Iain Mackay, the new boss of the Royal Ballet School, says that audiences “want dancers they can relate to”. He doesn’t adduce any evidence for this, and I’m not sure it’s true. I rather think audiences want dancers whose elegance and athleticism enable them to create a breathtaking spectacle and a thrilling physical aesthetic way beyond the capabilities of almost everyone on the planet. Moreover, I think audiences understand that this elegance and athleticism is only achieved by rigorous training, conditioning and diet, in order to maintain a lean physique and build phenomenal stamina. As an absolute entry level precondition for excellence in ballet, a dancer cannot be overweight.
Even so, in his enthusiasm for relatability, Mackay wants to encourage more “plus-sized” ballerinas on stage.
