With American ballerina Kathryn Morgan we cover some challenging subject matter – Kathryn’s journey through dance has clearly brought her joy but she has also had to deal with issues around physical and mental health, and especially around body image. With a large and devoted following on social media, she speaks with rare honesty about her experiences. In October 2020, she posted a YouTube video describing why earlier that year she left Miami City Ballet, where she was a soloist. Kathryn’s story has prompted a wider discussion of the culture of professional ballet, its attitude to body image, and what needs to change.

Content warning: This podcast includes a discussion about eating disorders and mental health. For help with eating disorders please go to the NHS Eating Disorder page: https://bit.ly/3w5hJgh

For help with eating disorders or other mental health concerns, please contact the Samaritans helpline on 116 123.

RAD acknowledges that these resources are UK specific so for those listening outside of the UK, suggests contacting local health services for advice and support.

About Kathryn Morgan

Kathryn Morgan is a modern-day ballerina, blazing a career path outside of the confines of company life. A performer, teacher, judge and influencer, she is also the founder of Kathryn Morgan & Friends, a community focused on the joy that ballet can bring to dancers. Kathryn began her professional career with New York City Ballet in 2006, and was promoted to soloist in 2009. She left NYCB in 2012 while battling an auto-immune illness, and returned to the stage seven years later as a soloist with Miami City Ballet. In 2020, she decided to step away from company life to pursue dancing on her own terms. Her notable performances include Aurora in The Sleeping Beauty, Juliet in Romeo and Juliet, and the Striptease girl in Balanchine’s Slaughter on Tenth Avenue.

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