Disney introduces a plus-sized ballerina and people have thoughts

@disneyanimation/Twitter

Disney has introduced a new character and it appears that she’s danced straight into people’s hearts.

Short Circuit is “an experimental short film program at Disney Animation” that can be viewed on Disney+. In a season two episode titled “Reflection” viewers meet a plus-sized ballerina. Surrounded by the dance studio’s mirrors, the young dancer battles with her reflection but later overcomes her own negative thoughts about her appearance.

The short film was directed by Hillary Bradfield who said that the movie is about body positivity, which got her thinking about her own body philosophy.

@disneyanimation/Twitter

“Setting the story from the dancer’s perspective seemed pretty natural and it’s a part of the craft to be looking at your posture and checking things in the mirror,” said Bradfield in a short interview before the movie. “So it just seemed like a really good way to put her in that environment where she has to look at herself and she doesn’t want to.”

She added, “Sometimes you go to the dark place to get to the good place and that just makes the good place so much more beautiful.”

Online, people are applauding Disney for showcasing different body types with many wishing they had a similar role model when they were younger.

Wish it was made 20 years ago but my innerchild is dancing for joy that an animation like #Reflect has been made! My younger dancer self needed to watch something like that 💃❤️#dysmorphia #bodypositivity @Disney @DisneyPlus https://t.co/GxwnEkBhlc

— Ananya Ria Roy (@ananyariaroy) October 28, 2022

Glad to see that the majority of comments about the Reflect Disney short are positive and encouraging. My younger self wishes I had this to watch when I dropped out of dance classes because I was bigger then the other girls. Weight’s always been an issue for me! Kudos to Disney! pic.twitter.com/0sUu76MGuq

— Kimberley Ronca (@kimberleyronca1) October 28, 2022

Hey, @Disney! Stop calling everything a first! What was Penny’s mom in #bolt, chopped liver? She was a supportive and loving parent – that’s pretty heroic to me. #plussized #Reflect pic.twitter.com/TMbsQyqM8D

— Andrew Toy (@ThruBigScreen) October 28, 2022

However, others were not entirely impressed by the portrayal.

I watched “Reflect,” the new Disney short being touted for fat representation. It’s only a few minutes, but the message is basically, “The solution to systemic fatphobia is a positive self-image.” It was created by a thin woman thinking about her own “body positive journey”.

— PastaThief (@thief_pasta) October 28, 2022

Watch Short Circuit‘s season two trailer here:

An all-new Short Circuit Experimental Film has arrived! Stream “Reflect” and all the Short Circuit Experimental Films by Walt Disney Animation Studios artists now on @DisneyPlus. 🩰 🎆 pic.twitter.com/c0gw5U4ecc

— Disney Animation (@DisneyAnimation) September 14, 2022