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How Perfectionism In Dance Is Becoming A Mental Health Crisis
There is an unhealthy link between dance and perfectionism. Once seen as a positive trait, researchers are now finding perfectionism to be dangerous and linked to a long list of mental health issues.
Perfectionism is a growing epidemic
Thomas Curran and Andrew Hill’s recent study, which compares perfectionism across generations, found notable increases among recent undergraduates from the UK, US and Canada.
Perfectionism has been linked to depression, anxiety, anorexia, bulimia and suicide. Dancers often suffer from these illnesses and there is sadly not enough help provided by the industry.
Dr. Brian Goonan, who works with dancers at Houston Ballet Academy, says that the same drive to succeed that makes ballet students great may also predispose them to depression.
I have struggled with dance related anxiety throughout my career and have noticed it in colleagues. This got me thinking about the link between perfectionism in dancers and how this results in mental illness.
