Customer Reviews

Dancers' Body Book

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(10)

 

 

I like this book, cause it gives great reasons to be fit and in shape, for all kinds of people (dancers, dancer wanna-be's, and non-dancers alike) It also gives lost of quotes from different dancers on their different points of view and stradegies on how to maintain a good healthy diet and physical workouts, whether that be ballet or some other kind of workout. The great thing about this book is that there are diets that are very healthy and filling, and if one can follow them successfuly than one would be sure to drop a few pounds.

The only problem that I have with this book is that it is at times contradictory of what alot of the new nutritional values are, and at times it seems to me that what some of the dancers suggest, contains an underlying tone of anorexia. But hey it was written in 1984--over 10 yrs. ago, so what do ya expect?!

I have read this book several times, and as a dancer, it actually encourages me NOT to follow the outrageous diet plans of the dancers featured in the book. Admittedly, i can relate to the desperate measures that these people will take to lose weight perhaps temporarily, for a certain ballet or an important audition. However, these are not measures that I am proud of, and frankly I find it disturbing that Ms. Kent feels free to encourage extreme behavior, especially in young people (and ESPECIALLY young dancers!) The active lifestyle of a dancer needs to be supplemented by proper nutrition; the mere mention of Susan Jaffe's summer of drinking "a lot of iced tea" to help acquire her job with American Ballet Theatre is dangerous information for aspiring, developing young girls to have their hands on. We can only hope that anyone reading this book for the first time will take it with a grain of salt, considering it was written nearly twenty years ago.

LOVED THIS BOOK AND WILL KEEP IT TO REFER BACK TO. Allegra Kent interviews many dancers on how they stay in such super good shape. She interviews Fernando Bujones, Mikhail Baryshnikof, Gelsey Kirkland and so many others! It is very inspiring and honest. Many dancers confess to weaknesses - smoking, drinking, overeating, but tell how they compensate for it. When you put all the advice together it makes for a very informative book.

The diet outlined is this book is very easy to stick with, makes you feel better about your body (especially in a leotard and tights)and actually increases your energy level tremendously. After only a couple of days I noticed a change in my appearance, and my partner actually said I felt much lighter. I would recommend this book to dancers and nondancers alike.

I bought this book mainly because it's about ballet, but after I started reading I discovered the book was more than that. The diet plan works so well and the pictures and interviews with other dancers are inspiring. I actually lost weight with this book, and always keep it on hand to refer to. Its definitly a must have.

DO NOT BUY THIS BOOK. this book promotes eating disorders, plain and simple. i'm a dancer, and i have always been thin, but the "suggestions" this book gives are absurd. dancers are very conscious of their bodies, compare themselves to other dancers and hold themselves up to high standards. this book pretty much says that a dancer who is 5'3" should be 94 pounds. this is so messed up. the book suggests a diet of 1200 calories a day. look at the titles: "why a dancer should diet: you can't hide anything in tights" and "the chain around the refrigerator." it shows a dancer ready to "feast" on garden products. besides that, this book was written in 1984. DO NOT BUY THIS BOOK.

I am a dancer and all I have to say for this book is NO!!! This book is basically telling people that you have to starve yourself to be a dancer or to look like one. And also it's giving the message that all dancers starve themselves as well!!! This is not going to accomplish anything except making yourself sick! Dancers *at least those who I know* stay in such great shape by devoting countless hours to dancing and practicing, and to eating healthy *not starving ourselves*...All in all I thought this was awful...it's promoting eating disorders and disgracing healthy dancers everywhere.

I first bought this book back in the early 80s, and gave it to my stepdaughter to help her with her weight. It took me only 25 years to replace my copy! I found myself trying to recreate the recipes and tips from memory over and over through the years. I'm so glad I was able to finally replace my copy.

I think, as a recovering anorxic/bulimic, that the book is NOT promoting anorexia. It may b e slightly triggering if read with unhealthy purposes. I found it VERY good, with interesting opinions from dancers, decent meal plans and ideas. A good read.

Anyone suffering from an eating disorder should not read this book, nor should adolescents! I am not convinced that this promotes healthy attitutes toward food, body image, and weight, and could be dangerous. For those professional ballerinas who have chosen to malnurish their bodies for the sake of their professional requirements, it may have some helpful tips. As a(non-professional)dancer, and someone who struggles with anorexia, I have discovered the world of classical ballet can be cruel to the body, and constant dieting leads to a mess of medical problems, and eating disordered behaviors associated with them. I don't need a book telling me what is a dietary, "sin," nor urging people to weigh snd examine their bodies each day. Healthy people are refered to as "heavy" in this book, as the dancer's world promotes one to be at an unhealthy weight. I returned this book, as it is toxic to me, as someone struggling with health issues.