What’s Really Going on in the Dance Industry
topics that are rarely discussed that dancers experience in the industry
One of the best things in life is how we can use different forms of art to bring so much to life and find beauty within it. What people do not see is the ugly that happens when the art is not being seen. If we look at the art of dance it appears while the dancers are performing, they are happy, beautiful, and eloquent, but behind their performances that’s a battle we don’t see. This battle has to do with body image and mental illnesses. The dance industry has become a dangerous business to be in. The number of unacknowledged problems there are in this industry has become a lot greater currently then it was back at the start when girls were being used as objects to watch instead of artists telling a story. There are two major problems are affecting the dancers and the dance community. The first problem is that many dancers get diagnosed with different kinds of eating disorders and no one is trying to help them cope with their illnesses. The second, being how it affects dancers mentally by having them trapped in an environment with no support system. The negative impact the industry and social media has on dancers needs to be faced head on and dealt with in greater detail than it has been in the past.
Eating disorders are a very serious thing, as if they are not taken care of it causes extreme harm that can result in death. Sarah Lynette wrote an article called Why Ballet Hasn’t Yet Caught Up to the Body Positivity movement, which was well written and touched base on the truth behind the ballet industry. Lynette made a statement in the article relating to a 2003 study that took me by surprise. She stated “the highest rates of disordered eating compared to non-professional female gymnasts and noncompetitive male bodybuilders. In the study, 1.8 percent of ballet dancers suffered from anorexia. 2.7 percent suffered from bulimia and 22.1 percent struggled with other, non-specific eating disorders” (Lynette, 2019). The evidence here illustrates how dancers are affected by different kinds of eating disorders more than any other sport. This example is factual because statistical rates of how many dancers are affected by eating disorders are presented. The example also reinforces the fact that the rate is extremely high for dancers and shows that dancers are more prone to adapting to eating disorders.
There’s an article written by Leah Slavens Haggard; the article is called Body Image of a Dancer-What Needs to Change. In this article Slavens Haggard talks about her experience in the dance industry and how what’s going on needs to change. As she talks about body image in ballet, she finishes up with a comment that made me stop and really think about what dancers put our bodies through. She states “It is much harder to change your physical structure and joint mobility than it is to get smaller, so it is easier and faster to change size. Unfortunately, this often comes with disordered eating patterns, habits of over-exercising, and a poor relationship with food and with your body” (Slavens Haggard, 2020). Slavens Haggard’s statement illustrates that dancers are being told the only thing they have control over is their weight. Slavens Haggard also made a very strong point that all they can do is make sure they have the perfect body, and by dancers being told this they resort to things that are not healthy for them. Her statement also reinforces that dancers are wired to think that having the ideal ballet body will make up for genetics they cannot change.
Before I was properly educated on having a healthy body, I used to go days with barely any food because I was not as skinny as the girls that I danced with growing up. It was not until I was educated that I realized I was doing more harm to my body by not eating than if I were to have three proper meals a day. Neglecting to eat food or having an eating disorder is a huge problem, one that shouldn’t just be brushed aside and overlooked just so you can have the perfect body.
Social media has a huge roll in the world today, if you’re not judging yourself on what other people look like, there’s a chance other people are judging you.
People get judged at least once in their lives based on how they look, whether it’s body weight or how pretty their face is. Dancers have start getting judged at a very young age. Being told constantly by people you look up to that you’re not skinny enough, or you don’t have the look of a professional ballet dancer takes a toll on you not only physically, but mentally as well. In an article that I read I stumbled upon this quote “a gnawing sensation has taken hold, continually reminding you that your own body is inferior, less-than, unworthy.” (Rizzuto, 2019). The underlying assumption here is when you see someone who has the ballet body you get into your head and go to a state of mind that you’re not good enough. My conclusion here is that being constantly told you are not enough and seeing dancers who can affect your brain in a negative way. The use of pathos here is significant because everyone has been in this position whether they’re a dancer or not.
Another article that I found took me by surprise while reading it. At the start of a paragraph the author states “I went to the best, most supportive dance studio ever and still didn’t manage to come out unscathed” (Manoulides, 2018). The underlying assumption here is that no matter how well sheltered you are from this problem, you still get affected by it. My conclusion here is that body image in the dance industry has become such a prominent issue that it will take a mental toll on you no matter the supports you have. The use of pathos here is significant because she is telling the reader that even though she was hidden away from body image, it still was able to reach her mentally. It doesn’t matter who you have in your life or what you do, this problem will find a way into your mind.
It’s clear to see the dance industry has become dangerous to be a part of.
Body image in the industry has a negative effect and impact on dancers. It affects dancers in physical ways such as eating disorders and other harmful ways dancers use to become skinny. It can also affect dancers mentally by having the idea of how they need to be perfect and if they aren’t they won’t become professionals. It is important that people become educated on this problem in the dance industry so changes can start to happen.
