after eating tons of junk every day!

However, I have been watching tons of bellydance clips and dvds (ie bdss) and I feel a huge pressure on myself to be alot thinner and toned if I ever want to get anywhere. I know this comes from me and my own head but it is a fact that tons of the "famous" dancers are toned and ripped to perfection. Is this through sheer dance or is it an image thing? I only ask because I see tons of dancers who are more curvy and they probably dance just as much?

..g.:Thin and toned don't always go hand in hand. I think if you want to be a pro you'll probably get pretty toned-at least under the skin.

There are a lot of great examples of dancers who aren't skinny. Aziza comes to mind as someone who has done quite well with her curves-and who is also ridic toned.

Come to Asia if you want the pressure! If I gain a pound (really 1 pound) my friends will say "Oh! Eshe, you got so fat! What did you eat?"

hehe I know one of my best pals is from Japan and she always says she is so fat but she is tiny tiny tiny. Im going in July and I am dreading already what her and her family will say about me hehe

I am a hard body...under 20 pounds of excess "voluptua" (Aziza's word).

Originally Posted by anala

I am a hard body...under 20 pounds of excess "voluptua" (Aziza's word).

Amen. "Voluptua" is beautiful.

I love, love love womanly juicy curvaceous dancers. I LOVE how this dance looks on women whose bodies ripple and curve, whose hips have that sense of weight to them. Some of my VERY favorite dancers are juicy full-figured women. They're not really famous, though.

Realistically, getting restaurant work or party gigs is at least as much about appearance as it is about dance skill. At US size 12 I'm borderline for restaurant work and often prefer to wear a dress or a body stocking.

There are so many great dancers who aren't 'marketably thin.' Here, watch THESE women:

My daughter
[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D7Iv9U6dHig]YouTube - Jasmine -- Rannet el Tabla[/ame]

Miasia
[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=at__wyGmI2c]YouTube - Miasia - Miasia's Beladi[/ame]

Hiba
[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bZHUermx7tw]YouTube - Belly Dancer Hiba Drum Solo[/ame]

I wish wish WISH Shahna of Little Rock had a youtube clip up, she's my VERY favorite. Also my student Rowan, who does a more 'alternative' tribal-fusiony style. I have clips of her, but the videotaping is always so terrible I hate to post them here.

Don't you dare...you are a great shape for dance. Just exercise, get out in the fresh air and eat good food to get toned,fit and healthy.

please remember that the bdss are taped and sold on dvd.
tape adds 10 pounds ...not a myth.
i see the diff on my dvd's .once i dumped the drugs doctors gave me for mental pause, i was ok.
after 50, even one surgary cocktail, champagne etc will go straight to your gut. i have been gromed to dance since 1953, but i still have to work ast it.not haveing children helped.being in control of what is bought and cooked in this house helps too.
gotta du8mp the booze after 50!
or time your party night in time to water and pee off weight a few days before your gig.
weight is a health issue no matter your profession.while on paxil, i could not get my breath!

You dance in the body you've got. That's what it's for!

I promise I'm not posting this video to plug my teacher and our studio -- it would be a bit of a commute for most of you, anyway. But it does nicely show the range of shapes and sizes in our advanced company and an upper-level class. Of the six or so of us who currently do professional gigs, we've got everything from a UK6/US4 to a UK18/US16 (that's me). Our director is right in the middle of the range and regularly dances the pants off all of us, including the sweet tiny young things. Showbiz will always be showbiz, and looks will always be an element of that, but the most important thing both for you and for your audience is to dance with strength and musicality and joy.

The Belly-Dancing Lawyer - washingtonpost.com

Hey, look! Three of my favorite dancers. Thanks for posting those clips, Lauren.

Originally Posted by Zana

You dance in the body you've got. That's what it's for!

omg. I think I want t-shirts with this printed on them.

You design 'em, sweetcakes, and I'll buy a few dozen! Wouldn't they be great for bellyvangelizing?

gotta du8mp the booze after 50!

Noooooooooooooooooooooooo

Bellyvangelizing, huh? ;-)

Yeah -- I do try to limit the proselytizing, but passion will out. My friend Joy (the very tall, gorgeous brown girl in the clip) started referring to herself as a belly-vangelist, and it caught on.

Why does a self-confessed beginner want to worry about performance size. stop being a drama queen and get on with dancing

zana, this is why i use my classes on my dvd's.to show all types ! bravo!

No, but I'm thin. Belly dancing has toned me, though, which is nice.

I wouldn't use the BDSS as your focus for performance looks. You can see lots of women (and men!) in many body types making a full time living off belly dancing. Some are thin, some are not.

Originally Posted by jencUK

Why does a self-confessed beginner want to worry about performance size. stop being a drama queen and get on with dancing

I don't think she's being a drama queen at all. I feel indirect pressure just by looking too...and shopping. Shopping is the worst.

I don't intend to be a professional, and I'm really not that worried about performance size...but that doesn't mean there's no pressure.

Sometimes I wish my fat looked like my friends' fat - I'm distributed funny ..l;,

Butterfly!!! I just watched your video diary thingy. Pshawww.

Women much bigger than you DO make a living as professional dancers. (outside the BDSS, although I think Dondi is juicier than you)

I'm going to edit that part out of my post. There *is* size discrimination in the world of professional dance, but it doesn't start at size (us) 10 or even 12 (outside of BDSS, anyway)

Originally Posted by yaalini

Sometimes I wish my fat looked like my friends' fat - I'm distributed funny ..l;,

I know what you mean. I don't have a *lot* of fat, but mine is... old and lumpy and stretchmarked. If it was young, shiny fat I'd be so happy!

Originally Posted by eshe

Come to Asia if you want the pressure! If I gain a pound (really 1 pound) my friends will say "Oh! Eshe, you got so fat! What did you eat?"

Give it up for Asia! Wooooot!

Word, and you're smaller than me.

True, I haven't had a weight comment in a long time, but I think that's mostly because I give an incredible look of WTF.

Originally Posted by Tribal_Butterfly

I have been watching tons of bellydance clips and dvds (ie bdss) and I feel a huge pressure on myself to be alot thinner and toned if I ever want to get anywhere. I know this comes from me and my own head but it is a fact that tons of the "famous" dancers are toned and ripped to perfection. Is this through sheer dance or is it an image thing?

Good question. I think it is an image thing, a very pervasive one. We grow up conditioned to worry about our figures. And when you "take refuge" (so to speak) in your hobby, hoping to escape all the advertising madness out there... whoops there it is again. It's the same with RPGs and LARPs with the pressure to fit into costumes (ever worn a PVC dress? it KILLS your morale even if you're a size 6)

This is perhaps corny, but here it is anyway: stick to basics, ie good food and reasonable exercise. When it becomes a choice between your health and emulating a glitzy image, it gets easier to clear the clutter. I discovered Tosca Reno's "Clean Eating" book. (It's awesome. I'm never hungry, I never count calories and I lost 30 pounds in the past 2 1/2 years. I still got another 30 to go to get to a healthy BMI, but I refuse to "diet" the conventional way.)

Kem.