Behind the Curtain: Ballet Dancers’ Mental Health

Abstract

Using Moustakas’s modification of Van Kaam’s systematic procedures for conducting transcendental phenomenological research, we explored ballet culture and identity and their impact on ballet dancers’ mental health. Participants included four current professional ballet dancers and four previous professionals. Four main themes emerged: (a) ballet culture—“it’s not all tutus and tiaras”; (b) professional ballet dancers’ identity—“it is a part of me”; (c) mental health experiences—“you have to compartmentalize”; and (d) counseling and advocacy—“the dance population is unique.” Suggestions for counselors when working with professional ballet dancers and professional athletes, such as fostering awareness about ballet culture and its impact on ballet dancers’ identity and mental health, are provided. We also discuss recommendations to develop future research focusing on mental health treatment for this population.

Behind the Curtain: Prevalence of Symptoms of Depression, Generalised Anxiety and Eating Disorders in 147 Professional Dancers from Six Opera Houses or State Theatres

“…However, questionnaires should only serve as screening tools, and a diagnosis should be based on diagnostic interviews by qualified healthcare professionals. It cannot be ruled out that some answers to the questionnaires were biased due to stigma, denial, low mental health literacy or fear of potential consequences [ 51 ], although confidentiality was assured, but this limitation also applies to almost all studies on mental health in elite sports [ 4 , 52 ].…”

High time to enhance dancer welfare: a call to action to improve safeguarding and abuse prevention in dance

“…The abusive cultural practices embedded in the hierarchical and authoritarian teaching styles of dance are often misidentified as educational issues. Cultural norms have also shaped significant power imbalances in the teacher–student relationship, with dancers conditioned from an early age to be silent, obedient and endure having little autonomy, even relating to their health and well-being 13 15 17…”

“…Although dance can provide many positive experiences and contribute to healthy development and useful life skills,19 abusive practices compromise these outcomes and negatively affect health, well-being and performance 2. There is a lack of dance-specific research, but preliminary evidence suggests dancers who have experienced emotional abuse are likely to continue dancing through pain and injury, adopt maladaptive emotion regulation strategies and experience emotional pain and suffering 13 18. In one study, feeling unjustly criticised or humiliated led professional ballet dancers to experience persistent self-blame, more injuries, symptoms of anxiety and emotional stress 20.…”

“…Health professionals working with dancers should be aware that harassment and abuse are severe threats to dancers’ health and well-being. Following the phrase ‘the show must go on’, dance environments may espouse negative health approaches that prioritise performances over people, leading dancers to silence emotions and push bodies to the limits or into injury to achieve dance-related goals 13. Dancers may, therefore, need support to recognise forms of abuse, especially where it has been normalised; for example, they may have been directed to dance through pain and injury, instructed to participate in long rehearsals without breaks or expected to maintain an unhealthy weight.…”

“…This is evident in the growing number of national and international bodies dedicated to reducing and preventing abuse in dance for children and adults, including Dance Awareness: No Child Exploited (USA), Keep Kids Safe in Dance (Australia), Non-profit Education and Advocacy for Movement Artists (USA and Canada), Safer Dance: The Dance School Safeguarding Working Group (UK) and the Personal Safety for Dance international working group. The #MeToo movement in dance also signals that some dancers have begun to speak out about their experiences despite fears of retribution and career damage 12–14. Nevertheless, it will take more than individual action to address the systemic issues that make dance an environment where abuse can happen 15.…”