Frostine Shake: The dancer who left ballet because she was 'too big' and returned as a plus size ballerina

'My body was not like other girls in my class. I felt an unrealistic pressure to be thin'

Taking up ballet at the age of six, Shake revelled in the sport as a young girl but this changed once she hit puberty (Instagram)

Ballet is not famed for showcasing diverse physiques. The industry comprises of one type of female body: the slender, fiercely athletic frame of ballerinas. As such, this conventional ideal of a ballet dancer's body shape remains firmly and historically imprinted on the public imagination.

But there is an exception to the rule, and that is Iliana Vera. The 30-year-old Texan native known as ‘Frostine Shake’ blows most ballet stereotypes out the water. Shake might be a classically trained ballerina but she defies all traditional expectations.

Amalgamating ballet with burlesque dancing, Shake is a plus size ballerina, a rare feat in an industry dominated by one size and one body type. Despite giving up ballet because she was deemed 'too big', she returned to it later in life and has danced as a solo performer on both local and international stages.

However, it wasn’t a straightforward or painless path. Shake revelled in the sport as a young girl, taking up ballet at the age of six, but this changed once she hit puberty.

“I didn’t feel like I fitted in,” she told The Independent. “My body was not like other girls in my class. I could sense the rejection of my body type in conversation. I felt an unrealistic pressure to be thin”.

She said she struggled to keep up with the pressure her ballet teachers exerted on her and eventually decided she no longer wanted to keep up. “I quit at 16. Around this time, I started listening to The Ramones and the New York Dolls - I still do. I guess it was my rebellious nature that made me refuse to conform.”

But after bowing out from ballet, her interest in dance didn’t die. At the age of 18 she started to explore burlesque dancing and other alternative styles which allowed her to express herself at her size and from a body-positive angle.

“This is what led me to become a burlesque performer,” she explains. “Burlesque showcased not just my love of dance, but also my interest in art, music, costume, fashion, rock n roll, makeup, and theatre. It was discipline and freedom in another form.”

After a period of time, Shake then chose to return to her roots and incorporate ballet into her burlesque dancing. Many of the old ballet friends she’d once danced with became instructors and were able to help her relearn the trade.

“While I always did what I wanted - I also learned from my mistakes. I am in no way a professional ballerina,” she adds. “I still love the art form and I incorporate some elements of ballet into my current routines.”

Shake has clearly mastered her pointe technique. In many of her Instagram photos she can be witnessed flaunting her pointe work - the classical ballet technique which involves supporting the entirety of your body weight on the tips of your toes.

One important aspect of dancing for Shake is spurring other women who may have ruled ballet out a long, long ago. “I think people feel connected to some of my ballet inspired photos,” she reflects. “Because it gives them hope to do anything you want to do, at any age, any size, or any time in your life.”

What’s more, Shake believes it is imperative women are exposed to a range of physiques. “More than one type of body exists, and there is no reason why more bodies shouldn’t be represented and celebrated.”

In terms of burlesque dancing, Shake is best known for setting up burlesque troupe Black Satin back in 2007 with fellow dancer Sin O Rita in southern Texas. It must be noted that Shake is known for more than her dancing. She also works as a model, makeup artist and a fashion designer.

“I continue to model and work with photographers to further the message of body positivity on a grander scale, and hopefully inspire others on the way. I would love to use my degree to start a body positive clothing line, for example, or work with an already-established designer to provide clothes for a wider range of body types.”