Her body, which has provided much food for thought, is, in its natural standing state, a different kind of body than one would expect to see on a ballet dancer. She is S-shaped, from the side. Her shoulder carriage is bent forward while her upper back curves back to make the top of the "S", her hips completing the shape by tilting first forward, then slightly back at the top of her leg. I was a bit astonished at this when she walked to the barre for class. [She was guesting for Nutcracker (as Snow Queen and lead in Waltz of the Flowers) with the Canadian Ballet Theatre and took class with the advanced students (as did Svetlana Lunkina). We have big windows to watch from.]
I wondered how she would straighten that strange shape when she began to work out. The transformation was at the first plié, of course, and everything pulled up and out, as it should. She was bone thin, but her bones themselves are larger than Lunkina's bones, for example. That is why she gives a larger appearance on stage, I guess. Her waist is actually quite small, her hips narrow, but the shoulders seem to be what focus the observer.
Her height was somewhat of a detriment on the small stage we saw her on at Toronto's Wintergarden Theatre. It's more of a boutique theatre, certainly not intended for ballet, and Part covered its expanse in two grand jetés, ending right by the wing from which she left the stage. She needs to be seen on a large stage that she can really use to be appreciated. The audience only gave her polite applause, except for me!, and I was disappointed that she was not seen for the great artist she is. Lunkina, in the main role, brought down the house.
As to her physical stature next to that of Gillian Murphy, she is taller and bigger-boned. Her curvaceousness also gives her more dimension in comparison to Murphy, for example, who is more flat-shaped, back and front, as well as in her leg and foot. (I've seen her take class, too.) Part has curves happening up and down her body. Her arms and hands do wondrous things with their ability to form shapes, her legs are ideally curved and toned -- she has the much desired "ballet leg" -- her feet are sensually curvy. There's nothing linear about her!
I, too, wish ABT gave the audience more of her as she clearly has an unofficial claque -- rather, "fan club"-- and, it better be soon, given her advancing years.
