Essay Sample on The Crushing Weight of Social Pressure on Dancers

“...The average incidence of eating disorders in the white middle-class population is 1 in 100. In classical ballet, it is one in five'' (Dunning). Most people are surprised by this fact, but this is just one example of the staggering number of young dancers affected by the numerous pressures that come with ballet. Shockingly, this statistic has been rather consistent throughout history. Although female dancers have always experienced societal pressures, most do not understand the full extent of these issues or their causes which is why it is incredibly important for people to become informed on this topic to assist in getting these ideologies to change. 

As most know, ballet has existed for centuries, and so have the pressures on female dancers for a thin, slim stature. Ballet originated in the fifteenth and sixteenth century in Italy and quickly spread to France (Homans). In the early days of ballet, “...men were expected to perform the more extravagant and intricate footwork. It wasn’t until years later, during the French Revolution, that female dancers became stars” (Bedinghaus). As the focus shifted from male dancers to women, the expectations changed as well, demanding thinner frames and more elegant figures from the female dancers. The ideal prima ballerina body type has always included a slim frame, long legs, slender arms, and an overall flat figure that still remains extremely hard to achieve. The first ballerinas were slightly different in structure from today- for example, Bedinghaus writes that “[t]he so-called ideal ballerina body has changed over the years and continues to evolve. Today’s dancers tend to look more athletic than dancers 70 or so years ago” (“Origin”). While current principal dancers have a more muscular physique than that of a ballerina in the mid-sixteenth century, the slim, elegant figure is still sought after just as much today as it was hundreds of years ago. Unrealistic standards like these throughout history have almost always led to extreme pressure and complications in dancers, especially at a young age.  

There are varying sources of pressure among young female dancers, and whether these burdens come from instructors, peers, or within the dancers themselves, there is one topic that stands out above all others: body weight. While most freelance studios are fairly body-positive, strict studios and academies that enforce unhealthy standards do exist. Dancers are told all too often by their teachers that they are replaceable and there are girls lined up just outside the door to take their spot if they fail to look a certain way. Thus, in addition to the “...pressure from school, homework, and busy schedules, pressure from dance instructors…” often ends up being the tipping point (Bartholdi). These dance instructors do not stop with one or two comments; they often critique in ways that are immensely hurtful and harsh. Small corrections on steps and footwork are normal and even helpful, but constant belittling of dancers’ bodies can lead to these young women pushing themselves to extreme and unhealthy lengths- given that competition among dancers is intense, especially during audition seasons. As a matter of fact,  “Ballerinas spend a large majority of the day looking at themselves in mirrors at studios, evaluating their moves and their body. Competition is high to be in premium spots and to be thinner is preferred” (Ekern). From leading to supporting roles, there is a constant yearning to be on top of everyone else, causing intense pressure to work harder and harder and harder until it becomes too much. This causes a constant feeling of body dysmorphia and a need to be thinner, faster, lighter, and overall better than before. Most studios have mirrors for dancers to view themselves and allow for easier corrections, and while they may be useful, they also allow for constant body negativity: “Ballet puts an intense emphasis on physical appearance. Every aspect of your body is critiqued while practicing, rehearsing, and performing” (Ekern). This gives girls opportunities to compare themselves to the young dancers around them, leading to thoughts that can be extremely harmful and lead to bad habits. Constant exposure to these stresses often results in complications that can be detrimental to the health of these dancers. 

As the result of extreme stress, these young ballet dancers become susceptible to various effects, both mental and physical. Most of these complications stem from dancers developing perfectionism: a constant need to be absolutely perfect. Pressure from all angles causes dancers to have this mentality, causing other issues as well; for example, Nicolls indicates that the perfectionism instilled in these dancers by overbearing instructors and through fierce competition “...has been linked to depression, anxiety, anorexia, bulimia and suicide. Dancers often suffer from these illnesses…” (Nicholls). This toxic mindset of needing to be precise and perfect typically leads to serious health complications. Major illnesses such as anorexia nervosa or bulimia are often byproducts of perfectionism. Constant psychological pressure to be thin comes with potentially deadly eating habits, such as binging and purging, barely eating at all, or a wide range of other disorders: “Many dancers struggle with either an eating disorder or disordered eating in order to achieve the body desired by teachers and choreographers” (Smith-Theodore). Anxiety and depression have also been known to be prevalent in dancers. Research has found that, when compared to the general public, “...dancers had higher levels of ‘psychological inflexibility’ — a state of mind that has been linked to anxiety and depressive symptoms in adolescents” (Jacobs). Many dancers feel like they are never enough, and, in turn, slip into a depressive state of mind or develop severe anxiety. In some extreme cases, this has even led to suicide. Unfortunately, most people do not know that these effects exist in the ballet community, but they must be aware of  them in order to assist in getting these issues to change. 

While there is no clear-cut solution to solve these problems, there are steps society can take to prevent or deter them. First and foremost, dancers and people outside the dance community alike must understand that these problems do exist and are much bigger than most expect them to be. Being informed of these risks is a crucial part of staying safe and healthy while dancing. Many ballet schools are beginning to take precautions and warn students of these dangers; for example, the Royal Ballet School in London offers a policy that includes “...protocols for identifying students with disordered eating and for helping to rehabilitate them” (Ekern). Another option for the dancers themselves is to work on not giving up or setting limits. Dancers will often make mistakes and immediately begin to think that they are not good enough, that they cannot do anything, and this attitude needs to be changed for dancers to not push themselves over the edge. In an interview with Pointe Magazine, dancer and instructor Susan Jaffe contends that after witnessing a dancer encourage herself to keep trying, her mindset was altered: “If tomorrow I do a step two or three times and it doesn't work, I'm not going to reprimand myself and tell myself that I am terrible. It is amazing how much my dancing changed”. Seeing dancers encourage not only themselves but also others around them will decrease competition and work towards creating friendships instead of rivalries. Teachers can take steps towards identifying these problems, such as “...monitor[ing] students’ levels of preoccupation with their weight, shape or food, as well as depressive symptoms, and can assess levels of perfectionism with questionnaires to establish which students might be most at risk” (Ekern). Along with watching out for them, it is also very important for instructors to build their students up; let them know when they are doing well and let them know it is perfectly fine to make mistakes. Following all of these suggestions will help to greatly decrease stress and create a much safer and more positive environment. 

As the dance community continues to combat the issue of societal pressure among its female dancers, instructors and dancers alike must work together to spread awareness to change the mindsets of society and defeat the problem. This matter must be discussed to see any change; to show dancers that they are not alone in battling these risks. In doing this, the statistic “…of eating disorders...[i]n classical ballet…[being] one in five” could be greatly decreased and, in general, make the dance world a much safer and enjoyable place (Dunning).