The Prioritization of Mental Health in Dance

Abstract

Dance leadership must invest in the physical and mental health care of dancers to transform the established culture into one that prioritizes the well-being of dancers. In this paper, the established culture refers to a close-knit yet competitive culture in dance that has been known to nurture outdated practices and the pursuit of perfectionism. The established culture encompasses dance school and professional dance culture. Feedback and testimonies are collected and examined through personal interviews that were conducted with current and former dancers, dance teachers, dance leaders, and mental health professionals.