Tandem

Moscow's Bolshoi Theatre is embroiled in a high-profile row with an ice-cream-loving ballerina it says is too heavy for ballet partners to lift.

Anastasia Volochkova, one of Russia's best-known ballerinas, says the theatre telephoned her 12 hours before she was due to perform in Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake last week telling her not to turn up.

She says she has been sacked.

But the prestigious theatre denies dismissing her.

It says it has offered her a new contract but cannot find her a partner for ballets that require lifting.

"None of the male soloists at the Bolshoi Theatre agrees to dance with her, particularly in her current physical state," Bolshoi Theatre director Anatoly Iskanov said.

Volochkova, who is taller than most ballerinas, admits being partial to ice-cream although she opts for the lower-fat option of frozen yoghurt.

"I love ice cream so much that I can't imagine life without it," she said.

-- Reuters

Redlemon

I saw pictures of her on FARK.COM. She is NOT fat. Nowhere near it. The male dancers are wusses.

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Lyaec123

Haha, you think that any guy who does Ballet is going to be big and manly? Come on JK, im sure there are some incredibly ripped Russian dudes out there who do Ballet.

sexymama

I say higher a stronger male dancer rather than sacking her. Seriously, there must be "more to the story."

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Macheath

I saw the pictures; she is damn fine. I think this is just a case of the traditional ballet "establishment" having some weird old authoritarian ideas about what womens bodies are supposed to be like.

lady

Maybe it's more an issue of her height, cause it can't possibly be her weight.

lady

Saw another article that says she's 6'.

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phredgreen

which is massive in the world of ballet... petite and lithe are the name of the game, so it's not a suprise that they aren't willing to work with her... it'd mess up their male dancers to have them have to completely change their style for one dancer. it ruins the whole idea of interchangability.

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Jdoe

My apologies for bumping this, I was about to post as I just heard about it. But a search showed it had been covered. But my main point hasn't been mentioned.

I absolutely LOVE this bit of irony:

Bolshoi is russian for big. Love it!

Jdoe