Is There a Specific Body Shape for Dance?

Many people have asked themselves this question and immediately decided that there's no way that they could pick up dance. From my perspective, anybody can ballroom dance even if you think you have two left feet; there's a reason why ballroom dancing is social dancing. No doubt, dance is a type of exercise and can enhance mental clarity and positive emotions. Nobody should be turned away for being too big. I would encourage all to give it a try for fun.

Now, people come up to me and ask if their child is physically is suitable for dance. In all honesty, I don't know. First of all, I believe children should be exposed to as many sports as possible, artistic or not, to find something that they, personally, are interested in. At this point of their lives, it doesn't matter what they physical appearance is. As we all know, children stretch and develop into varying body shapes. In their teens years, they may experience that magical "glow-up." Therefore, it is impossible for me to make a judgement about any child. Right dance body type or not, growing children should be maintained at a healthy BMI and should receive regular exercise, not shoveling in prepackaged TV dinners and sitting in front of a TV screen (or sitting in front of a desk completing textbook problems. Tiger parents, I see you!) all day.

What if I plan to do competitive dancing seriously? Well my dear, that changes the game. I'd be ignorant to say that any body shape will be completely successful. After all, a dancer is an idealized athlete. The image of one is as follows: a small oval shaped face (most commonly for females), a long thin neck, an overall slim figure, a short midsection, and long arms and legs. In short, a dancer should have a delicate frame that's thin and lean. However, there will be slight alterations of body shape due to the needs of the dance style. Based off of experience, if you do fit into this body type, the judges will pay more attention to you and, as a result, award more points. Usually, you will not find a professional dancer who has a physique that is too large or too small; they have the right amount of fat and muscle to achieve their look.

This blog is not meant to discourage anyone, but rather to point out that although you may not fit into this body shape, dancing will help you build that "perfect" body shape. Another reminder: I am talking about styles of dances that are more traditional and technically strict such as ballroom and ballet. I am aware that hip-hop dancers come in all shapes and sizes, because it's a fairly new style and expresses the freedom of the new generation in contrast to the more conservative styles of dance. Of course, no teacher should close their doors to an eager student who does not fit the standard. Dancing is a journey that transforms you physically into someone better. All in all, for this question, I would say no for just learning a new skill, but yes for a serious competitive dancer.