Too tiny???

AyaKara

New member
Most definitely! If there are little kids less than 3 ft tall BDing, I don't see why not :lol: I'm 5'4 & I'm sure that there are many ladies here around our heights so it's definitely fine :D

How long have you been dancing for? :)

EDIT: Aziyade, I had NO idea that Oreet was that small. Oh my god. :shok:
 

Misandra

New member
ahah yes, that's true, you are all right!
Truth is that my size has always been a complex for me, that's why i was asking myself this question.But now, i totally agree with you all: no matter the size!!

Well, i'm a nubbie, i bellydance only since a few months ;)
 

Zorba

"The Veiled Male"
I am a whooping 5'11''. Usually I feel like a giant compared to the other girls in my troupe that are around 5'4'' perhaps:lol:

Skirts are usually problematic as it is way easier to hem than to put more on.
Tell me about it - at 6', I often feel like friggin' Mount Everest. The only good thing about it is that I'm long in the torso, and short in the legs for my height - which means standard skirts and pants work well for me.

One of my teachers is an inch taller than me!
 

AyaKara

New member
ahah yes, that's true, you are all right!
Truth is that my size has always been a complex for me, that's why i was asking myself this question.But now, i totally agree with you all: no matter the size!!

Well, i'm a nubbie, i bellydance only since a few months ;)

I'm a newbie too! 7 weeks :lol:
 

Ahava_Melantha

New member
I am 5'2". I currently don't perform anymore, but when I used to perfrom from 15 to 19, one of my dance instructors she was 5'8 or 10, and the other one was maybe 5'

and the teacher i later danced with for 2 years or so - she was 6'. so dance is for all body shapes and heights.

honestly I never even gave my height a 2end thought.
 

Farasha Hanem

New member
My coworkers give many a thought to my height---they keep threatening to tie a helium balloon on me so they can find me! :confused: :rolleyes: :lol:

I give thought to it every time I buy a new costume. *whacks off a mile on new skirt and rehems it*
 

Shanazel

Moderator
One of my best friends in high school was 3'4" (yes, we looked like Mutt and Jeff with a full 15" difference in height). When she bought her first prom dress, I took the fabric that got whacked off the bottom and made her a very elegant stole.

You petite types could save all that whacked off fabric to make a very fancy throw, a crazy quilt, or an elegant jacket of many colors.
 

Farasha Hanem

New member
One of my best friends in high school was 3'4" (yes, we looked like Mutt and Jeff with a full 15" difference in height). When she bought her first prom dress, I took the fabric that got whacked off the bottom and made her a very elegant stole.

You petite types could save all that whacked off fabric to make a very fancy throw, a crazy quilt, or an elegant jacket of many colors.

:shok: Arm and head bannnnnnnnnnds! :D Why didn't I think of that?? :doh: :wall: :rolleyes: Thank you, Shan! :D *hugs!*
 

AndreaSTL

New member
Aziza and Nourhan Sharif aren't all that tall, but they project like hell. Given the same technical proficience I really do believe it's your attitude and confidence that can carry a dancer through, not her height.
 

Amulya

Moderator
Good gracious, at 5'7" I'm beginning to wonder if I am too tall to dance. :D


That's not tall. I'm the same height and consider it average. But maybe depends on where one lives? In Australia people tend to be on the shorter side, but in Holland I'm short.
 

Amulya

Moderator
Tell me about it - at 6', I often feel like friggin' Mount Everest. The only good thing about it is that I'm long in the torso, and short in the legs for my height - which means standard skirts and pants work well for me.

One of my teachers is an inch taller than me!


Long torso is handy in belly dance. Mine is short compared to my legs and I can look very short waisted if I am not super slim. A longer torso emphasises movements I think.
 

gypsy

New member
I never thought about height being an issue in belly dance. World wide, any woman over 4'10 is tall. And as was mentioned, many greats are not very tall, for example I met Aziza and she is shorter than me and I'm 5'3.
 

Roshanna

New member
I'm 6'1". Having a long torso is nice and shows movements well, but it's a real pain having to get all my skirts and trousers custom made.

Also, everything is easier physically when you are short. Your body and limbs weigh less and take less effort to support and move around. A longer arm or leg also effectively means that when you lift a limb, the part of the lever with the weight on is even further from the point you're applying a force to, which means that even lifting the same weight (e.g. a sword) is harder work (Kinetic Anatomy 3E: Levers work to create movement in the human body). Level changes are easier as a short person because you're lighter and have less distance to travel through. This is why tall people can't be ballerinas, I believe (in particular, because we can't jump as high relative to our own height). Little people, physics is on your side!
 

Dunyah

New member
I haven't read through the whole thread, so apologies if someone has already mentioned her. Eva Cernik is one of my all-time favorite dancers. She is tiny, less than 5 feet. She has no problem filling an entire stage with her presence and her beautiful dancing. Here is Eva doing a Turkish Rom style dance on a bare stage, and filling the space with her wonderful energy:

Eva Cernik Romani1 - YouTube

So don't let being short stop you from expressing your passion for dance!
 

Sharee

New member
I'm 5'6.5'' (AKA, pretty average height in this country) and sometimes when I attend workshops I feel like a giant! There are a lot of petite dancers out there, especially in the professional scene. I'd even say they are a majority, or at least close to it.

For inspiration, I'd look at Saida. She is super tiny, but looks very tall on stage due to her lines and stage presence.

What's a lot more rare is dancers who are very tall (5'9'' and above). They exist of course, as there is no such thing as too short OR too tall for belly dance. But it seems a lot harder to find dancers who are much taller than average than finding dancers who are much shorter than average. A few tall ones who come to mind are Ju Marconato and Sharon Kihara.

I love Saida!! I am tiny but I know she's taller than me. haha But how tall do you think she is? :)
 
I ve decided to post a question so i can have your opinion about this: do you think that tiny girlz can bellydance as the tall ones?
I ask myself this coz i have to admit I'm a tiny one(around 5'2" :lol:), and this is a real debate in my head...What are your opinions about that?

Ahem (drawing myself up to my full height), 5'2" is not short. It's petite.

My belly dance teacher is shorter than me - under 5'. She is the most amazing teacher and an absolutely gorgeous dancer.
Cynthia, Sydney belly dancer
 

Zumarrad

Active member
I'm 6'1". Having a long torso is nice and shows movements well, but it's a real pain having to get all my skirts and trousers custom made.

Also, everything is easier physically when you are short. Your body and limbs weigh less and take less effort to support and move around. A longer arm or leg also effectively means that when you lift a limb, the part of the lever with the weight on is even further from the point you're applying a force to, which means that even lifting the same weight (e.g. a sword) is harder work (Kinetic Anatomy 3E: Levers work to create movement in the human body). Level changes are easier as a short person because you're lighter and have less distance to travel through. This is why tall people can't be ballerinas, I believe (in particular, because we can't jump as high relative to our own height). Little people, physics is on your side!

I am so glad whenever this is pointed out to me. Yes, I have a very heavy (and short) torso anyway, but the fact it's supported by long thinnish limbs makes for some difficulties. It's nice to know it's not only due to my obesity issues.
 
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