I'm reading that book now. I started reading it on Saturday and it really makes you think. It also makes you very thankful. I know its not about ballet but I still think its intteresting.
To answer someone's question about if its controversial... probably not as much as it is in figure skating and gymnastics. Some of the things they deal with, dancers don't have to. Like the book talks about how a gymnast goes through years of training for hundreds of thousands of dollars and rarely does it pay off because many don't make the Olympics.. and even the ones that do... well, the only 2 gymnasts that have been able to live off of their Olympic medals were Mary Lou Retton and Nadia Comaneci (sp?). But you don't have to worry about that w/ballet because it is an art, not a competition. Although eating disorders are a big deal in the dballet world... its not as accepted anymore like it still is in gymnastics because its not only a child's art. Gymnastics has gone from a sport for early twenty year olds and now its mid teens and many as small as a twelve year old. In ballet its ok to be a developed woman and you do not have to be toothpick thin because its not only for young teens but mainly for
young adults.
If you have any more questions- ask, cuz I am reading the book
Scottie
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Little Girls in boxes????
Started by
Guest_Juls_*
, Feb 28 2000 07:03 PM
14 replies to this topic
#1 Guest_Juls_*
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I remember a while back someone suggested a book like little girls in boxes or something ?
I know that's not it, if you remember please post it!!!
#2 Guest_Veronika_*
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The book you're talking about is Little Girls in Pretty Boxes, by Joan Ryan.
#3 Guest_Veronika_*
#4 Guest_Rayna_*
#6 Guest_ballerina14_*
#7 Guest_Veronika_*
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Some corrections:
-the book was written fairly recently
-Bela Karolyi is romanian
-the book is not *about* Bela, although he does figure prominently in it for (if you know anything at all about gymnastics) obvious reasons (he pretty much WAS US gymnastics for a long time)
-the book gives a pretty unrealistic view of the gymnastics world. many of the coaches/gymnasts/etc. who were interviewed by the author were very upset when the book was published because they felt that their words had been taken out of context and twisted, as well as stories that are stated in the book as absolute fact and are actually second- or third-hand accounts.
#8 Guest_Rayna_*
#9 Guest_ballerina14_*
#10 Guest_Veronika_*
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However, if you've ever read any complete interviews with either Strug or Zmeskal (or almost any of his gymnasts), they will say that overall, it was worth it and they'd do it all again. Gymnastics, like ballet, is a tough profession (most of the best elite gymnasts are paid by the US Gymnastics federation), and of course, if you want to be the best, it's not always going to be fun and easy going. By the way, I'm actually not a huge fan of Karolyi, but I do know that overall, the book exaggerates the size of some of the problems that exist in elite gymnastics.
Okay, I'm sorry this is completely off the topic of ballet now
#11 Guest_RozeToze_*
#12
- Member
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- 5 posts
New Member
Posted 01 March 2000 - 05:57 PM
Scottie,
unfortunately I am going to have to disagree with your statement about eating disorders no longer being acceptable in the dance world. in some ways it is almost worse than gymnastics because it is adults dancing and not children, as far as professional companies go. most dancers in companies do not have figures, as the normal woman would, there are no curves.
Eating disorders are extremely common for a large part because dancers spend an unnatural amount of time looking at themselves in the mirror each day. the time spent in class is spent studying your line and how your body looks. amy person would be selfconcious about their looks after that much examination.
Also, some companies and dance schools still have "weigh ins" for their dancers and those that do not meet their required weight are often put on probation.
beth
unfortunately I am going to have to disagree with your statement about eating disorders no longer being acceptable in the dance world. in some ways it is almost worse than gymnastics because it is adults dancing and not children, as far as professional companies go. most dancers in companies do not have figures, as the normal woman would, there are no curves.
Eating disorders are extremely common for a large part because dancers spend an unnatural amount of time looking at themselves in the mirror each day. the time spent in class is spent studying your line and how your body looks. amy person would be selfconcious about their looks after that much examination.
Also, some companies and dance schools still have "weigh ins" for their dancers and those that do not meet their required weight are often put on probation.
beth
#13
- Member
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- 21 posts
Member
Posted 02 March 2000 - 08:27 AM
BethJ-
I understand that. I'm not saying that eating disorders are nonexistent in dance but it has been my experiences that it is not as bad as it used to be perhaps? I mean there has been so much more info on eating disorders and much more steps taken to prevent them. I personally think that having an eating disorder would be a worse trial for you in gymnastics because your body is already doing things that are difficult and in a lot of cases extremely weird and the wear and tear eventually combines w/ the horrible eating habits and makes them so weak. I suppose the same thing happens with dancers because of the already active person is not nourishing themselves correctly. I would like to say that the only info I was really talking about was from the book so I guess I may have a biased opinion. But overall, I think dance is so much better for you than gymnastics... It's harder to make it as a gymnast and even when you do its such a hard time w/ too many struggles physically, emotionally, and mentally. Dance can be enjoyed for much longer because you're performing but not competing.
Any way- sorry if I confused anyone or had some wrong info
Scottie
I understand that. I'm not saying that eating disorders are nonexistent in dance but it has been my experiences that it is not as bad as it used to be perhaps? I mean there has been so much more info on eating disorders and much more steps taken to prevent them. I personally think that having an eating disorder would be a worse trial for you in gymnastics because your body is already doing things that are difficult and in a lot of cases extremely weird and the wear and tear eventually combines w/ the horrible eating habits and makes them so weak. I suppose the same thing happens with dancers because of the already active person is not nourishing themselves correctly. I would like to say that the only info I was really talking about was from the book so I guess I may have a biased opinion. But overall, I think dance is so much better for you than gymnastics... It's harder to make it as a gymnast and even when you do its such a hard time w/ too many struggles physically, emotionally, and mentally. Dance can be enjoyed for much longer because you're performing but not competing.
Any way- sorry if I confused anyone or had some wrong info
Scottie
#14 Guest_Allison74th_*
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First of all...i know someone who's a gymnast and she said that the book really really magnified the things that they went through. she said that isn't how it is for them at all. sure it's not easy, but what is??
AND...about the eating disorders thing...i think that in order to fall into habits like that (and i know from experience) there have to be other things wrong in your life than just wanting to achieve the perfect ballerina body. i guess that ballet places an added preasure on you to be thin, but eating disorders go beyond the desire to lose weight. they are just the surface ornamintation for a deeper problem. i guess...i think it would be interesting to find out if statistically there are more girls with eating disorders who are dancers/gymnasts/figure skaters/models than there are "normal" girls. maybe i'll try to look into it.
anyway...i think that's all
oh yeah, i wanted to say that dance is an art and gymnastics is a sport. people's reasons for persuing each are different. i could go on, but i won't right now.
#15 Guest_satinslipper134_*
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