The dance industry is known for its aesthetically pleasing appearances. These appearances include the dance, the music, settings, as well as the actual dancers. Although there are many aspects that contribute to the pleasing appearances of dance, the appearance of the dance industry rests solely on the performers. Dancers, especially in prestigious dance studios, need to be a collection of talents. Dancers are required to be physically fit, attractive, have a particular body shape, strength, and be graceful. As a result of these requirements, dance studios have high standards for dancers that are selected. These standards and the pressure that is put upon them contribute to the development of diets, or disordered eating, and eventually to eating disorders. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, eating disorders can be classified into three types; anorexia, bulimia, and EDNOS (Eating Disorders Not Otherwise Specified). To dancers, these eating disorders and diets are highly encouraged. It is clear that the dance industry is not aware or is not caring how detrimental the unhealthy eating habits can be to their dancers. There are many effects that are attributed to these habits. These effects are exaggerated in dancers as they participate in extensive physical activity, and must maintain high energy levels.
The ideal dancing body was first established by George Balanchine, who cofounded the School of American Ballet. Balanchine insisted his dancers be a minimum of 5’7” with a lean, slender body. The term “Balanchine body” refers to a woman with “narrow hips, little or no fat deposits, long, lean legs, a short, slim torso, small breasts and delicate arms. Few people genetically fit that description” (Vordtriede). This concept was taught in his dancer school, and quickly spread to other dance studios. Today, this ideal body is expected of all dancers.
Balanchine introduced the dancing body, which is now expected of all dancers. Currently, dancers must remain attractive, skinny, and fit into this ideal image. Failure to do so could result in fewer jobs, which means less income according to eHow.com. If dancers do not keep their bodies to the standards of those in charge, it could mean a loss of job entirely. This is the exact reason why so many dancers go to such extremes to avoid these situations.
The countless effects can be classified into three different categories; external, internal, and psychological (Something Fishy Website on Eating Disorders).
External effects are sometimes, but not always, the most noticeable side effects of eating disorders.
The fingernails become brittle and break easily. Hair also becomes brittle, and will start to fall out. As this is happening, the body lowers the internal temperature, thus resulting in a layer of soft hair that grows over the body to keep the body warm. This layer of hair is referred to as lanugo. The skin of people suffering with eating disorders dries up, due to the lack of fluid intake. Soon after, the skin takes on a yellowish color. One of the most obvious external effects is the protruding of bones, and the frail appearance.
The body of those that are dealing with eating disorders is eating itself from the inside out (eHow.com). Any and all storage of fat on the body is depleted and transformed into energy. Whenever there is food, it is all rationed and stored quickly for future use. Once treatment for the eating disorder has been sought out, the disorder is never cured (eHow.com). Another aspect that is overlooked by dancers is the fact that after starving the body and then providing it with food, the body gains as much weight as possible to store in case of future lack of nutrients. This is what continues the cycle of binge eating. The more that these girls binge and starve themselves, the more they teach the body to ration and store the fat that they are so desperately trying to lose.
Internal effects of eating disorders are the most severe, the most devastating, as well as the most permanent. Unfortunately, these health risks could result in death. These health risks could also lead to a dancer never being able to dance again.
One of the first side effects that a dancer would notice from lack of healthy eating is amenorrhea, or the lack of menstruation. According to the Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise journal, studies relate extreme dieting to the lack of menstruation. If amenorrhea continues, a woman may become infertile (Physical and Psychological Effects).
Amenorrhea is one of the nonthreatening effects, but this cannot be said of the others. After the body is deprived of food and nutrients, the brain begins to slow down as the heart is beating slower. The memory slows down, severe mood swings occur, depression, fainting and blacking out, as well as not being able to think clearly. The people dealing with eating disorders are constantly worried about food and body images. All of these changes are due to chemical imbalances in the brain from malnutrition. Some of these effects will dissipate after the root of the problem is treated, but some will not. The mentality and worry over food and body image is never curable (HelpGuide.org).
Kidneys are another large and lasting consequence of unhealthy eating. With the malnutrition, kidney stones develop. After longer periods of time, the kidneys will eventually fail. Kidney stones and kidney failure are directly related to the levels of blood sugar. There is prominence of this problem in dancers. Dancers are required to maintain high energy levels during day long workouts. When struggling with eating disorders, dancers are not getting the energy they need, so they rely on foods high in sugar. For extended periods of time that there is excessive sugar intake increases the chances of developing kidney stones and eventual kidney failure.
Problems arise in the blood as well. Anemia is a common effect associated with eating disorders. Since the body is deprived of nutrition, the body is not able to make healthy blood cells. This can result in folate deficiency anemia, iron deficiency anemia, and vitamin deficiency anemia (Casa Palmera). Anemia can also be the result of kidney failure according to Casa Palmera which is a recovery center specializing in eating disorders.
One of the most severe effects of eating disorders is on the heart. After lasting malnutrition, the heart decreases the blood pressure. The heart also slows and flutters. When the heart slows, the muscles do not get the oxygen that they need, nor do the muscles around the heart, which results in them losing their size. This can lead to heart failure. Heart attacks are also common in those suffering with eating disorders. The vast majority of deaths that are linked to eating disorders are caused by heart failure, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. The heart cannot handle the stress and work overload, and slowly deteriorates.
The physical effects of eating disorders are harmful, but the psychological effects of these issues can be just as devastating. Although eating disorders are classified as a psychological disorder, meaning they start in the brain, the effects cause damage not only to the body, but in turn come back to the mind and cause more damage there than was already done. Eating disorders has the highest mortality rate of any other psychological disease (South Carolina Department of Mental Health).
According to the American Psychological Association, eating disorders begin as “a desire to escape from self-awareness.” Dancers “suffer from high standards and expectations, especially an acute sensitivity to the difficult (perceived) demands of others.” After failing short of these demands from others, these dancers develop “an aversive pattern of high self-awareness, characterized by unflattering views of self and concern over how they are perceived by others. These…are accompanied by emotional distress.” Emotional distress includes depression, as well as anxiety disorders. As a result of this, dancers narrow their train of thought, and their attention to focus primarily on these problems. This “disengages normal inhibitions against eating and fosters an uncritical acceptance of irrational beliefs and thoughts.” Eating disorders start as an altered mental perception due to stress placed upon dancers by instructors. The altered mental perception explodes into eating disorders, which in turn directly have negative impacts on the brain perceptions.
Another psychological effect of eating disorders is “preoccupation with food and eating, increased emotional responsiveness and dysphoria, and distractibility” and suicidal thoughts (Journal of the American Dietetic Association). Even after the recovery of eating disorders, sufferers will still be obsessed with thoughts of food and eating. The psychological effects of eating disorders are lasting, and it is clear that those with eating disorders will never fully recover (South Carolina Department of Mental Health).
The process of destruction begins in the brain, continues to the body, and returns to the brain. The process is started by the intense pressure that is put upon dancers by instructors to have a particular aesthetic appearance. Dancers, and instructors, are unaware of the extensive consequences that these problems have. The stress that instructors place on dancers and the eating disorders that result from the stress have permanent and lasting consequences. Instructors and dancers should know about these impacts, as most people in the dance industry focus mainly on the aesthetically pleasing positive impacts that this serious problem has. Instructors and dancers are not fully aware of the severity of the actions that they are taking.
Eating Disorders & Dancers 