Fat-shamed ballerina becomes a body-positivity hero

Ballet can be a cut-throat and intense world with a lot of pressure on ballerinas, something few know so well as Anastasia Volochkova. The former prima ballerina for the legendary Bolshoi Ballet in Moscow was fired from the company in 2003…because of her weight. But Volochkova hasn’t let that bump in the road get her down, and she’s just posted some new pics to her Instagram to prove it!

Back in 2003, a spokesperson for Bolshoi told the New York Times that Volochkova was let go because “she is heavy for ballerina” and “hard to lift.” Volochkova wasn’t having any of it, though, and successfully took the company to court. But although she got her job back, she wasn’t put in any productions after 2004.

So, Volochkova left Bolshoi and went out on her own, which worked out very well for her! She’s since worked as an actress and model, plus she went back to school and got an MBA in Economics. Bolshoi who?

But just because she’s moved away from dance doesn’t mean it’s not her passion, and she takes to social media to show off her amazing skills. Her Instagram is peppered with gorgeous shots of her in various poses, all of which she pulls of beautifully. It’s a great reminder that even if Bolshoi didn’t think she has what it takes to be a ballerina, she’s still got it!

(Images via)