ballet body image issues: BONGDATV

It's no secret that ballet has its fair share of issues with body image. How do we bring about meaningful change in the industry?

Elite ballet dancers are vulnerable to body dysmorphia and disordered eating. In fact, the pervasiveness of Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD) and Eating Disorders (ED) among ballet dancers is much higher than the general population.

Counselors need to remain aware of ballet culture when broaching the topic of weight and body identity influences, requirements for a successful ballet dancer, and the relationship between ballet standards and mental health disorders.

I'd heard about the competitiveness and the body image issues that stemmed from doing ballet as a teenage girl. In an interview with Elice McKinley, ballerina and bioprocess engineer, she claimed that most dancers struggle with Body Dysmorphic Disorder, in which they become obsessed with nonexistent flaws of their body.