by
Chinwe
When one visualizes a dancer, one typically doesn’t view someone like Akira Armstrong. All of that is changing, though, with the increasing visibility of Pretty Big Movement. The full-figured dance group, which was founded by Armstrong, is gradually destroying “dance body” stereotypes with each killer performance it gives.
Armstrong on people’s assumption of what a dancer looks like:
When people think about the stereotypical dancer’s body, they think very thin, tall, long legs, long arms. Growing up in a dance environment, I did feel like my body was a negative. I couldn’t fit costumes. My costume was always different from everyone else’s. I wanted to wear my stomach out; I have never been able to wear my stomach out. Ever.
Armstrong on her journey as a dancer:
… I was already a professional dancer. And that’s when I flew to Los Angeles. I kind of got the side-eye. Like “Who is this girl? She doesn’t really belong.” People were sitting behind the desk like “What do we do with her?” People look at you and they already judge you based on your size — “she’s not going to be able to do the job” — without giving you a chance to really prove yourself. I felt discouraged. Is it worth the heartache? Is it worth the trenches and the challenges?
I think when people doubt you in those moments when you want to give up, you think back and you really reflect like “No, I have a purpose.”
