Mirror, Mirror on the Wall

From a young age, girls especially, learn that “thin is in”. That image is shaped by our parents, peers, media, and experiences. I have been involved with dance since I was six years old and even then I was informed of the ideal thin. It wasn’t until I was ten that I started not only judging my body, but the other girls’ bodies in my classes. As a dancer, you are in front of full length mirrors for multiple hours a day.  Instead of solely focusing on group formation, and making sure your own body is correctly aligned and in the correct position, you can easily become fixated on body flaws. I started looking at other girls and pinpointing all of their flaws; their thighs are too big, their stomachs aren’t flat enough, etc. I then started watching myself in the mirror and realized every visible and physical flaw on myself. I too realized that my thighs didn’t touch, my arms were not toned enough, my hips were to wide, etc.  It was then at age eleven I started my struggle with anorexia.   For years I had unrealistic body ideals that I felt I needed to strive to achieve.  Instead of having instructors who encouraged a healthy lifestyle, they too encouraged cutting back food/calorie intake as well as increasing intensive exercising.

            We all have body prejudices when we think of athletes.  How would you describe the perfect dancers’ body?  I always envision a ballet dancer as having “the perfect body”.  Every muscle and body part is elongated; legs, stomach, neck and arms to name a few.  The outside world thinks that dancers carry themselves with such poise, when really many of them are in a constant battle to maintain the ideal dance body. 

            There have been many studies done to pinpoint what really contributes to the influences of distorted body images among dancers.  While many dance schools and studios are now trying to promote healthy eating habits and positive body image, there is still the underlying factor of what is socially accepted in the dance world.  A former ballerina who used to dance with the New York City Ballet Company stated, “I was less than a hundred pounds even then….He did not merely say, ‘Eat less.’  He said repeatedly, ‘Eat nothing’” (Oliver, p. 21).  Her dance instructor did not care about her well-being, he cared about the image she was portraying on stage.  Like many dance instructors, they strive to have the best of everything; choreography, costumes, music, dancers, etc.  When dancing for such a big company, the image that is portrayed on stage silently speaks about what your company is about.  Dancers strive to be the best and do all they can to reach the potential that their instructors provide to them.  But how do you not let it go too far?  How do you find a healthy balance between a healthy weight and a weight that your dance company expects from you? In many dance companies, this is a struggle that dancers go through on a daily basis.

            Many dance studios and companies have wall to wall full length mirrors that help dancers self-monitor their movement.  However, the mirrors also allow room for dancers to critique every aspect of their body.  Oliver (2008) states “The mirror provides constant feedback about the movement and shape of our bodies.  Most people are drawn strongly to visual stimuli, so if a mirror is present, it may overshadow and proprioceptive feedback the dancers might receive...But unfortunately, they can also become a conduit for negative self-talk”(Oliver, p. 22).   Dance is an art that allows us to freely express ourselves through movement, but with a constant reminder of societal pressures such as body image, that we may be trying to escape, we are setting ourselves up for disappointment having to constantly monitor our bodies.

            As the American culture continues to obsess over beauty and weight, there needs to be an increase in the promotion of being healthy and happy.  In the dance world especially, I firmly believe that the instructors need to be more supportive and focus on the dancers’ body movement and potential to grow.  As a society, we need to learn to let go of our biases and realize there is potential for real talent no matter a person’s size, shape, or color.

 

Oliver, W. (2008). Body image in the dance class. Journal of Physical Education, Recreation & Dance, 79(5), 18-25.