Yesterday I shared Tamara Rojo’s pledge to improve body image in ballerinas at the English National Ballet by promoting healthy eating habits and lifestyle. Here’s yet another video on the fight to stop eating disorders in ballet.
Charlotte Leeming reports for BBC News on the subject of eating disorders in ballet.
Eating disorders have been a continuous subject in the world of ballet for many years.
But how easy will it be to change the mindset of some dancers?
Please read and view video from the original article here.
There are some truly shocking statistics such as: In the United States alone, there are up to 24 million people affected by eating disorders, 90% of them are women between the ages of 12 and 25, the EXACT age in which girls in ballet begin their formal training (between 10 and 12) and their professional ballet careers (between 18 and 22).
Please take part in creating awareness of eating disorders in ballet by Sharing, Pinning or Liking us below. Many girls’ health may depend on it. Thank you!
About Romy Macias, Senior Editor
I didn’t know there was a problem, thanks for sharing Romy. I always thought that Ballet dancers would have to eat alot of good food, like a body builder due to all the exercise that they get
I know what you mean, Amanda. I find it hard to understand, but it does happen, more than you would suspect.
In my own experience, I learned that I HAD to eat balanced meals and snacks through out the day, if I wanted to have strength to get through company class and rehearsal, touring, etc.
I discovered I needed to increase lean protein to my diet and cut down on my carb intake. In my case I was eating lots of white wheat. I soon switched to whole grain bread.
I also added a top notch Vitamin and Mineral supplements, Glucosamine with Condroitin for joint health.
I don’t smoke; many of my dance mates do. I couldn’t get through a performance if I smoked. I’ll have an occasional half a glass of red wine. I sleep 7 to 8 hours. I drink LOTS of water, no soft drinks. It’s an opportunity to embrace a healthy lifestyle.
Thanks for your comment!
-Romy
Thanks for spreading awareness of eating disorders. It’s so sad and I hope we can stop it!
When my daughter went to Juilliard we watched in horror as the ballet students stopped by the cafeteria for a small yogurt or cottage cheese then went out side for their smokes. And those were the ‘healthy’ ones. The others just had their smokes with a candy bar. I never understood how they had the energy for a day of classes – much less performances.
You had a daughter in Julliard! Congratulations.
Yes, very unhealthy. They usually smoke to help suppress hunger. But that’s not listening to your body’s natural needs. The problem is that when those students try to quit smoking, they usually gain weight, so it makes it all the harder to quit.
Punishing your body by not feeding it enough healthy food takes a toll in the long run. As in this article: http://classicalballetnews.com/anorexia-and-la-scala-ballet-dancers-the-ugly-truth-is-out/
Balance is the key word here.
Thanks for sharing your experience, Donna.
-Romy
It is amazing how many women in competitive sport and dance have body image problems that lead to eating disorders. How sad. It may be time the schools and trainers had a reeducation of their techniques and demands of the students.