Richmond Ballet kindly specifies that they want females of 5'4" to 5'7" for auditions. Funny, but as the mother of a 5'9" DD, I've always considered Richmond for short dancers! I agree with above posters...it's all in the proportions and fluidity. I describe it as the ability to "melt like butter". And yes, body proportions are important. Whether short or tall, I love long arms and long legs, long fingers that flow, and if I'm allowed to say it, big heads make me crazy. It seems to defy the physics, and disrupt the line. Expression and musicality are also so important. Technique means nothing without it.