Body perception, body image and food practices of ballerinas

Abstract

In classical ballet there is a lean body standard required for dancers, so this group has constant self-dissatisfaction. This quali-quantitative study aimed to understand the impact of classical ballet on the building of the body, body image (BI) and eating practices of ballerinas. Ten adult female ballerinas that have been dancing for longer than 4 years, participate in competitions and dance festivals and are Brazilians were interviewed. In meetings held virtually the participants answered a semi-structured interview, and the Silhouette Scale was applied. The analysis of quantitative data showed that only four dancers are satisfied with their bodies and seven dancers showed difficulty in auto perceiving their BI. Five dancers had BMI classified as “thinness grade l”, one in “thinness grade ll” and four were classified as eutrophy. Through content analysis, four thematic nuclei were determined: “Beginnings and meanings”, “The quest for perfection”, “Pressure from all sides” and “Eating practices and the weight of food”. The results show that the pressure exerted by teachers, the ballet uniform, the mirror in the classroom, the reference dancers and social media influence the distorted perception and dissatisfaction with their BI. The dietary practices reported are aimed at weight loss and most ballerinas do not have nutritional monitoring. This study brings elements that raise questions for reflection about BI, body dissatisfaction and its consequences, contributing to the practice of professionals who work with dancers.