DT Article on Ballet and Eating Disorders

[JaneL]

I don't know much about vocational schools but would like to add a few things to this discussion:

 

1. A couple of people have mentioned that an eating disorder is a lifelong condition that you have to 'manage' - this does not have to be the case. It is possible to recover completely and to go on to live a life with a completely healthy attitude to food (in fact, due to the things learnt in recovery and the self-knowledge and self-esteem that comes with recovering from an ED, people who have previously suffered can go on to have an even healthier relationship with food than most of our diet-obsessed society). It's not a helpful idea to think that this is something that will never completely be got over and will always be lurking in the background. It is absolutely possible to recover to the point where ED behaviours do not even occur as a possible coping method.

 

2. I once read an interview with Tamara Rojo where she pointed out that, yes, there are EDs in ballet - but maybe not more than there are in other walks of life. It's just more focused on in ballet. It's also possible that people who are predisposed (personality-wise or genetically) to develop an ED are also the kind of people who do well at ballet, which requires an enormous amount of willpower, dedication and drive for perfection (all things that can 'help' develop an ED, but happily, if they're put to good use, also things that can really help recovery. Except for perfection - nobody needs to be perfect )

 

3. I've linked to this on the old ballet.co before but it's worth sharing again, for anyone who has children they're worried about, or for anyone who'd like to see a positive message about body image.

This is a Guardian article from a few years ago, in which Laura Morera says some really positive, intelligent and inspiring things about body image and dancing. I think I still have the newspaper clip saved because I cut it out and kept it when I first read it.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/stage/2007/apr/15/dance.healthandwellbeing

 

Jane

[Anjuli_Bai]

The article posted in by JaneL is interesting and I enjoyed reading it. Thank you for posting. It reminded me that throughout history the shape of the female body has been at the mercy of what is considered beautiful and/or desireable at any given time. Thus, it is subject to alteration: hems go up and down (which changes what is seen), from floor length (heaven forfend an ankle might be in view) to the minimalist skirt (too short to sit down) which shows as much leg as possible.

 

Waistlines go from the voluptuous (we see it in old art) to the wasplike ideal seen in "Gone with the Wind." From the huge bustle to the no-bum-at-all flapper. The hipped skirts of Queen Elizabeth the First to the huge heavy gowns of the 1800's - so large that some particular body functions were not possible. And then there was the corseting: pull the center in and push up the stuff above. Women's clothes have virtually nothing to do with function or climate (remember the bare midriff even in winter of a few years ago). Women's clothes are also affected by religion sometimes to hide her entirely (almost a non-person)- this is both self imposed as well as culturally imposed.

 

What I am saying here is - the female form has always been considered in need of alteration; seldom has it been accepted as itself - just itself as the ideal. Why? Is it gender based? Is it an attempt to control her? I don't know. Men seem to find women desireable no matter what the fashion is. I can't imagine a man saying "I don't find her beautiful because her bustle is too small." Is it part of a competition among females? Men compete with one another - maybe women do too - in this way.

[tutugirl]

A girl local to us was sent home from Hammond last year and is still battling with her weight . There is a fine line between a beautiful ballet body and a physique that is painful to look at. Unfortunately her best friend mimicked her eating pattern and is also now unwell . There are many triggers and i believe you have to be vulnerable in the first place. For example you could give 100 children a £1 to play on the slot machines , afterwards one may become a compulsive gambler . Similarly a teacher could make a chance remark to her class about fitting into costumes for a forthcoming show - many will shrug it off but the odd one -(probably not the one to whom the remark was aimed ) may take it further.Very complex illness but frightening how quickly it takes hold. As the weight disappears , so does the personality and the capacity to fight the illness. I am truly blessed that my ds loves his food. (inherited from me)

[Ian Macmillan]

Contributors here may be interested to hear that a parent in Vienna is going to court over a decision of the Staatsoper ballet School regarding his daughter:

 

http://www.viennatimes.at/news/Panorama/2012-04-08/28312/Dad_challenges_Vienna_Staatsoper_Ballet_School

[balletla]

Very interesting Ian. Given that the UK is generally at the forefront of equality legislation and passed a new Equality Act in 2010, I have sometimes wondered when a race discrimination case will be brought for someone who fails to get into/ or gets assessed out of a ballet school on the basis of physical characteristics which may be attributed to race.

 

This case seems to be the first attempt at discrimination on the grounds of physical appearance. I'm not an expert, but I don't think the act would cover this in the UK. The UK act covers nine protected characteristics, which cannot be used as a reason to treat people unfairly.The protected characteristics are:

• age,
  
• disability
  
• gender reassignment
  
• marriage and civil partnership
  
• pregnancy and maternity
  
• race
  
• religion or belief
  
• sex
  
• sexual orientation