How much should a ballet dancer weigh?

Question

I am 5'4, 5'5, and wanted to know how much I should weigh for ballet. I am 14 years old.

Answer 1

Do not listen to some of these people! Being 95-100 pounds at your height is unhealthy! It is true that ballerinas should be long and lean but they are also extremely muscular, and muscle weighs much more than fat. So a ballerina at your height probably shouldnt weigh more than 130 but dont stress over it.

Answer 2

what ever you do, dont go under weight. Just make sure you are strong and healthy- that way you will dance better (:

Answer 3

when I was 14, I was about 5'2.5" and 100 lbs (finally!). so if you're 5'4" 5'5" I'd say 120-130. It also depends on you're build, how your muscle develops, and how you're fat is distributed. I'd say, work diligently, super hard in class and eat properly (no junk food, and at least breakfast lunch and dinner) and you'll be whatever size you ought to be!

ps, some people are naturally skinny and can be 5'4" flat and weigh 115. everyone's body type is different, svetlana zakharova is different from polina semionova, tho they are both too skinny! (but such excellent dancers!!!)

Answer 4

just be skinny. it doesnt matter what your wait is.

Answer 5

i dance everything

i am 14 almost 15 and 5'5 and

weigh about 100

but i dont think it really matters

you just need muscle..

Answer 6

dancers are supposed to be long and lean

you should weigh a little more because of the muscle in your legs/core/arms

Answer 7

im 5'6" and im 125, but i also have 15% body fat, it depends on your bady mass index. Go to a gym!

Answer 8

It really depends if you are naturally skinny or not. The range could be anywhere near 110-130. And if you're a little below that or a little over that, it doesn't make it a bad thing.

I'm 5'4-5'5 too and I weigh 111. Remember you have muscle though! And I'm also naturally skinny and am tiny but tall. Keep eating healthy, but don't constantly watch your weight.

Answer 9

When I was in ballet at 13-14 I was 5'6'' I weighed 100 lbs. I had the body of a ballet dancer though, which meant  I was super skinny ahhahaha. I'm 15 now, and I haven't danced in around a year, I'm 115 now =(

I was also doing ballet 13 hours a week.

Answer 10

ballerinas are usually under weight so I'll say 95 pounds for your height don't be unhealthy though

Answer 11

There is no specific weight for ballet dancers.  Although you may think that you have to be really skinny, because you see all the professionals, and they are twigs with muscle.  But so many professionals smoke so they aren't hungry, have eating disorders, or don't eat a healthy diet, so they suffer from malnutrition.  Having a healthy weight is important, and as long as you are eating right and are exercising, however much you weigh when you are doing what is right for your body is a healthy weight.

Answer 12

i know exactly how u feel! i'm 13 and im a ballet dancer. it matters a LOT wat ur body type is, how much mucsle u have, all that stuff. i'm naturally strong, so ballet made me pretty muscley and i weigh about 103. i'm short though, so ur range might b more around 110, 120. it all matters. ask ur dance teacher, they shuld b able 2 tell u. but b careful, there r a lot of dancers out there who become bulimic or anorexic cuz of the pressure ballet puts on u 2 stay skinny...

Answer 13

109-147

Answer 14

Hi Mia,

Most classical ballet companies look for body types for female dancers with the following measurements:

Height: 5’2” to 5’8”

Weight: 85-115 lbs

Long neck in proportion to rest of body

Small bust

Narrow hips

Small posterior

Slim thighs that appear to be about the same width as calves

Thin ankles and long feet

Small head

Slightly sloping shoulders that are wider than hips

Straight back with slim waistline, with torso neither too long nor too short in proportion to rest of body

Long arms and hands

Long straight legs with slight hyper-extension and minimal visible muscular bulk

Well-arched foot with all toes approximately the same length

Other criteria include:

Natural turnout

Long Achilles tendon for deep demi-plié

Flexible lower back for arabesques and backbends

Well-stretched hamstrings for high extension

Squared-off toes for better distribution of the weight en pointe

The ideal measurements of a professional male dancer are as follows:

Height: 5’9” to 6’2”

Weight: 135-165 lbs

Straight back and slim waistline

Narrow hips

Small posterior

Thigh muscles slightly larger than calves

Straight legs

Average head with long neck in proportion to rest of body

Wide shoulders, without overly developed trapezius muscles

Torso neither long nor short in proportion to rest of body

Long arms and hands

Leg muscles not overly bulky

Long, moderately arched feet

The same criteria that apply to women with regard to turnout and length of Achilles tendon also apply to men. However, it is not as important for men as it is for women to have great flexibility in the hamstrings and lower back. Men are rarely required to perform the extremely high extensions of the leg that are considered essential to a female dancer’s technique. For most male dancers, stretching the legs to the point of extreme flexibility is considered counterproductive because it can hinder the development of the strong leg muscles necessary for grand allegro technique, the most important virtuoso aspect of male dancing. Considerable upper-body, arm, and lower-back strength are also essential for men. Auxiliary exercises (such as push-ups) outside the classroom are necessary to develop the extra strength needed for partnering, or pas de duex, work. Weight lifting in excess is NOT recommended as it can produce overdeveloped, bulky-looking muscles with limited flexibility.

Since men are not required to dance en pointe, the extreme hyper-mobility of the ankle joint essential for female dancers is not as important as a prerequisite for them. Indeed, an overly arched foot is sometimes considered undesirable for male dancers, because it may appear somewhat feminine.

Common Variations in Body Types

LEGS

The two common leg configurations, hyper-extended legs and “bowed” legs, may be corrected by exercising certain muscles and making adjustments in proper alignment and weight distribution. A knowledgeable ballet instructor or a dance therapist should be consulted for the appropriate exercises to help overcome such structural problems.

PROPORTIONS OF THE TORSO

IN regard to classical line, neither a short waist or a long waist is aesthetically preferable; but it is not uncommon for excellent professional dancers to have such proportions. Neither type is considered a hindrance to the development of technical strength.

TYPES OF FEET

Beautifully arched feet are not only crucial to a dancer’s line, but are also essential for relevé and/or pointe work. In order to receive a vertical position of the foot en pointe, as well as to rise to a three-quarter position on demi-pointe, the combination of the ankle and the instep must be hyper-mobile. This hyper-mobility is produced by three joints working together: the ankle, the subtalar joint beneath the ankle, and the midtarsal joint. Hyper-mobility is something with which an individual is naturally endowed, and it is highly valued in the classical ballet world. “Good feet” are always noticed in a ballet audition! It should be noted that little can be done to increase looseness in tight, relatively inflexible insteps; the study of classical ballet is therefore not recommended for persons with such feet.

A simple test for evaluating the suitability of a person’s feet for classical ballet is the following. Sit on the floor with the legs stretched out straight in front of the body. Keeping the knees taut, point the foot, pressing the big toe down toward the floor. If the ball of the foot can reach a point closer to the floor than the ankle bone, the foot is suitably flexible for ballet. The left and the right foot should be evaluated separately.

Good luck and hope this helped. Remember, you can always feel free to contact me with further questions.♥

Answer 15

It really doesn't matter how much u weigh, who i know this is because I  do it my self and I'm 16, 5'31/2 and 170ponds.I use it to loss weigh and to stay in shape.

Answer 16

i do a little ballet i'm 13, 5ft 3in  90lbs

Answer 17

Your healthy weight range is anywhere from about 95-140 lbs. For a ballet dancer, you should probably weight anywhere from about 100-120. Check out this website for more information:

http://kidshealth.org/teen/food_fitness/...