TALKING to student dancers about their bodies is just about the most complex and sensitive aspect of a teacher’s work. Most dancers, and especially dance students, are hyperaware of their appearance and their weight. Body dysmorphia and unhealthy dieting are on-going concerns in the profession. Studies show that one in six dancers suffer from an eating disorder, many of them serious.
Sadly, studies also show that, when it comes to negative body image among ballet students, the number one influencer is their teacher. A word or comment, often made with the best intentions, can all too easily take the student down a path of obsessive dieting and self-hatred.
Dance, and particularly ballet, requires an exceptionally lean physique,
