READERS' FORUM.

Send your letters to Readers' Forum, Dance Magazine, 33 West 60th St., New York, NY 10023, or e-mail us at [e-mail]. Letters must be signed with name, city, and state and Include a weekday telephone or fax number for confirmation. Letters become the property of Dance Magazine, which reserves the right to edit them.

NONPROFIT HEROES

Congratulations to the outstanding group of recipients of the 1999 Dance Magazine Awards. I know most of them and believe that they are deserving of such prestigious recognition.

At the risk of sounding self-serving, I recommend that your selection committee seriously consider recognizing the very best of the nonprofit presenters of dance in the United States and beyond. These are the folks who raise considerable sums of money for dance company artist fees and enable countless dance companies to be seen beyond their home communities. Presenters of dance take enormous, financial risks--and losses--because they believe in the art form. Many of them nurture dance company careers and commission works by the better choreographers.

Obvious leading dance presenters include the American Dance Festival, Jacob's Pillow, Dance St. Louis, the Pittsburgh Dance Council, and others who present a balance of classical, contemporary, and modern dance, as well as companies from other countries.

Toby Mattox, Executive Director Society for the Performing Arts Houston, Texas 

BALLET BODIES

It is disturbing to see how far some dance teachers go to encourage the stereotypical "waiflike" appearance of ballet dancers. I think ballet should be filled with dancers of all body types.

Dance is about expression. It shouldn't be about body type. I hope, in the twenty-first century, artistic directors will realize this fact and change their outdated ideas on casting.

Elizabeth via e-mail