Meet 5 Performers Who Are Tackling Dance's Body-Diversity Issue
For Decades, Thin has been very In in the dance world. The stereotype is especially prevalent in ballet, where young dancers can feel huge pressure to be as skinny as possible. But dance’s body-diversity problem isn’t limited to the realm of leotards and tights—it’s an issue that dancers of all genres encounter. Those who don’t fit the thin ideal often find themselves shut out of professional dance, sidelined not because of a lack of talent, but because of a body directors and choreographers deem “too big.”
Thankfully, long-overdue change is—slowly but surely—coming. And we’d like you to meet five of the gifted, determined, stereotype-shattering performers leading the way. They’re living proof that talent knows no size.
Allison Buczkowski
Allison Buczkowski (photo by Danny Dicesare, courtesy Buczkowski)
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{“product_info”: {“caption”: “Buy Now”, “product_price”: 0, “product_vendor”: false, “linkout_url”: false, “product_compare_at_price”: 0}, “headline”: “Allison Buczkowski”, “credit”: “”, “description”: “u003cpu003eGrowing up, commercial dancer Allison Buczkowski never faced body-image issues. At her studio, she was accepted and treated the same as everyone elseu2014just as she should have been. “Nobody said anything about me looking different, nobody made me feel any type of way,” she says. That supportive environment helped her develop a deep-seated confidence in her abilities. u003c/pu003eu003cpu003eBut once Buczkowski entered the professional dance world, rejection became an everyday battle. In those times of frequently hearing “no,” her strong sense of self served her well, reminding her that opportunities would come her way when the timing was right. And her perseverance paid off: She became a staple in choreographer Tricia Miranda’s YouTube videos, performed with Ariana Grande, and is currently on tour with Janet Jackson. “There is no normal,” she says. “We’re all just people. I think there’s actually a spot in the industry for every single person and every single dancer, believe it or not.”u003c/pu003e”, “caption”: “u003cpu003eAllison Buczkowski (photo by Danny Dicesare, courtesy Buczkowski)u003c/pu003e”}
{“product_info”: {“caption”: “Buy Now”, “product_price”: 0, “product_vendor”: false, “linkout_url”: false, “product_compare_at_price”: 0}, “headline”: “Akira Armstrong”, “credit”: “”, “description”: “u003cpu003eAkira Armstrong’s stellar resumu00e9 includes two Beyoncu00e9 music videos, but for years she was unable to find representation at a dance agency. Tired of dealing with blatant size discrimination, she decided to make her own opportunities. In 2008, she founded the full-figured dance company Pretty BIG Movement. u003c/pu003eu003cpu003e”I’d always been a chunky girl,” Armstrong says. “What really fueled me was the rejection. Hearing ‘no,’ hearing ‘You need to lose weight’u2014it pushed me to find motivation within myself. I never let the negativity of others deter me.”u003c/pu003eu003cpu003eNow, she and her company are making waves in the international dance community. “I’m ecstatic that Pretty BIG Movement has become a trailblazer in the plus-size industry,” Armstrong says. “No two bodies are built the same. It’s very colorful for people to have their own identities.” Her advice for dancers struggling with their body image? “Dancers are so accustomed to labels, but people are ready for change,” she says. “Find love within yourself first, and once you do, everything else will fall into place.”u003c/pu003e”, “caption”: “u003cpu003e Akira Armstrong (photo by James Anthony, courtesy Armstrong)u003c/pu003e”}
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A version of this story appeared in the November 2018 issue of
Dance Spirit with the title “Dance Is For Every Body.”
