The thought of body image tends to make a home for itself inside the minds of dancers. That can either mean that they feel confined to a cage of comparison caused by the skin tight leotards and long stretches in front of a mirror, a sense of freedom provided by the appreciation dance can have for the body’s ability to move, or a convoluted mixture of the two. Some of the AFHS dance program’s talented students share their thoughts on their personal journeys with body image.
For many dancers, their concept of how their body should look changes with time. Brooke Parrinello (12) says, “When I was really young, being in a ballet studio made me feel really self-conscious about my body.” Jordan Cecco (10) echoes this sentiment, and credits part of it to the ever-present mirrors in a dance studio. “It can be very hard to have to stare at yourself in the mirror for hours and hours,” she continues, “You compare yourself to others.” However, both girls say that as they have gotten older, the company of the mirror has become easier. Emily Byrnes (12) explains this, saying “It gets easier as you get older, and you can understand where everyone else has differences.”
Ballet, the stem from which all other forms of dance sprout, also contains the core of body stigmas in dance. Imagery, A Contemporary Ballet Company recently released an article called “The Aesthetics of Oppression: Ballet’s Body Image Problem,” which asserted that, “ballet’s fusion of artistry and athleticism makes it a field that is grounded in both the visual and the physical dimensions of dancers’ bodies.” The article’s argument aligns with views of many of the AFHS dancers, who agree that much of the dance world harbors predetermined views on how a dancer should look, especially regarding height, shape, and agility.
Although these preconceptions have been around for a long time, AFHS dancers like Parrinello and Byrnes claim that social media has helped dance become more diverse and accepting. “As dance has made it onto social media, there’s been a lot more representation of different body shapes and sizes and that’s made it a lot easier,” says Parinello. Byrnes adds, “As I’ve grown up, I’ve seen more representation at studio and at school, and it’s helped me so much seeing other girls that look like me in the dance community.” The way a dancer views their body may evolve, but it looks like the dance world may be learning some new choreography when it comes to who should don the leotard.