Dancers Bodies

Good point, bouncybouncyweee.

There is a big cultural difference when it comes to preferred body type. Without making any unnecessary generalizations (which are, in my mind almost always false!) I've noticed that African-American men are big fans of bigger derrieres. Listen to rap songs or watch the videos, if you have any doubt. Those dancers are seriously shaking their tailfeathers. Big tailfeathers.

So maybe boriken is right -- it depends on your goal in dancing. If you're a competitor or performer, or a ballerina or a ballroomer, thin may be in. But in the club doing salsa or hip hop, well, who knows. What do you think?
 
pygmalion said:
Good point, bouncybouncyweee.

There is a big cultural different when it comes to preferred body type. Without making any unnecessary generalizations (which are, in my mind almost always false!) I've noticed that African-American men are big fans of bigger derrieres. Listen to rap songs or watch the videos, if you have any doubt. Those dancers are seriously shaking their tailfeathers. Big tailfeathers.

So maybe boriken is right -- it depends on your goal in dancing. If you're a competitor or performer, or a ballerina or a ballroomer, thin may be in. But in the club doing salsa or hip hop, well, who knows. What do you think?
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I'm rican and I hear a lot of people refer to latinos liking thick women. However, I must mention that thick doesn't mean over weight. A lot of people mis-use the word, they fool themselves into thinking that they are thick and not over wieght. A thick girl is one with shapely muscular body and with somewhat minimun body fat. Not the over chuncky girl people think latinos like. We don't. We like the meaty girls, but we can't confuse meaty with over weight. I myself like skinnier women and I know more than my share of skinny latinas who can shake it like no one's business. That is because I live in a place where latinos are all shapes, sizes and colors and have see it as the norm as opposed to what mainstream america sees.

BTW... Those ladies shaking their bootty at high speeds on TV are called rump shakers. =)

Yeap, pygmalion, in the social dancing body type or weight is relatively un important, at least to me.
 
I agree that in terms of social dancing, appearance doesn't really matter. Well, except for the fact that all eyes will be on the toned dancers who know how to move, so maybe from an attention-grabbing perspective it matters, but not from a lead/follow point of view.
 
I haven't really seen all overweight hispanics. I live usually in Los Angeles, and although I am often called skinny, I'm far from being a stick! I mean nice thick thighs and hips when I say "thick." You're right, salsero, over weight isn't the same thing. I just see way fewer sticks is all, but many toned lovely women with curves. Yay curves!
 
I do not care what you look like . . . tall or short, fat or skinny, male or female . . . I'll dance with you if you want to dance . . . what the hell does looks have to do with dancing???

I've seen as many fat ladies compete and win as the thin ones, albeit the there are more thinner ones who compete. I believe this is because most heavier women are self-sconscious of their weight and tend to stay out of the limelight, so to say (my opinion only)!

I've also seen downright ugly (in my eyes) males win.

I've even danced with gay males.

Dancing is what I'm there for and dancing is what we'll do - Ladies, your dancing abilites, the smile, and twinkle in your eyes is what matters most to me!
 
Speaking of gay males...

(Nothing to do with bodies by the way)

But last year when the UCSD dancesport team competed at Standford, four people on the team, two girls and two guys, betted each other that the girl couple could beat the guy couple in Bronze Cha-Cha. So, the two same sex couples went onto the floor... the girls didn't get called back, but the boys did. Again. And again. And the ended up taking second place. Our coach went up to them later to explain why they only two second instead of first. He said if the judges had given them first place, there were many girls who probably would have gone out back and shot themselves. hee hee. And no, they actually weren't gay in the least!! hee hee! :lol:
 
SwinginBoo said:
It's someone who's on the verge of collapse because they are walking around in a skeleton covered with a semblance of skin.
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I think my wife, Carolyn, would disagree with you.

She is a size 1, sometimes a 2 at the most. She is not bony looking!

She works 24 x7 at her job (really), is quite a capable mother, wife, and homemaker. She walks over 2 miles everyday, and practices Prop-Am 2 to 5 times a week, and then we go dancing on weekends, and we attend every dance event that we can. Oh . . . she is in her 40s.

She may be thin, but she can out dance and out work "any person" that I know. She is just the epitome of someone that IS motivated.

Yes, there are exceptions to every situation I know. I just wish I could keep up with her. I can only hope to be thin again . . .
 
Hi,

Great thread everyone...its got me thinking about several dancers I was watching a few weeks ago. At one of the dance spots I frequent, there are these two male leads that are really fun to watch. I've seen them dance with ladies who don't know the particular style but can follow really well, and these guys make them look awesome! Both men are tall, thin and watching them is akin to seeing a conductor at a symphony...very precise movements and timing, very serious faces.

But last time I was at this particular venue, a new gentleman came to our dance, one that I'm almost certain was not a regular. Although he was quite large (at least 300 pounds), it became very evident when he stepped on the floor, that not only could he dance...but there was something about him that made the rest of the men around look pale in comparison.

As I watched this same guy dance...and I don't exactly know the word to use...he was just "smooth"...but more than that. His body was in total sync to the music..and a deaf person could have known the style he was doing due to his movements (unlike some people I've watched who tend to look the same during different dances).

And the aura this man exuded...he had a smile that seemed to cover his body from head to toe...he loved to dance and it showed! The women were lining up to dance with him...and I saw his skill in dancing as something to aspire to myself. Perhaps he wasn't as quick as some of the thinner guys...but he had soul and rhythm, and watching him and his partners wasn't like watching a conductor lead a band...rather it was two people dancing as one. 8)

Best,

SG
 
Great description and account SG...

Last Friday night there was an older Cuban style couple at my local salsa spot… nothing flashy or what anyone would consider “advanced” by any stretch of the imagination… but man, more flavor then any of the more “accomplished” dancers by a mile!
 
interesting thread.

i've been dancing for almost four years, and as the addiction took hold, have been dancing more and more (been five or more nights a week for about a year now). and although i was eating really healthy for the most part, i wasn't losing any weight.

am 53 years old, menopausal and even though dancing was making me fitter and fitter it wasn't until i started dropping weight (through major eating changes) that i began to feel "light on my feet."

i've lost a bunch of weight since september first and have dropped one or two sizes. my hips, knees and feet are happier (less aches), i'm dancing better (i think) and i'm much happier about the way my body looks...a sleeker look better matching the internal excitement i have about the dance.

i will confess to a bias here...i know i like myself better thinner (concomitantly struggle with self-hatred when heavier). only hope that i can like myself just as well if some of those pounds sneak back onto my frame.

it's pervasive and insidious, this cultural "thin is good, heavy means you got something to fix."

hooray for all of us for getting off our butts and taking whatever risks we each had to take to be present for all this fun and joy.
 
suek said:
interesting thread.

i've been dancing for almost four years, and as the addiction took hold, have been dancing more and more (been five or more nights a week for about a year now). and although i was eating really healthy for the most part, i wasn't losing any weight.
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Oddly enough the opposite occurs to me - it doesn't seem to matter what or how much I eat, the only thing that seems to change my body is the amount and sort of excercise I do. I dropped a couple of dress sizes by crashing my car and having to bike everywhere for 3 weeks.

Cheers
Sarah


Cheers
Sarah
 
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