Anxiety in dancers.

[Lifeafterballet]

https://www.dancemagazine.com/abi-stafford-anxiety-2647826840.html

[alison]

Brave woman for speaking out on this.  She must be far from the only sufferer, and support is clearly needed - dancers, I think, tend to be perfectionist and self-critical, and there is much scope for problems arising.

[Nama]

On 05/10/2020 at 20:17, alison said:

Brave woman for speaking out on this.  She must be far from the only sufferer, and support is clearly needed - dancers, I think, tend to be perfectionist and self-critical, and there is much scope for problems arising.

I agree. Also the state of the way schools and companies are run - people feel that it is detrimental to show any failings of faults. As pointed out in the article it is often thrown back at you if you show any vulnerability. The girls are constantly told they are all replaceable - so they hide their anxieties and mental health concerns. This starts in schools and is carried to professional careers. The issue of mental health is a serious problem in ballet as an industry. Needs to be brought into the modern workplace and the language and behaviour of artistic directors and teachers needs to be called out. 

[Motomum]

The writer has been so refreshingly transparent and open about her mental health, this is absolutely the kind of honesty needed. 

 

My son is struggling with acute  anxiety on return to a new vocational training program after lockdown. The pandemic has added another layer of stress to an already stressful pursuit for some of our children. 

 

Like the writer I worry about speaking out and letting the school know in case this reflects negatively on him further down this path. Or I speak out and no support is forthcoming. I feel just awful as a parent even having those thoughts, but they are there nonetheless. 

 

The crazy irony is dancing and training with anxiety doesn't make you weaker. I see my son and I know how strong he must be, how strong the writer of the article must be to have managed in situations where I know I couldn't have managed. 

 

It is a conversation that needs to get louder and more widespread than it still is.

 

Mental health issues are IMHO for the most part still seen as a flaw rather than a part of the human condition in the perfectionist, rarefied world of ballet. 

[Fiz]

Kathryn Morgan’s new video on YouTube feeds directly into this subject. It made me angry and upset for this very courageous dancer.

[Anon2]

10 hours ago, Motomum said:

The writer has been so refreshingly transparent and open about her mental health, this is absolutely the kind of honesty needed. 

 

My son is struggling with acute  anxiety on return to a new vocational training program after lockdown. The pandemic has added another layer of stress to an already stressful pursuit for some of our children. 

 

Like the writer I worry about speaking out and letting the school know in case this reflects negatively on him further down this path. Or I speak out and no support is forthcoming. I feel just awful as a parent even having those thoughts, but they are there nonetheless. 

 

The crazy irony is dancing and training with anxiety doesn't make you weaker. I see my son and I know how strong he must be, how strong the writer of the article must be to have managed in situations where I know I couldn't have managed. 

 

It is a conversation that needs to get louder and more widespread than it still is.

 

Mental health issues are IMHO for the most part still seen as a flaw rather than a part of the human condition in the perfectionist, rarefied world of ballet. 

If you don’t feel able to speak to your son’s school about his anxiety please consider investigating private counselling for him. He needs some help with his anxiety. It is unlikely to disappear without support. 

[Nama]

1 hour ago, Jane said:

If you don’t feel able to speak to your son’s school about his anxiety please consider investigating private counselling for him. He needs some help with his anxiety. It is unlikely to disappear without support. 

The school should have counselling as part of the staff. And if that’s all full they usually have a connection with an outside counselling service. If should be viewed as any other medical service like physio or go. I know that it’s supposed to be kept separate but unsure that rule is kept. Anyway I know my daughter sought counselling and waited in the line as all appointments always booked. However I insisted and she got a few sessions and got more as the counsellor realised she needed help. Maybe ask for a confidential talk with the medical staff 

[Motomum]

Thankyou @Namaand @JaneI am in the process of sorting private counselling but I hadn't considered the school might support this.

 

[Lifeafterballet]

41 minutes ago, Motomum said:

Thankyou @Namaand @JaneI am in the process of sorting private counselling but I hadn't considered the school might support this.

 

If your child’s vocational school has enrolled you in a private health care scheme then you can arrange mental health support through that. You don’t have to go through the school to do this as you pay the bill x

[Tango Dancer]

I don't know if this is any help but one of my teachers, Laurie McSherry-Gray and his brother posted a video of a discussion with a dance psychotherapist about mental health in dancers.  There are some resources identified as well.  I don't know much about the subject myself but thought it worth sharing in case it's helpful.