The Dangers of Asking Dancers to Lose Weight During Puberty

by Jennifer Heimlich | Oct 14, 2026 | Health & Body, Nutrition, Pointe+, Training, Wellness

Sarah-Gabrielle Ryan was 10 years old when teachers first started commenting on her body. She was one of the youngest of her peers to go through puberty, and as her shape began changing, she began hearing casual remarks in class. “I had teachers joking that I had a...

Are Dancers at Greater Risk of Disordered Eating During the Shutdown?

by Madeline Schrock For Dance Magazine | Apr 21, 2020 | Health, Health & Body, Nutrition

As we spend more time at home and less in the studio, many aspects of our routine simply aren’t up to us. In the midst of COVID-19–related shutdowns, some dancers may be struggling with their relationship to food, whether they’re feeling guilty about...

The Eating Disorder Trap: How Dancers' Perfectionism Can Make Things Dangerously Worse

by Dawn Smith-Theodore | Sep 3, 2018 | Health & Body, Wellness

Dawn Smith-Theodore, a former professional dancer, is a psychotherapist specializing in the treatment of eating disorders. She is also an anorexia-nervosa survivor. Here she explains how under the right circumstances, a dancer’s perfectionism and ballet’s...