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Original poster

The Dark Side of Ballet Schools - Panorama investigation

140 replies

taxi4ballet · 11/09/2023 16:17

Panorama programme on BBC1 this evening at 8pm, also available on i-player. An investigation into eating disorders and mental health issues suffered by young dancers in full-time ballet training, including the Royal Ballet School.

This really is required watching for anyone whose dc is interested in becoming a professional dancer - and not just ballet either. This sort of thing happens in other performing arts establishments too, although those are not covered by this programme.

OP posts:
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DanceMumTaxi · 11/09/2023 22:11

Do you think it’s like this at all the main performing arts schools too e.g Urdang, Bird, Laine etc or do you think it’s specific to ballet?

Sucette · 11/09/2023 22:10

The euphemisms for "need to lose weight" are almost worse. Jack had clearly been devoted to ballet from a very young age and being expelled for "not being committed enough" must have been devastating for him. So sad. His poor parents.

EmmaPaella · 11/09/2023 22:08

I will watch this. My DD does not do ballet but I did years ago with a well known dance school in my area and was told (at 9) that my legs were too ugly not to wear tights.

Comefromaway · 11/09/2023 22:07

One thing I found out tonight I’d never known before. Apparently my child had bingo wings in year 7

Original poster
taxi4ballet · 11/09/2023 22:03

@Comefromaway It's a big iceberg, isn't it? I've been unavoidably out all evening so haven't been able to watch the documentary yet, but I already know that it will have only scratched the surface.

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Comefromaway · 11/09/2023 22:00

My child knew/did summer schools with one of the young people featured and the one who is sadly no longer with us.

this really is the tip of the iceberg

Vincent05 · 11/09/2023 21:48

I whistleblew in another sport and was ostracised and bullied for it. Whistleblowers need protection, independent ombudsman for sport including dance is needed

Comefromaway · 11/09/2023 21:38

We tried to whistleblow. It affected my child’s education & mental health family member lost their job.

That was a very hard watch. I need time to process. My child attended a different school than those shown.

DanceMumTaxi · 11/09/2023 20:52

It’s so horrible, those poor kids.

tracey47 · 11/09/2023 17:14

My DD is now out of the ballet world . She graduated when covid hit .. turns out it was for the best .. I kept her at home til 16 but was in the Royal ballet senior associates and Elmhurst associates and trained locally .. she went to upper school and was told ( as was I ) that she was putting on weight .. she was a size 4 !! When I look back I’m fuming with myself for not speaking out but alas I knew she would then be targeted so I stayed silent … I hate the ballet world .. I’m just glad she did not go at 11 as planned

FictionalCharacter · 11/09/2023 16:49

How depressing. The likes of RBS have been claiming for a long time that this is in the past, they encourage healthy weights and diets, there’s supervision by dietitians etc.

blacksax · 11/09/2023 16:48

BriansGotHisWinkyOutAgain · 11/09/2023 16:29

I'm really surprised at the 'shock horror' reporting, I thought it was common knowledge that this happened

It is common knowledge. It is a disgrace and it is about bloody time it stopped happening. The ballet world needs to sit up and take note, because enough is enough. It took years and years, didn't it, before the gymnastics world did something about abuse of young gymnasts.

These are children. They are some of the best young dancers in the country in what is supposed to be elite training. They should not be subjected to body-shaming and psychological torture by the people who are supposed to be looking after them at boarding school.

Original poster
taxi4ballet · 11/09/2023 16:38

BriansGotHisWinkyOutAgain · 11/09/2023 16:29

I'm really surprised at the 'shock horror' reporting, I thought it was common knowledge that this happened

It is common knowledge. The trouble is that in the dance world, it has been swept under the carpet for far too long.

The biggest issue @BriansGotHisWinkyOutAgain is that these youngsters are not at local dance schools, they are in full-time ballet training at boarding schools. They are, for the most part, terrified to speak out because they are afraid that they will lose their place at the school, and will have to kiss goodbye to their longed-for career. So they keep quiet. The ballet world is a small one, and we all know what happens to whistle-blowers. This is as much about children's mental health in general as it is about the one specific issue which is the focus of this programme.

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BriansGotHisWinkyOutAgain · 11/09/2023 16:29

I'm really surprised at the 'shock horror' reporting, I thought it was common knowledge that this happened

Brightredtulips · 11/09/2023 16:24

My daughter's ballet teacher told her to stop going to spin class as it was making her calves big. She didn't stop but she became conscious of her healthy normal shape and refuses to look at videos of her dancing even no 8 yrs later. She was 15 at the time.

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