The Impact of Body Image on Advanced Female Dancers

Abstract

In class and on stage, body image is generally considered to have a major impact on a professional dancers career. This paper explores issues relating to body image in the world of dance, as based on the personal experiences of dancers themselves. From the inception of their careers, dancers are generally expected to achieve the standard body image and engage in a constant struggle for leanness. We present the findings of a study aimed at understanding the impact that body image has on the lives of advanced female dancers. Seven advanced female dancers from different dance genres participated in semistructured interviews in which they were asked about their experiences and opinions onbody image in dance. After a qualitative thematic analysis of the interview transcripts, it became evident that all the participants encountered or witnessed some form of pressure to achieve and maintain an ideal body image. Experiences of body shaming from both mentors and fellow classmates were reported, which had the effect of compromising self-esteem, increasing the risk of developing drastic or otherwise unhealthy dietary habits, as well as leading to the temptation to quit dancing altogether.