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Jenifer Ringer: Ballerina speaks out on 'one sugar plum too many' critique
"Jenifer Ringer, as the Sugar Plum Fairy, looked as if she'd eaten one sugar plum too many." This is the comment made by New York Times dance critic Alistair Macaulay in his review of the New York City Ballet's production of "The Nutcracker" that is causing an uproar. Ringer appeared on NBC's "Today" show Monday (Dec. 13) to address the situation. Ringer, 37, says, "I'm not overweight. I do have, I guess, a more womanly type than the stereotypical ballerina." Ringer, who has been very open about her past struggles with overeating and anorexia, is not asking for an apology from Macaulay. "It's his opinion," she says. "He is a critic and he's paid to put his opinion in the paper."
While she doesn't want an apology, Ringer admits it was hard to read the harsh criticism. "It's embarrassing to see something bad written about yourself in print," she says. "It did make me feel bad about myself, but I really had to tell myself it was one person's opinion out of the 2,000 that were there that night." She adds, "I was able to move forward from it."
After the backlash, Macaulay published a follow-up column, which basically served to make matters even worse when he stood his ground: "If you want to make your appearance irrelevant to criticism, do not choose ballet as a career. The body in ballet becomes a subject of the keenest observation and the most intense discussion. I am severe -- but ballet, as dancers know, is more so.''
Here's the video of Ringer's "Today" appearance:
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Photo/Video credit: NBC
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I have a few choice words for the New York Times critic, unfortunately they aren't fit for print.
Dancers are paid to make a visual performance with their bodies. Their appearance is not just relevant but crucial to performing their jobs. It's absolutely fair for any critic to criticize a dancer's body if it lets down the performance. Anyone responding with a standard kneejerk reaction about women's body weight in general is just proving how little they understand professional dance.
The critic is an major A-hole... her weight lookd perfect to me. There's nothing more disgusting than to see collar bones and ribs on ANYONE... I don't care who you are.... yes, being a fat pig is disgusting too but this dancer is a perfect body weight.
There is nothing wrong with her build and I think she handled this interview and situation with tremendous grace. She is in her late thirties and is still a beautiful and accomplished dancer. Of course she is going to have a different build than she had a decade ago.
I have to wonder why Graham feels she "let down the performance", thus justifying the critic's comments.
besides this critic, who in their right mind would look at this woman and see anything even close to resembling overweight? thats the stupidest thing ive ever heard! it almost seems like a joke its so absurd! jenifer ringer has a perfect body and did an absolutely phenominal job as the sugar plum fairy!