February isn’t the greatest time of year weather-wise, but for me, it’s jam-packed with things to watch. Fashion Week, which ended on Friday, tends to fall right in the middle of New York City Ballet’s season, which runs until the end of this month. On one of my runs to Lincoln Center from Bryant Park, I remembered the first time I covered both events – and my shock at the differences between the bodies of models and dancers.

It gave me a bit of ammunition later when a friend of mine told me she prefers modern dance to ballet – because in ballet the bodies seemed so “unnatural.” And in comparison to civilian bodies, she had a point.

But when you compare ballet dancers to fashion models, it’s the dancers who win – hands down. Compared to fashion models, dancers look like well-toned, healthy athletes; they’ve got stamina and muscles. Runway models, on the other hand, are uncommonly thin. Their bodies are straight and bony, which adds up to a slim, linear look.

In both cases, the form serves a function. Dancers have curves and definition, which are derived from the development of muscles that have performed the same movements every morning at class for years. Without strength, dancers cannot execute the steps required of them, let alone with creativity. In most cases, or at least in this generation of dancers, the confidence to be artistic starts with the physical surety of strength.

On the other hand, models need to lack curves to show off clothing well. They may look like sticks, but it’s for a purpose; when you see clothes on them, you see the clothes – rather than the body underneath. The clothes fall in the way the designer would like them to fall or sway.

But then there’s the walk. Watching models walk the runway is such a surprise at first because their gait is so unusual. It is, however, every bit as odd as the way that ballerinas flit off the stage after taking a bow.

Runway models lean back and walk in a way that sends the hips and pelvis out forward. Their feet don’t hit the ground heel first; instead, the whole foot (the needle-width stiletto heel and the ball of the foot) pounds the ground at the same time – so that the gait becomes a bit of a march. Their knees come up high, and they place their feet one right in front of the other, especially when wearing long dresses so that the fabric doesn’t get caught up between the legs. This also accounts for the facial expressions. What can look like a deadpan scowl is partly the effect of concentrating on getting the walk just right. Which is not easy, given the factors involved: high heels, tight skirts, hundreds of people starting, and scores of blinding flashbulbs going off.

When dancers walk on stage, they send their toe out first – and often with their hands or arms in tandem. Think of a dancer going over to the wings to collect the conductor and bring him (or her) to the stage for a bow. First goes the pointed toe, then the ball of the foot, then the heel – all accompanied by welcoming, gracious arms that say “Oh, come here, you darling conductor – (even though I’m about to die because that tempo was absurd)!”

Of course, when the conductor walks on stage, the contrast is immediately apparent. Here’s a regular-shaped human cast in relief against bodies that are extraordinary. Similarly, when non-models, such as actresses or athletes, walk in fashion shows, the difference is arresting.

This was noticeable at Olympus Fashion Week during the Red Dress Collection, a show that included a series of red dresses created by some of America’s top design talent, including Ralph Lauren, Oscar de la Renta, Carolina Herrera, and Michael Kors. The collection was organized by the Heart Truth, a campaign to raise awareness about heart disease among women.

Celebrities, rather than models, showed off the dresses – in an attempt to raise awareness even further. It was a pleasant surprise to see several examples of how non-models who carry themselves well can make a stunning impression. I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone smolder quite like Phylicia Rashad (in a dress by Alia Khan). She’s no twig-shaped woman, but she carried her chin so high that she looked like a queen. She projected confidence with every step, and looked out at the audience as if she were seducing everyone present.

Paula Abdul (wearing Esteban Cortazar),who is really quite petite, walked as tall as Venus Williams (who wore Kenneth Cole, but has a rather shy mien). Ms. Abdul moved with so much pride and energy that you could see what made her a star. Muriel Hemingway (in Richard Tyler) was the picture of aloof grace and ease. And though Christie Brinkley made a career as a model, her sexy sashay down the runway proved the power of a smile: her grin is so big, it forces you to smile when you see it.

Unlike models, these celebrities didn’t have that killer gait. And unlike dancers, they didn’t have that turned-out-foot little run. These “regular” women had the theatricality of dancers and a strong walk – the sort that if it were on the sidewalk, not the runway, would look smashing. It’s enough to make you want to stand up straight and walk tall.