Curtain up.

As dancers, our most intimate relationship is with our own bodies. We take class, rehearse, and perform, all dependent on how every cubic inch of our bodies look and function. But it's more than that. It's also how we feel about our bodies, because that affects performance. Too often, we compare our bodies to those we admire. We always think someone else has a "better" body. And we sometimes hear about a dancer who has a "perfect" body. But what does that mean? Perfect for what? In "The Myth of the Perfect Body," Nancy Alfaro talks to seven top-notch dancers, each of whom could be seen as having a perfect body (by some mysterious standard), and learns that they too are, at times, critical of their bodies.

The media bombards us with images of sleek and sexy bodies that can make any woman feel inadequate. In the dance world, the pressure to be thin is especially intense. The willpower of an aspiring dancer--usually such a positive force--when applied to the goal of getting skinny, can become dangerous.

Our segment on anorexia includes Amanda Smith's article on the growing awareness among teachers, plus a guideline of telltale signs of the disorder. We also have a wrenching first-person account from former dancer Eda Holmes, and a heartfelt plea from Gelsey Kirkland to honor artistry over body image.

From a different corner comes Theresa Ruth Howard, a feisty African American dancer who challenges the narrow expectations of the ballet body in her "Rant & Rave."

In terms of keeping dancers' bodies functioning at a high level, we wanted to give you first-hand information. Dance medicine specialist Gigi Berardi interviewed dancers who've been around the block a few times and got their best advice for avoiding injury. And we also bring you recommendations for injury-prevention from the esteemed Harkness Center for Dance Injuries.

But let's remember that the dancer's body is more than the sum of its parts. It is an instrument of expression, both for the dancer and the choreographer. It sounds like a contradiction, but your body must be in excellent working condition so that you can forget about your body and express yourself. After all, when a great dancer gives a memorable performance, it's not because of her body alone, but what she brings to the performance, body and soul.

Wendy Perron, Editor IN CHIEF

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