Ballerina Claims Pennsylvania Ballet Let Her Go For Being 'Too Tall'
By Steve Tawa and Nicole Brewer
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- The ballerina whose contract is not being renewed for next season by the Pennsylvania Ballet says it's a shame that the company got hung up on her "tallness."
Sara Michelle Murawski, at 5-foot-11, says she has received positive reviews from colleagues and audiences, most recently for a starring role as the Sugar Plum Fairy in the Nutcracker.
"When you make it to the high ranks in ballet, height is not supposed to be evaluated anymore. It's supposed to be about your work ethic and your dancing," said Murawski.
The 25-year-old Murawski was wooed as a principal dancer to the Pennsylvania Ballet this season by artistic director Angel Corella, himself a former dancer.
It was Corella who blindsided her with the abrupt news that her contract would not be renewed, because of the programming and the budget he has set up for next season.
"The ballet repertoire next season they picked, for the principal female dancers, all-around short dancers," Murawski said.
Murawski, who was born in Norfolk, Virginia, paid her dues training in Philadelphia at the Rock School for Dance Education.
"Growing up in the states, I was told at a young age, at my height, I would have to work very hard, despite being naturally talented, because the odds are against me," she said.
She spent the previous seven years as a professional dancer in Germany and then as a soloist at the Slovak National Ballet.
Murawski points out in Europe, dance companies - and audiences - do not fixate on height issues. She says a tall person with technique is desirable, because "it's part of the aesthetic."
"Long lines, and tall are almost a necessity to them. They say a ballerina, especially a principal ballerina on the stage, how her lines look are the most important to them," said Murawski.
Pennsylvania Ballet Executive Director David Gray would not respond to questions about his principal dancer's height.
He only furnished a written statement that similar to "building a world-class sports team," there are "excellent dancers who will better fulfill their potential at different companies."
Murawski says it's been a crazy few days, and she isn't sure where she will wind up. But, she is grateful to all of the well wishers, many of whom say a 1st tier company would be a better fit.
"Some people think a bigger company would be better for me. But, at the moment, my heart was still in Philly. I loved the dancers. I loved the city. This is where I trained when I was younger at the Rock School. I love America. I don't know. I wish I could dance here," said Murawski.
"So, she doesn't fit what they're looking for," said Jon-Pierre Williams of Brooklyn, NY. "It is a business, they've gotta do what they gotta do," added Jonquill Bacon of Bowling Green, KY.
"You have to think of the overall makeup of the company," said Kat Richter, a professor of dance and cultural studies at Stockton University.
She says the dancer's stature may have made it difficult to find suitable male partners. There's also the issue of aesthetics. "A certain height, weight, even skin color unfortunately to this day," explained Richter.
And while dancers like Misty Copeland have changed the face of ballet, Richter says the image of 19th century ballet blanc or more bluntly, white women of a certain size in white tutus, remains.
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"And if you don't fit that vision, there's not going to be a place for you in that company."
It's a sense of uniformity some say needs to change. "If you're seeing a change on the runways with high fashion, we should see it in the dancing world," said Kelly Naughton of Philadelphia.
"The world of art certainly doesn't need to stay the same, it needs to change," added Frank Quattrone of Willow Grove.
For now, these issues are certainly keeping us on our toes.
