Body of a Ballerina
is it really all it seems?
Look appetesing?
The body of a ballerina looks extremely delicate and angelic however what goes on under the skin is a completely different matter. They follow a strict low calorie diet avoiding anything which could risk any unwanted lumps and bumps. It can also go the extreme of eating sponge so that the stomach thinks its full but no nutritional value effecting the body.
No Pain No Gain?
The phrase 'no pain no gain' is very popular in the world of ballet however this is not always true, the body can only take so much training before muscles start to become permanently damaged. A dancer’s weekly routine can consist of workouts lasting up to eight hours long, six days a week.
Dance related injuries
Pointe shoes
Pointe shoes will damage the nerves and bone structure in the feet. The shoes work by the dancer using the tips of her toes to balance on a block of bare wood. Traditionally you would use sheep’s wool to pad the toes however you can now buy 'pouches' to slip over the does.
Joint / muscle damage
Here are all the joints prone to damage, the slightest wrong movement or jolt can cause permanent damage and put an instant stop to the dancers career.
Arch slings
This piece of equipment is used to stretch the arch of the foot so the dancer gets a more defined point. The sling slowly expands the tendons and muscles in the arch of the foot.
Waist training
Waist training is only part of some dance schools, it consists of the dancer wearing a corset every day for a long period of time, and they then tighten the lace on the back of the corset daily which gradually pulls in the waist. This may give them the look they want however it means all the intestine beings squashed together in a small space which will cause damage. For some dancers this method is not suitable as they like the child like 'shapeless' figure and try not to excaudate the hips.