When most people think of ballet, they think of little girls running around in pink tutus, but for most ballerinas this is not the case. Ballet dancers have a history of being underestimated and underappreciated and many people don’t realise the skill that goes into making all of their movements look effortless.
However, the intense pressure on dancers can often lead to mental health issues that can follow them throughout life. ….
… is the toxic diet culture of the ballet industry. Mental health disorders such as body image issues and eating disorders have always been prominent in dancers, which has led them to be dangerously normalised. In fact, dancers are … more likely to develop an eating disorder than the general public. With such
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Remarks such as ‘I can see your lunch’ are worryingly common and can be extremely damaging to a dancer who is struggling with body image. Even teachers who think they are being size inclusive can still be harmful, for example commenting positively on someone’s weight loss, even if there aren’t any negatives about weight gain. This can lead to the dancer feeling as if they are only valued if they are slim, which is promoting unhealthy eating habits. Not to mention the pressure to fit into costumes and look like the rest of the corps de ballet. Costumes, especially tutus, are expensive and it is known that parts are often chosen partially based on whether the dancer can fit into a certain costume.The ballet industry strives on comparison and perfectionism which is heavily translated through the teachers, with most comparing dancers to each other and having them compete against one …show more content…
The premise of ballet is to be constantly chasing the dream of how an ideal ballerina moves. What many don’t realise is that this standard is physically unachievable. It is impossible to be completely turned out in every movement, while having your hips totally square and your legs up behind your ear. I think this is the main reason why perfectionists are drawn to ballet: the idea that nothing is ever good enough and even when you are at the top of a company, there are always things that you can improve