When you think about ballet dancers, you usually think about tall, stick-thin women twirling and twisting en pointe. It is time to change that idea though, because you do not have to be skinny to dance ballet. All you need is the right amount of passion and determination. Two things which 30-year-old Frostine Shake has a lot of.
Shake, who went to school and earned a BFA in fashion design makes a living as a make-up artist and model in Austin, Tx. She also dances, using a combination of burlesque and classical ballet to create amazing routines. But, she did not always expect to make dancing into a career.
Shake had first started taking formal ballet when she was about 6 or 7-years old, and kept up with classes for the next 10 years. However, she abandoned classes as a teen when she began feeling pressured about not being as thin as other girls. She struggled to meet her instructor’s demands, and ended up finding herself not wanting to. But, that changed after she found the burlesque-style at 18. This style allowed her to combine her love for fashion, dance, music, and art in an extremely body-positive way.
But, as she explored the world of burlesque dancing, she found herself incorporating a lot of ballet moves and methods into her dances. So, to help her improve and brush up on some of her old skills, she got some help from old dance friends who gave her some refresher courses, which helped her to find her love for the style once again. Dancing became a large part of her daily life and helped her to feel alive and learn to love her body even more.
While she wishes she had realized how much the world would change when she is younger, she loves how the world is becoming more accepting of different body types. This is especially true for young plus size women, who no longer have to be so ashamed of their bodies. But, she still makes a point to remind young girls that they should never feel ashamed of their body or give up on things they love. In this world anything is possible with a little passion and determination.
Shake is also proof that is never to late to reawaken your love for something, or even try something new. So, never let someone tell you that you cannot do something you love because of your size. Size is just a number, after all.
This is the year of plus size women without a doubt. It started with Ashley Graham becoming the first plus size woman to be featured on Sport’s Illustrated Swimsuit Edition. There was also Ashley Nell Tipton who was Project Runway’s first contestant to feature a plus-size clothing line, now making its JC Penney’s debut. Dana Falsetti has become an inspirational yogi. Eda Marbury has shown that a plus-size woman can pole dance. Now with Frostine Shake’s ballet talent, is there anything plus size women cannot do?
See Also:
We May Be “Fat”, But We Are Not Lazy
Valerie Sagun – Most Inspiring Plus-Size Yogi who Inspires Many People
