The Dark Side of Ballet Schools - Panorama investigation

[taxi4ballet]

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

It’s so horrible, those poor kids.

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.

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

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

@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.

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

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.

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.

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?

It’s not specific to ballet. My child went to a dance lower school but did musical theatre at upper school. But some places are worse than others.

It’s disingenuous for anyone tangentially involved for the last 50 years to feign surprise.
I had an exit plan if my DCs had wanted to continue past 8/9. But I guess the fact they even started proves the allure of ballet. I don’t know what I was thinking of!

Having taught in two top UK performing arts schools I would say this particular issue is definitely ballet specific.

Sadly my niece boarded at Elmhurst from age 11 and had a similar experience. Everything started going terribly wrong when she was 14/15, as her body naturally began to change. The whole situation was a nightmare. My brother and SIL had to fight the school to bring her home. She was utterly changed from the girl we knew. It was so sad. But she’s doing amazingly well now! We’re so proud of her.

@Comefromaway that’s so sad. And very worrying. Something really does need to change.
@TheLastPictureShow oh your poor niece. It’s just horrible for these poor children. What on earth do they expect to happen at age 14/15.

I know a few girls who are on Elmhurst and Hammond associate schemes and I really hope they’re not experiencing this. (I know Hammond wasn’t on the programme so maybe it’s different?)

There was an influx of children into my daughter’s school in Year 10 of children who had been “assessed out” of Elmhurst for similar reasons. Some incredibly talented dancers who had been treated dreadfully.

Don’t assume any school is different Dancemumtaxi

I don't think anyone on the thread is being disingenuous or feigning surprise. The people on the thread who've had some involvement in the ballet world seem to be already aware, but some of us who've watched the programme have had no involvement in ballet.

I agree, my point was it’s common knowledge and has never been a secret. For generations.

There's a never-ending supply of youngsters desperate for the oportunity to attend these schools and the schools know it. They don't care if they break any kids, they just get some more in.

The dance world broke my brother - boarding at 13 surrounded by children with eating disorders and the constant focus on appearance, it's like contagion in the dorms. Wished he stayed home with us. It didn't get any better when he worked for a ballet company overseas - he was taken advantage of by older men. This was 25 years ago I just hope there is more safe guarding now for teens/young adults away from home. I'm so glad that my kids didn't want to dance long term.