are short people better dancers?

Question

the tall peeps on "dancing with the stars" always seem gangly and clumsy, the shorties can dance their butts off. is this pretty much universal?

Answer 1

I wouldn't make a generalization that short people are better dancers, but many short dancers are very successful. I see what you see on Dancing with the Stars, they are very clumsy and often don't have good form.



For ballet, it is can be beneficial because it gives you more room on stage for your leaps, turns, etc. and the lifts are easier for your partner. We've got less to move around. I'm sure for any other dance you could find positive affects of being short, just as you could for being tall.



I've seen great tall dancers and horrible tall dancers; I've seen great short dancers and horrible short dancers. It differs, but I can say I am glad to be short. :)

Answer 2

Personally....I know this was asked 6 years ago, and times have changed since then. A lot. Commercial dancers nowadays are all short to average height, unless the artist specifically wants taller dancers and women, more specifically speaking. As far as the athletic portion of this conversation, I say shorter dancers have it easier when it comes to gaining strength and skill. Just because they don't have as much limb to carry around. And it's easier to pick up their lightweight body and go. You know all of those 10 year old AMAZING dancers like Sophia Lucia? How do you think she's so great? Of COURSE, talent. But she's also only like what, 60 pounds! Look at how easy it is to control a 60 pound body versus as 140 pound body. It just requires less training of muscle when you have less muscle. It's a fact. I'm a tall dancer. 18 years old. I STILL have trouble with my body. And I've been dancing since I was 4. I'm 5'9 1/2", so...... It's a lot harder for me.

Answer 3

No, not all short people are better dancers. a 16 year old breakdancer can totally send a 9 year old opponent into a dze even though the 9 year old willl no doubtly be much shorter. overall sense strength comes with height (usually) people who are serious dancers are coordinated, our instructor is much better than his short assistant. there are many examples that disprove that. "Dancing with the stars" is not the place to look when comparing such a ting (considering half the participants are not professionals)

Answer 4

Technically, it doesnt matter how short or tall you are, if you can dance, then you can dance. I am 5'4" and i ahve people in my class the are 4'10" all the way to 5'10" and we all dance with the same poise and grace. The tell people on dancing with the stars are mostly football and basketball stars who have spent a lot of their life training for that one sport. But lets take Stacey Kiebler, whom won the first season of dancing with that stars. She had LONG legs and she was a wrestler, but she wa also an awesome dancer. Bottom line, short people are not necisarily better dancers. Its all int he heart

Answer 5

yes, it is relatively universal. it is like how shorter people usually ski better than taller. it has to do with the proportions of their body, being closer to the ground/floor. the balance is better. one thing that makes me such a good dancer is that i am short. the old farts always say that i am what they call a natural dancer. i think i'd ski well if i were to try that.



one thing about tall dancers (fast dancing) is that their LEGS are so long that it makes for awkward steps. we shorter ones have shorter steps, therefore faster.

Answer 6

short people dancers

Answer 7

Some of the greatest dancers ever, Fred Astaire, Ginger Rodgers, Gene Kelly, Cyd Charisse etc. were not short. Ability to dance has nothing to do with height.

Answer 8

Absolutely not. Even within the exmaple of Ballroom, height doesn't make a difference. If you watch a professional Ballroom competition (no celebrities, all professionals) you will see the wide variety of heights and you will see that there is no correllation in quality of dancing. With the quality of dancing being equal, tall people actualy have an advantge in competitive ballroom because they are more noticeable to the judges.



It is just so happended that on this particluar episode of DWTS there are some tall people who look shy when they dance.

Answer 9

I am short and I cant really dance......some people are just better dancers than others.

Answer 10

i dunno, i am short and i can dance alot better than my friends who've all ended up quitting, but that could be becaus ei have more interest and dedication so i practice more. i have noticed taller people seem to have more trouble like you said, being clumsy etc. especially in tap, they seem to have trouble. my dancer teacher and her daughter are also amazing dancers and they're both short. but there would be a tall dancer in the world who is awesome, it might just seem shorties are better. i dunno.

Answer 11

i think not, because most short people are quite chubby, but a good dancer needs to be tall slim and flexible. i hope i helped!

Answer 12

I think you're right. Tall people have long limbs and it's harder for them to look graceful. The shorter people have a lower center of gravity and seem to move around with more ease and grace.

Answer 13

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Answer 14

i think on dancing with the stars the problem lies in not matching partners well with height. it is done randomly i think. but in a production dancers are matched with people that suit them well. making height less of an issue

Answer 15

Though my best friend is 5'1" and an amazing dancer, most of the time dancing (at least for ballet) is easier if you have longer limbs.

Answer 16

It might be the fact that short people could do moves quicker than tall people.

Answer 17

I think when you are shorter it is easier for you to be more graceful because it is difficult for taller people to cordinate with longer limbs

Answer 18

yeah i think so well im short and i luv dancin! lol

i do think that they have better legs to use on da floor!

Answer 19

yes, because short people seems stronger and they could faster

Answer 20

Nope, not universal.

I'm 4'7 and I can't dance for my life.

Answer 21

it depends on what style but usually long legs mean longer lines and they are what get the jobs in dance.

the ones you are looking at "dancing w/stars" are not proffessionals only the partners are.

Answer 22

no in ballet taller ppl are better dancers they are usally more graceful.

Answer 23

ya look at Shaq he is one heck of a danca

Answer 24

This puzzles me too

Answer 25

not at all its just that the idk her name but the old lady is tall and is not as well because she is older. but she still kicks butt.

im short and i realy suck at dancing.