Body Image and Dance; Supporting Confidence Beyond Appearance

Body image is a multifaceted issue that influences dancers’ self‑worth, confidence, mental health, and relationship with food. For practitioners, educators, coaches, health professionals, cultivating a positive body image in dancers is not simply about aesthetics. It is about providing them with the skills to develop confidence within, to build practices that enable growth, development, health, resilience, and artistry.

When dancers develop a positive body image, they are more likely to engage in helpful behaviours such as eating appropriately, resting adequately, and embracing training as a source of growth. Conversely, body dissatisfaction can lead to feelings of shame, inadequacy, and self-doubt, often driving unhelpful behaviours such as restrictive eating, overtraining, or neglecting recovery.

Practitioners play a critical role in recognising these patterns and guiding dancers toward healthier behaviours. Importantly, moments of dissatisfaction are normal. What matters most is equipping dancers with the skills to process and respond to these thoughts. Good health is not the absence of difficulties, but the ability to manage and overcome them.

Having worked in elite sport for nearly two decades, I have seen firsthand the nutritional challenges athletes and dancers face, from under‑fuelling to disordered eating and clinical eating disorders. Addressing these issues requires more than simply prescribing “more food.” It demands an understanding of each individual’s journey and the barriers they encounter. For some, education about what the body needs to perform, grow, adapt, and stay healthy may be enough. For others, the roots are more complex: inappropriate language or comments from authority figures, formative experiences where nutrition became the only controllable factor, or poor body image where self‑worth is tied to appearance. Each scenario presents unique challenges and must be approached with sensitivity.

Body image is deeply tied to self‑worth, and comments, whether intentional or not, can reinforce the idea that appearance equals value. Practitioners should be mindful of language, avoiding links between progress and weight or body composition. Constant comparison to idealised body types erodes self‑esteem, while the pursuit of perfection fosters self‑criticism, even when performance is strong.

When dancers feel their body isn’t “good enough,” they may believe they aren’t good enough. This belief can lead to neglecting self‑care through compromised rest, nutrition, and recovery. Linking appearance to self‑worth is damaging because it reduces a person’s value to how they look, rather than who they are or how they perform.

Practitioners must help dancers recognise the whole self; personal characteristics, strengths, creativity, resilience, and individuality. These qualities cannot be captured in a picture.

Some practical strategies for educators and practitioners:

• Focus feedback on effort over appearance:

  highlight progression, artistry, and resilience.

• Celebrate ability, not aesthetics:

  reinforce skill, creativity, and performance outcomes.

• Use body‑neutral language:

  avoid equating thinness or physique with success or lack of success.

• Encourage self‑compassion:

  help dancers value functionality and individuality.

• Appreciate the body’s capabilities:

  prompt reflection on what the body allows them to do every day.

Self‑worth in dancers is not built in a single class or moment, it is cultivated over time through consistent, compassionate messaging and inclusive practices. Practitioners who honour the whole dancer, not just the silhouette, help build resilience, confidence, and deeper connection to the craft.