Risks of classical ballet

The risks associated with classical ballet are those which are commonly found in high-impact activities, although they specifically relate to movements done in ballet. As with other athletes, dancers run the risk of becoming injured within the course of their career. Since ballet is also a performance art with high emphasis on aesthetics, ballet dancers are also at a higher risk to develop eating disorders such as anorexia nervosa or bulimia, or to participate in illicit drug use.

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Injuries

Many ballet movements, such as the turning out the hips and rising on the toes, go beyond the natural range of human movement and can place unhealthy stress on the body when not performed correctly. Eighty percent of professional dancers will be injured in some way during their careers; 50 percent of dancers from large ballet companies and 40 percent from small companies will miss performances due to injury^[2]. The greatest risk in ballet for injury is learning or executing technique wrongly. The practice of "pliéing" (bending one's knees deeply) after landing each jump may seem innocuous, but failing to do so may result in shin splints or knee injuries. Other injuries may be caused by overwork or by dancing in less-than-ideal circumstances, such as on a hard floor, in a cold studio or theater, or without having had sufficient time to warm up the muscles.

In order to minimize injury, teachers of ballet will begin with strength building and habit-forming basics. As damage may result from having a student perform movements for which they are not prepared, care must be taken that the student is not "pushed" too much. A dancer put en pointe at an age where her bones have not completely ossified may develop permanent damage; even past the point of ossification, ankle injuries can result if a dancer goes on pointe without sufficient strength.

Stress

Professional ballet dancers may have difficulty finding security and sufficient pay within a job. The average income for a ballet dancer is around six hundred dollars per week^[3], and competition for jobs is very high. In addition to the stress that may be caused by this, dancers also may experience the psychological distress of a desire to be technically and physically "perfect".

As with other activities (such as horse jockeying) where weight is a factor, dancers are at a higher risk for developing eating disorders such as anorexia and bulimia ^[4]. Many young dancers, believing that the ideal dancer must be thin, may begin controlling their diets, sometimes obsessively ^[5]. Such dancers may be unaware of or may choose to ignore the fact that an emaciated dancer will not have the strength required for ballet and is at a higher risk for injuries and long-term health problems.

Despite these risks, dancers are some of the healthiest people. Nowadays, many sports players are taking ballet to help strengthen their muscles and become more flexible. Ballet is an extremely healthy and safe thing to do when done correctly. American dancers are more prone to injury because most companies don't have the steady schedule of rehearsals and performances that their European counterparts have. Declining popularity has made it difficult for the ballet dancer to find a steady job and make ends meet. An injured dancer may continue to dance in the face of their injury, preferring to risk greater injury rather than the possibility of losing work.

Cigarette smoking among dancers

Many are familiar with the stereotype of dancers smoking to control weight or alleviate stress. Although this stereotype does not necessarilly translate into reality, in a survey of 300 professional dancers, 40% were smokers, contrasted with the Center for Disease Control average of 24% of American women and 29% of American men aged 18-34^[6].

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