TRIGGER WARNING: this episode includes discussion of eating disorders. If you find this topic triggering, we encourage you to skip this episode and prioritize your mental health and well-being. If you or someone you know is struggling with an eating disorder, please seek support from a trusted healthcare professional.

Dr. Stephanie Potreck is a former dancer turned doctor/sports nutritionist and founder of AusDancersOverseas. I invited Stephanie onto the podcast to get her professional take on a recent interview written for The Independent by Charlotte Cripps with the director of the Birmingham Royal Ballet, Carlos Acosta titled ‘It’s hard to talk about weight in ballet’ (linked below).

It’s no secret the ballet world is obsessed with weight, even with a growing body of medical evidence showing the lifelong harm of restrictive eating. In this episode Dr. Stephanie breaks down what happens to dancers physically, emotionally and mentally when they restrict food intake. She shares the markers she looks for as a medical professional to determine a dancer’s health as well as her ideal scenario to foster happy, healthy dancers in ballet companies.

Key Moments:

• Stephanie’s initial thoughts upon reading the article [2:55]
• The ballet world’s obsession with weight [5:28]
• The effect of restrictive eating on emotional maturity [9:22]
• Important elements to partnering beyond a female dancer’s weight [10:34]
• What happens to the body when the diet is restricted [12:56]
• The first time I was told to lose weight as a dancer at 14 [16:19]
• What medical professionals screen for to determine a dancer’s health [24:48]
• The lifelong implications of restrictive eating for dancers [29:16]
• Stephanie’s ideal scenario for optimal dancer health in a ballet company [35:55]

Connect with Dr. Stephanie:

HER WEBSITE: https://ausdancersoverseas.com/

INSTAGRAM: instagram.com/ausdancersoverseas

Links and Resources:

Carlos Acosta Interview in The Independent: https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/theatre-dance/features/carlos-acosta-carmen-sadlers-wells-cuba-birmingham-royal-ballet-b2547981.html

Risk factors for lower back injury in male dancers performing ballet lifts: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19754984/

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My WEBSITE: thebrainyballerina.com

INSTAGRAM: instagram.com/thebrainyballerina

Questions/comments? Email me at [email protected]